India adds three new airports to Visa-on-Arrival for UAE travellers

India widened its Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) window for UAE nationals on Wednesday, adding Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad to the list of entry points. The move pushes the facility to nine major airports, building on an earlier rollout covering New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi.

Under the scheme, VoA is available only to UAE nationals who have previously secured an Indian e-visa or a regular paper visa. Eligible travellers may stay in India for up to 60 days and can enter for tourism, business, conferences or medical visits, with double entry permitted within the 60-day period. Passports must carry a minimum validity of six months, and authorities may seek proof of funds, accommodation and confirmed return or onward travel.

The facility excludes UAE nationals whose parents or grandparents were born in, or are permanent residents of, Pakistan. The VoA fee remains ₹2,000—or its equivalent in foreign currency—for every passenger, including children. There is no cap on how many times a UAE national can use the service in a year.

The expansion is aimed at easing inbound travel and boosting people-to-people movement, particularly as tourism, business and medical traffic between India and the UAE continues to rise.