Goa only state in country to offer ‘visa on arrival’

Goa only state in country to offer ‘visa on arrival’

Preetu Nair, TNN 24 October 2009

PANAJI: Believe it or not, Goa offers visas on arrival. Or at least this is what charter/tour operators have managed to secure for their clients, especially from Russia, with the active connivance of immigration authorities. A foreigner is charged $40 for it, at least on paper.

“Granting of visa on arrival is nowhere practised in India except Goa, which is objected to now. The practice should be discontinued,” said an internal note submitted by SSP (Security) VV Chaudhary on September 19, 2009.

So worrying is the situation that the Indian ambassador in Moscow has repeatedly written to the Centre expressing concern. In his latest letter, dated January 15, 2009, ambassador PP Shukla warned about a threat to security and said there is talk among operators organizing tours of Russian nationals to India that a ‘visa on arrival scheme’ is in force in Goa. “This rumour seems to have arisen because some operators claim to have managed to get visas on arrival for their clients who have landed at Goa without a valid Indian visa from any of our missions,” Shukla explained. “We have been emphasizing to all concerned that there is no such scheme and tour operators should desist from such offers,” he added. Two similar letters were dispatched by the Indian ambassador to Russia on November 20, 2007 and March 31, 2008.

What the ambassador is talking about here is the misuse of the Temporary Landing Facility (TLF), which can be offered by immigration authorities only in case of emergencies. “Misuse of such a discretionary facility, needless to say, could be a matter of serious concern from the security angle,” the letter noted.

The Times of India, Goa edition, 24 October 2009