India expands its visa-on-arrival facility for UAE nationals across 9 airports
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The UAE citizens now have access to VoA across Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad airports, adding to existing list of Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata. Eligible travellers with a prior Indian e-Visa or paper visa can enter for tourism, business, conferences, or medical purposes for up to 60 days, with double entry allowed.
As per a recent official notice, the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi has expanded its visa-on-arrival (VoA) facility for Emirati citizens from six to nine international airports, adding Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad to the list that already included Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata.
The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi confirmed that the VoA facility is available exclusively to UAE nationals who have previously obtained an Indian e-Visa or a regular paper visa.
As per the issued statement, the UAE travellers meeting the criteria can now enter India for up to 60 days for tourism, business, conferences or medical treatment by filling out a short form on arrival and paying INR 2,000 (AED 83) fee. They may use the privilege multiple times per year, provided each stay remains within the limit and passports are valid for at least six months.
With this, not just the two-way traffic would increase but also the surface-travel legs for executives visiting Tier-2 manufacturing clusters in Kerala and Gujarat across the added entry points would be shortened, reducing the need for domestic connections. The Indian nationals already benefit from an expanded UAE visa-on-arrival scheme introduced in February 2025.
