Do you get excited while planning an international trip but soon get daunted at getting the visa process started? Or may find it difficult to understand how to get started? If the answer is a yes, you might be interested in traveling to countries with the facility of visa-free access or visa on arrival for Indians. These facilities are available in limited countries, eliminating the wait for visa issuance.
How Do Countries Allow Entry to Foreign Travellers?
Different countries have different ways for travelers to enter their borders, sometimes with or without a visa. Some destinations require you to apply for a visa before you travel. Then there is visa-free access allowing one to enter a foreign country without applying for a visa.
On the other hand, there is a unique visa facility on arrival for Indians, allowing you to apply for a visa after you arrive at the port of entry of your destination country. There is also eTA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) and eVisa (Electronic Visa). eTA is more like authorization and given to countries with Visa Waiver Program, whereas eVisa is a visa that is applied just like a normal visa but only electronically.
Speaking of visas on arrival for Indians, let us read about some essential things to bear in mind.
1. Find a Country that Issues Visa on Arrival
For Indians with passports, there are 40 countries to choose from where you can visit with a visa issued on arrival. The list includes Indonesia, Madagascar, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam are other countries.
When you choose to travel to a place with a visa on arrival facility, you avoid lengthy paperwork and do not have to stand in long queues. This benefits the traveler to experience a hassle-free journey. However, countries change their status from time to time, including travel restrictions, so check before booking your ticket.
2. Documents Required
Bear in mind that the documents required for visas on arrival for Indians vary from country to country. However, you may be required to have the following ready with you-
• Passport (valid for at least six months)
• Passport photocopy
• At least three passport size photographs (size and background as per their requirement)
• Hotel reservation
• Return ticket/flight and reservation/flight
• Itinerary and visa fee in foreign currency.
Some countries may even ask for bank statement documents for the last three months.
3. Travel Insurance
Whether traveling to a visa-free country or one offering a visa on arrival service, do not overlook the importance of travel insurance. Many countries have made travel insurance mandatory, especially in post-COVID times.
Before you start looking for an insurance company, try contacting your current insurance provider, as some of them provide travel insurance even free of cost. You can select travel insurance for a single trip or multiple trips, depending on your travel plans. The multi-trip policy works well for those who frequently travel during a single year.
Ensure you understand their clauses and precisely what they will and will not cover. One of the leading travel insurers, Care Health Insurance, offers all-inclusive travel covers catering to the needs of every traveler. Its travel insurance includes benefits such as hospitalization expenses, additional sum insured during accidental hospitalization, personal accident coverage, medical evacuation, daily allowance, and more.
4. Return Flight Ticket
Some embassies and consulates do not insist that travelers with visas on arrival submit return flight tickets at the destination. Instead, they will ask for flight reservations or flight itineraries with dates and flight numbers specifying their country’s entry and exit dates. Check with your travel agent or the airline if they can hold your flight reservation (mostly for a small fee) without purchasing the ticket.
Lastly, do your research thoroughly and understand your rights, benefits, and privileges to have a memorable holiday.
