Entry curbs slow down foreign travel
New Delhi: Abhay Kumar Khanna, a retired general manager of Indian Railways who holds a 10-year visa to the US and has already travelled to over 30 countries, had planned a family vacation in Europe this summer. He was in for a rude shock when he applied for a
Schengen visa
.
"I had applied for a Schengen visa to the embassy of Hungary, and to my utter amazement and disbelief, I was denied a visa on the grounds of 'suspicious activities,' said Khanna, adding he suffered a financial loss of over '2 lakh on account of non-cancellable air tickets and hotel bookings.
Khanna is not alone as increasingly more Indians head overseas. Data released by the ministry of tourism showed that January to December 2024 saw Indian nationals' departures growing 8.44% year-on-year to around 30.2 million. This was higher than the pre pandemic departure figures of around 26.9 million.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Following the Covid-19 pandemic and in the absence of Chinese travellers, many countries laid out the red carpet for Indians.
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While countries are still talking about boosting Indian arrivals, over the past year, there seems to be a greater scrutiny, and entry requirements seem to be tightening through visa rejections, newer policies and more checks.
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Over the past few months, Singapore has made it mandatory for Indian applicants to get on a video call with authorised visa agents to ensure their authenticity.
Confirmed hotels and flights are now mandatory for a UAE visa.
ET reported this month that US visa seekers across categories, including business and leisure, are facing mounting hurdles as appointment wait times crossed a year in some regions. Rescheduling has become tougher, and interviews have become more detailed and stringent.
Some recent viral videos of Indians misbehaving with locals in certain overseas destinations haven't helped, said industry insiders.
Ravi Gosain, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), said there was a noticeable increase in visa scrutiny, particularly in the Schengen region, due to some recent incidents involving inappropriate behaviour by a small fraction of
Indian tourists
. "While not widespread, this has led to more cautious processing and even some visa denials," he said. "The vast majority of Indian travellers are respectful, but we must ensure that the actions of a few do not affect the reputation of many," he added.
Visas have also acquired a geopolitical dimension.
"Countries that want our tourists like Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Vietnam have either dispensed with visas for Indians or allowed easier entry through e visas," said Anil Kalsi, board member of Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH).
"The UAE seems to be focusing more on high-end, high spending tourists from India. Schengen is a different ball game. Visa appointments for Italy are hard to swing. Tourist friendly countries like France, Switzerland, Spain and Germany seem to be more efficient than others in granting visas," he added.
Jimeet Ved, founder of travel company Outofofficedaku handles Schengen visa applications for European countries besides Japan and dispenses travel advice on social media. He said while the application process is smooth for Japan, countries such as Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Belgium can be more stringent than the rest for Indian travellers.
These constraints have boosted arrival numbers for other countries that have comparatively easier entry requirements.
In 2024, Vietnam welcomed about 500,000 Indian tourists, a 297% jump compared to pre pandemic levels. India was the top primary market for Sri Lanka in December last year with 52,881 arrivals, accounting for a 21.3% share.
As per reports, India became the third largest market for Thailand in 2024 thanks to its visa free arrivals policy.
Thailand welcomed around 2.1 million Indian travellers last year, around 30% more than 2023.
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