Goa Airport issues 357 Visas on Arrival within 10 days

The  VoA  facility was launched  by the  Union  Home ministry on Nov 27, 2014  and  Goa  Airport  at Dabolim  started the  process  of  issuing  the  visas from Dec 4.

A  total of  43  countries  have  been extended  this  facility and  Goa is  one of the  nine  airports  which  has been selected  for  providing  the  VoA facility.

The  country  wise  data of  VoA issued  is  as   follows: Russua (154),  Ukraine (183),   Germany (7),  Jordan (3), Singapore (1),   USA (4). Foreign nationals  from  Australia, New  Zealand, Israel  and

Philippines have also  been  issued   a VoA  each as per  data  furnished  by the  Goa airport  at  Dabolim.

The  Director  of  Tourism,  Ameya  Abhyankar in a  press  statement  issued on Monday expressed  confidence   that this  facility will give  a big  boost  to  tourism and  global  visitors from the  enlisted 43  countries   which have  been selected  for  the  VoA  facility  can  avail of this  benefit in a  big way.

“It   facility  for  providing Visas  on Arrival  has  just  begun  and  we are  confident  that  it  will pick up during the  peak  season  and  in the  New  Year,” Abhyankar  said.

Airport  Director at Dabolim Airport K S Rao  said, “As  soon as  the    central notification was issued we  began the  process of  issuing the  Visas on Arrival from December 4.”

The  airport officials  are  expecting  a rush for  VoA   during the  Christmas season and  New  Year.

“By  the  next  season we  will get an  overwhelming response,"  he said.

The  Airport Director     explained  that  all  arrangements  required for   expediting  the  issue of VoA have been  put  in place.

He explained  that   an international visitor  seeking a  VoA  can  avail of this  facility  within 10 to  15  minutes  of  landing at the  airport.

“If there  is  not much of a  rush one could  get  this  VoA  within  five  minutes after  submitted  the  form, photograph and   payment of  fee,”  he  said.

Goa  Tourism  is  expecting  a surge  in  foreign tourist  arrivals  from  the  existing  12  per  cent to  15  per  cent with  the  launch  of the  VoA  facility.

The   list of 43  countries considered for Visa on Arrival Facility are Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cook  Islands, Djibouti, Fiji, Finland, Germany,  Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Luxembourg, Marshal Islands, Mauritius, Mexico ,Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue Island, Norway,Oman, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, USA, Vanuatu  and Vietnam.