Coming out strongly in favour of providing visas on arrival to tourists, Planning Commission ceputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Friday extended all support to the tourism ministry and said both would jointly take it up with the concerned minis
Whether it's navigating the labyrinthine Cu Chi Tunnels, boating on the Mekong, marveling at ancient Champa temples, or the Mekong Bay, Vietnam promises a journey like no other.
Mangaluru Police in Karnataka have seized over 37 kg of MDMA, valued at Rs 75 crore, marking the biggest-ever drug haul in the state. Two South African nationals were arrested in Bengaluru in connection with the case. The operation stemmed from an earlier arrest six months ago, leading authorities to an international drug network with links to traffickers using air routes between Delhi and Bengaluru. The arrested individuals are suspected of supplying drugs to Nigerian peddlers and using forged passports and visas for travel. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lauded the police operation and highlighted the government's commitment to building a drug-free society.
Rohit, a young man from Punjab, India, was deported from the United States after a perilous journey that cost him his life savings and left his family in financial ruin. He had been promised legal entry to the U.S. by a travel agent in Amritsar, but his hopes were dashed when he was apprehended for illegally crossing the border. The ordeal highlights the risks associated with illegal migration and the exploitation faced by vulnerable individuals seeking a better life.
Even if his visa issues are sorted, he will arrive only after the Test starts.
Australia opener Usman Khawaja will join his Test team mates in India later on Thursday following a delayed approval of his visa.
The Indian government had in January 2010 launched VoA scheme to attract more foreign tourists to India.
Subject to visa, the team will now leave for Hyderabad from Lahore in the wee hours of September 27 and reach Hyderabad via Dubai in the night.
Malaysia has scrapped the visa-on-arrival facility for Indian nationals along with those of 26 other nations, visitors from where will now have to apply for a visa from their respective countries.
US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs and a travel ban on Colombia after the South American nation refused to accept two American military planes deporting undocumented Colombians. The move comes after President Trump announced mass deportations of illegal immigrants and warned countries of consequences if they refuse to accept them. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, in a post on X, said that the US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals and denied the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into Colombian territory. Trump responded by imposing a 25% tariff on all goods coming into the US, a travel ban and immediate visa revocations on Colombian government officials, and visa sanctions on all party members, family members and supporters of the Colombian government. The US also announced enhanced customs and border protection inspections of all Colombian nationals and cargo on national security grounds. In retaliation, Colombia announced a 25% import tariff on American products.
Posing a series of questions to the prime minister, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also asked if Modi would convey to the US president that India would send its own aircraft -- like Venezuela and Colombia did -- to bring back Indian deportees in the future.
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has been taken into 18-day custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India. Rana was extradited from the United States after years of legal battles and will be questioned to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the attacks.
India on Friday strongly protested China's decision to issue invalid visas to some of its athletes for the Asian Games.
Most stressful thing for most Indians planning to travel abroad is not the price of the ticket, but securing a visa.
The visitor returns not just with the jewel-like beauty of the country imprinted on the mind, the body rejuvenated by hot stone massages, but also with the captivating stories and myths that are built into every important structure -- whether a tourist magnet or an off-the-beaten track spot.
Applicants for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 (CAA) can submit any of nine documents, including valid or expired passport, ID cards and land tenancy records, to prove he or she is a national of Afghanistan or Bangladesh or Pakistan.
Many unauthorised migrants originate from Punjab and Gujarat, states known for high migration aspirations rather than political instability.
India on Monday announced that Pakistani senior citizens aged over 65 would be issued visas on arrival at the Wagah land border crossing from January 15 under a landmark liberalised visa agreement signed by the two countries last year. The visa on arrival facility will not be available at any other immigration or border point. Pakistani senior citizens will be issued a 45-day, single-entry visa valid for up to five places.
Tahawwur Rana, a Canadian citizen and native of Pakistan, was extradited to India to face charges related to his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The US Department of Justice said Rana allegedly commended the LeT terrorists who carried out the attacks and suggested they should be awarded Pakistan's highest gallantry award. Rana is accused of facilitating a fraudulent cover for his childhood friend, David Headley, to conduct surveillance in Mumbai for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group. He is also accused of helping Headley submit false visa applications to Indian authorities. This extradition follows a lengthy legal process that began in 2020 with India's request for Rana's surrender. Rana, who was previously convicted in the US for providing material support to LeT, will now face trial in India on 10 criminal charges related to the Mumbai attacks.
Indonesia will now allow visa-on-arrival facility for tourists from 14 countries, including India, in an effort to boost foreign arrivals.
Initially the visa will be offered for two weeks, an official said. Currently, nationals of 35 countries are granted visas on arrival at entry points, including Bahrain International Airport and King Fahad Causeway. The visitors should carry a valid passport and a return ticket and provide either hotel reservation details or family contacts in Bahrain for visas on arrival.
In a continued push to spiritual tourism, there will be a focus on destinations related to the life and times of Lord Buddha.
Former MotoGP rider Capirossi pleased with BIC ahead of inaugural race
Giving a new fillip to its relations with Pakistan, India has started visa on arrival facility for senior citizens of that country.
Iran has urged the Indian government to relax its visa norms and extend the facility of visa-on-arrival for its citizens who are visiting India, a senior diplomat said on Friday. Hassan Nourian, Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Hyderabad, said currently over 10,000 Iranian students are pursuing studies in various educational institutions in India.
The decision to extend visa on arrival facility to Indians was taken during discussions between visiting External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Ethiopian counterpart Seyoum Mesfin in the picturesque capital city of Addis Ababa.
Due to the huge pile-up of visa applications, the US consular officers in the neighbouring country are now adjudicating Indian visa applications where interview requirements have been waived.
The scheme is allowed for a maximum validity of 30 days with single entry facility by the immigration officers in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata airports on payment of a fee of $60 or equivalent amount in Indian rupees per passenger, including children.
On the 134th birth anniversary of the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, Utkarsh Mishra revisits three incidents from Dr B R Ambedkar's life that lay bare the deeply entrenched nature of caste prejudice.
India has expressed concern to the US authorities over the treatment of deportees on a flight that landed on February 5, particularly with respect to the use of shackles, especially on women. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also registered its concerns regarding the need to accommodate the religious sensitivities and food preferences of the deportees. The US side has confirmed that no women or children were restrained on the deportation flights that landed in India on 15th and 16th February, 2025.
The Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata airports can issue this visa.
Egypt has approved a visa on arrival scheme for Indians wishing to travel across the country.
The Prime Minister said India was ready to support the setting up of a Trade Office in New Delhi to promote trade between India and Pacific Island countries.
Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said the proposed new ruled were among measures taken to overcome the problem of illegal immigrants. "The social visit pass replaces the visas-on-arrival which was discontinued in April," Syed Hamid told Parliament on Thursday.
Visitors from 11 countries will be eligible to get a VoA from May 31 at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, GMR said.
Over 23,000 Indian students, mostly studying medicine, are reportedly stuck back home due to COVID visa restrictions.
In a bid to promote tourism, India may allow issuance of visa on arrival, sometime in 2009. Infrastructure for such a provision is also likely to be ready only by next year, when the airports in Delhi and Mumbai will be upgraded. About 5 million tourists came to India last year (2007) against 4.45 million in 2006. The foreign exchange earnings from tourists are estimated at about $12 billion in 2007 against about $9 billion last year.
Australian court sets Jan 20 to issue reasons for dismissal of Djokovic case
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