In a welcome move for short-haul business and leisure travel, the Ministry of Home Affairs on 23 November expanded India’s Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) scheme for citizens of the United Arab Emirates. Until now, UAE travellers could obtain a VoA at six major gateways—Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata. With the inclusion of Kochi, Calicut and Ahmedabad, the network rises to nine airports that collectively handle more than 70 per cent of UAE-India passenger traffic.
The VoA is restricted to visitors who have previously held an Indian e-Visa or paper visa. Once issued, the visa allows a stay of up to 60 days and can be used twice within that period. Officials stressed that there is no annual cap on the number of VoAs a traveller may obtain, an attractive feature for medical tourists and SME traders who make frequent, short-notice trips. A flat fee of ₹2,000 applies and the application form can be completed in advance through the Su-Swagatam mobile app, further reducing airport dwell time.
![India adds Kochi, Calicut and Ahmedabad to Visa-on-Arrival network for UAE nationals]()
From a business-mobility perspective, the biggest beneficiaries will be Kerala-based health-care providers, Gujarat’s textile exporters, and the fast-growing meetings-and-incentives segment in Kochi. Middle-East carriers Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia and flydubai—already ramping up frequencies for the winter schedule—expect additional demand on secondary city routes. Indian corporates hosting UAE investors can now route guests directly to industrial clusters around Kochi and Ahmedabad instead of funnelling them through Delhi or Mumbai.
Travel managers should update arrival briefings to reflect documentation requirements: a passport valid for six months, proof of onward or return travel, evidence of sufficient funds, and the completed Annexure-A VoA form. Companies should also budget the visa fee in trip costs and remind first-time visitors that they must still apply for an e-Visa before using the VoA facility in future.
Analysts view the move as part of New Delhi’s broader strategy to smooth entry for high-value travellers while retaining enough screening to address security concerns. The UAE is India’s second-largest source of inbound tourists from the Gulf and a top-three FDI partner, underscoring the economic logic behind the liberalisation.
The VoA is restricted to visitors who have previously held an Indian e-Visa or paper visa. Once issued, the visa allows a stay of up to 60 days and can be used twice within that period. Officials stressed that there is no annual cap on the number of VoAs a traveller may obtain, an attractive feature for medical tourists and SME traders who make frequent, short-notice trips. A flat fee of ₹2,000 applies and the application form can be completed in advance through the Su-Swagatam mobile app, further reducing airport dwell time.
From a business-mobility perspective, the biggest beneficiaries will be Kerala-based health-care providers, Gujarat’s textile exporters, and the fast-growing meetings-and-incentives segment in Kochi. Middle-East carriers Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia and flydubai—already ramping up frequencies for the winter schedule—expect additional demand on secondary city routes. Indian corporates hosting UAE investors can now route guests directly to industrial clusters around Kochi and Ahmedabad instead of funnelling them through Delhi or Mumbai.
Travel managers should update arrival briefings to reflect documentation requirements: a passport valid for six months, proof of onward or return travel, evidence of sufficient funds, and the completed Annexure-A VoA form. Companies should also budget the visa fee in trip costs and remind first-time visitors that they must still apply for an e-Visa before using the VoA facility in future.
Analysts view the move as part of New Delhi’s broader strategy to smooth entry for high-value travellers while retaining enough screening to address security concerns. The UAE is India’s second-largest source of inbound tourists from the Gulf and a top-three FDI partner, underscoring the economic logic behind the liberalisation.
