Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Travellers with electronic visas (e-visas) who arrive at the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar airport are being turned away since the airport does not have the capacity for e-visa verification, inflicting immeasurable suffering to the passengers through no fault of their own. The irony is that the devices required for e-visa verification were installed five months ago, but the service has yet to begin since the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has yet to release the requisite notification!
According to government sources, at least a half-dozen travelers were returned after landing in Dubai with e-visas. An unnamed official said, ‘With Air India launching an international service from Dubai, the Union home ministry decided to make e-visa verification available at the airport.’ Thus, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) placed five biometric verification equipment provided by the Bureau of Immigration at the airport’s immigration checkpoint five months ago.
The facility will be operational as soon as the MHA issued the notice. According to TK Jose, chairperson of the MP Chapter of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Indian embassies are granting e-visas in the form of Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to nationals of 156 countries. E-visa verification is provided at entry points at 28 airports and departure points at 34 airports around the country. Tourist, business, conference, medical, medical attendant, and emergency visas are all available. The entire procedure of obtaining an e-visa is completed online, and the applicant is notified by e-mail. At the airport, a traveler must present a printout of their ETA and go through a biometric verification process.
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