Easing Poles' paths to India

"As early as this month Poles will be able to use e-tourist visas,” India’s ambassador to Poland Ajay Bisaria said. “The visa will be issued to tourists upon arrival at the airport in India based on a previously submitted on-line application. I am also counting on the restoration of a direct connection between Warsaw and Delhi thanks to cooperation between Air India and LOT as early as next year. In this way we will meet our target of doubling tourist arrivals from Poland. In 2014. 25,000 Poles visited India,” Bisaria said.

July 10 saw presentations and workshops as part of an Incredible India tourism promotion event prepared between the Indian Association of Tour Operators and the Indian Ministry of Tourism in Warsaw. The resumption of a direct air link with Goa was also floated as a possibility.

”India plans to expand the number of countries benefiting from electronic visas from the current 77 to 150 by 2018, and among them will surely be Poland,” Roma Singh, regional director for Europe, said.

“The cost of a visa is USD 60, and the time of its settlement electronically is usually 48 hours, the longest 72 hours. Just go to www.indianvisaonline.gov.in fill out an application, attach a picture, pay and wait for approval, and then print it,” she explained. (jh)