New E-Visa on arrival for superyachts to Andamans

PORT BLAIR, India – “Visa on Arrival Facility is now available at nine (9) airports in India for those planning or those interested in cruising the highly intriguing superyacht destination – India’s Andaman Islands”, reports R. Rathnam of Asia Pacific Superyachts Andaman Islands.
 

“This is another encouraging move from the Government of India in welcoming tourists and visiting yachts to India.”  As reported in Delhi in early December, India loosened its electronic visa policies for visitors from 43 nations, including Australia, Brazil, Germany, and the U.S.
 

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad was the first to report the facility of an E-Visa gift for the citizens of 43 countries, officially starting November 27, 2014. The Union Home Minister along with Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma in introducing the e-Visa facility noted the new system generates the electronic version of a visa to visit India. The system is to make it easier for tourists to travel to India, which usually requires applicants to wait weeks before visas are issued. The new tourist e-visa is issued within a maximum of 72 hours, regardless of working days or holidays that fall in the time frame.
 

The ETA will be accepted (only) at the following international airports: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thiruvanathapuram, Kochi and Goa. APS Andamans’ Mr. Rathnam recommends the Chennai and New Delhi airports for those flying in to meet their arriving superyacht at Port Blair.
 

The changes are chiefly aimed at boosting international tourist visits to the country. It is part of an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) Scheme which requires visitors to apply online at least four days before leaving for India. The visitor can then print a copy of the authorization and take it directly to immigration authorities. Further restrictions include: valid for 30 days; and the e-visa can only be obtained twice per year.
 

Unlike other visa regimes, it is reported there is no need to wait for a certain time before re-applying for another visa under the TVoA-ETA system. Though it is called visa-on-arrival, the new visa has to be applied for online before travelling to India. Once the payment is made online and the visa is issued, tourists have to keep a printout of the visa with them to show immigration officials on arrival to India. To learn more visit https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html.
 

Part of India, the Andaman and Nicobar are a large group of nearly 572 islands, including islets and rocks, in the Bay of Bengal. Though a part of India politically, the Andamans are closer to Myanmar and Thailand than to the India mainland. 1400 km from mainland India and 1000 km from Thailand, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of the most remote spots on the planet.
 

The original inhabitants are various aboriginal tribes who mostly exist out of the mainstream. There are some tribes who have had no contact whatsoever with the rest of the world. And of the 572 islands, only nine are open to foreign tourists, and all of these are in the Andamans.
 

Providing professional assistance with owners, guests and captain and crew visas along with all clearances and paperwork and customised services to visiting yachts throughout their journey, R. Rathnam and his APS Andamans team offer a wide-range of services from arrival through an enchanting journey to departure.

 

Photo caption: Port Blair