India has announced the date of opening the borders for tourists

The Indian Interior Ministry will start issuing new tourist visas to foreigners arriving in the country on charter flights from October 15. This is stated in the message of the department, published on the website of the press service of the government.

Foreign tourists traveling to India on non-charter flights will be able to obtain a visa from 15 November.

India suspended the issuance of tourist visas in March 2020 due to the CORONAVIRUS pandemic. The authorities decided to open the borders for tourists in connection with the improvement of the situation with covid-19 . According to a spokesman for the Indian Interior Ministry, the first 500,000 foreign tourists will be able to get free visas.

At the same time, several hundred Russian tourists who stayed in India due to the inability to leave due to the pandemic will have to return to RUSSIA after the borders are opened, said Andrey Fedorov, HEAD of the consular department of the Russian Embassy in India. “They will not be able [without returning] to last for a new tourist season. Such a benevolent attitude of the Indians to this issue is valid exactly until the moment when regular flights are resumed. As soon as this happens, tourists will have exactly 30 days to leave the country, having received all the necessary permits, ”said the diplomat (quoted by TASS).

Russia resumed flights with India in January. At first, only flights from Moscow to Delhi were allowed, but from October 5, the operational headquarters opened new routes. Since that date, flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Goa have resumed, and a flight from St. Petersburg to Delhi has also appeared - one a week in each direction.