The central government on Thursday said that the Indian passport was good for visa on arrival in 40 countries and visa-free entry to 16 nations. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in reply to a question by Congress's Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan Neeraj Dangi said on Thursday that Indian passport holders were also eligible for e-Visa facility to Indian passport holders.
"The Government of India is constantly striving to increase the number of countries that can offer visa-free entry, visa on arrival and e-visa facilities to Indians to facilitate their travel across the world," he said.
Granting visa-free entry to foreigners is a sovereign matter of the receiving nation. Matters relating to the grant of visa-free entry or visa on arrival also depend on various factors, including bilateral relations and the principle of reciprocity, the MoS said.
With a mobility score of 73, India ranks 68 on the global passport strength index along with Gambia and Uganda.
Which Are The 16 Countries Where Indians Can Get Visa-Free Entry?
Visa-free entry ensures a seamless and hassle-free foreign travel experience for individuals of a nation. Visa-free travel has a host of benefits such as simplified entry requirements and fewer bureaucratic & administrative hurdles. This enables travellers to make even last-minute plans.
The 16 nations that offer visa-free entry to Indians are:
- Barbados
- Bhutan
- Dominican Republic
- Fiji
- Haiti
- Hong Kong SAR
- Kazakhstan
- Maldives
- Nepal
- Niue Island
- Qatar
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Senegal
- Sri Lanka
- St Lucia
- The Cook Islands.
47 Nations That Have e-Visa Facility For Indians
E-visa is the facility that offers travellers the ease of applying for foreign travel documents without the need for sending passports or appearing for interviews. The process is faster and more convenient than the regular visa application process and one doesn't have to wait in long queues at the consulate. They can offer a longer duration of stay than the traditional visa.
India offers e-Visa to foreigners visiting the nation for "recreation, sight-seeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine and business purpose and no other purpose or activity".
There are 47 nations that offer e-visa facilities to Indians:
- Albania
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Benin
- Cambodia
- Chile
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Grenada
- Guinea
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Moldova
- Montserrat
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- New Zealand
- Oman
- Russia
- Sao Tome and Princep
- Singapore
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Suriname
- Taiwan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam.
40 Nations Where Indian Passport Can Get You Visa On Arrival
As the name suggests, a visa on arrival is granted once a traveller arrives at his destination country. getting a visa on arrival is easier because all the necessary bureaucratic steps are merged and performed at a single location. This does not require the individual to visit the nation's consulate or embassy before his travel. However, some additional information and documents — such as proof of hotel reservation, proof of sufficient funds for stay in the country, and proof of return or onward travel — may be needed to process a visa on arrival.
Countries which offer visa on arrival to Indian passport-holders are:
- Barbados
- Bolivia
- Cambodia
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Egypt
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Laos
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mongolia
- Montserrat
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Peru
- Republic of Congo
- Republic of Marshall Islands
- Reunion Islands
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Sri Lanka
- St. Kitts & Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent & the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Tunisia
- Tuvalu
- Zimbabwe.