With a view to further streamline and rationalise the existing visa fee regime, Government of India has proposed various changes in the existing visa fee structure for foreign visitors travelling to India, including Omanis.

According to a statement from the Indian Embassy in Muscat, there has been a growing interest amongst the people of Oman for travelling to India for tourism, business, leisure and medical treatment, which is reflected in the fact that the Embassy of India, Muscat, issued over 95,000 visas in 2016 and it has already issued over 20,000 visas in first two months of 2017.

In order to increase the number of medical tourists to India and to project India as a preferred medical destination due to its world class medical facilities, the Indian government has decided to reduce the Medical Visa fee as compared to Tourist Visa fee. From April 1,  Medical Visa applicants will have to pay RO30.9 ($79.9) for a visa valid up to 6 months and RO46.3 ($119.8) for visa valid up to one year.

The Embassy of India, Muscat, has taken steps to boost medical tourism to India, including fast processing of Medical Visa applications and opening of a separate counter at BLS Visa Application Centre for receiving applications for Medical Visas.

“The recent decision to reduce Medical Visa fee as compared to Tourist Visa fee will greatly benefit the patients and their attendants. All Omani nationals, who want to visit India to avail world class medical treatment at competitive costs, are requested to travel to India on Medical Visa only and not on tourism or any other visa,” the Embassy said.

Further, with a view to facilitating visits by businesspersons to India including businesspersons from Oman, the Indian government has decided to issue, from April 1, Business Visa valid up to one year at a fee of RO46.3 ($119.8).

Businesspersons, with strong and long-standing business relations with India, who are required to travel to India frequently at a short notice, will be offered Business Visa valid up to 5 years at RO96.3 ($249.3).

Further, the government has revised the Tourist Visa fee to RO38.6 ($99.9) for visa valid up to one year and RO77.1 ($199.5)for visa valid up to 5 years.

Entry Visa fee for the people going for training or other purposes will be RO30.9 ($79.9) for Entry Visa valid up to 6 months while RO46.3 fee will be for visa valid from 6 months to one year.

Further, a fee of RO77.1 ($199.5) will be charged for Entry Visa for duration ranging from one year to 5 years.

The revised visa fees will be charged from April 1 and do not include the contribution of RO1 ($2.5) to ICWF and visa application processing charges of RO1.65 ($4.27) levied by BLS. - TradeArabia News Service