Goa is a real tropical paradise. If you are looking for long stretches of sun drenched beaches, crystal blue seas fringed with swaying coconut palm-trees, sounds of stringing guitar s accompanied with some beautiful love songs then Goa is the proper place for you to travel to. Traveling to Goa requires from nationals of most European countries the receipt of a tourist visa — a formal permission from the Government of India for the tourist to spend a specific period of time on the territory of India (including Goa). In extreme cases you can obtain a visa on your arrival in Goa. But you should remember that the customs do not particularly make concessions about this issue, so we recommend that you apply for a visa in advance at the Indian Embassy in your country.

VISAS FOR GOA ARE NECESSARY FOR THE TRAVELERS OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES:

• Australia
• Great Britain
• Germany
• Italy
• France
• USA
• Japan
• Malaysia
• New Zeeland

While applying for a Visa to Goa you should:

• have a passport of the traveler which must have at least a 6 months remaining validity and should be accompanied by a visa application done by him/her personally;
• two passport size photographs;
• all necessary supporting documents (the copy of plane tickets, hotel booking voucher, travel voucher).

The traveler has to pay a special fee in the amount which depends on the nationality of the passport holder and the duration and type of the visa he/she applies for.

The duration of the visa depends on the type of the visa the tourist applies for.

TYPES OF VISAS FOR GOA

• Travel Visa. This type of visa is supposed to be for those who are planning to visit Goa for traveling and holidays or planning to visit their relatives who are citizens of India. The visa can be issued for one or several entries
• Transit Visa. This type of visa is issued for those who are visiting India for transit purposes and continue their trip to third countries.
• Business Visa. This type of visa can be issued for those who are planning to visit India for business purposes. While applying for business visa one must have a Letter of Invitation from a business partner (company, private entrepreneur, corporation, etc)
• Student Visa, is supposed to be for those who are coming to India to study at a college, university or business school. The visa can be issued ONLY with the supporting document (a Letter of Invitation from a higher educational establishment).
• Visa for yoga, Vedic culture, Indian music, Indian dance, etc studying. This type of visa is supposed to be for those who are coming to India for yoga, Vedic culture, Indian music, Indian dance, etc studying. The visa can be issued ONLY with a supporting document (a Letter of Invitation from the officially recognized Indian educational establishment where the applying traveler will take the course)

ACQUIRING A VISA ON ARRIVAL IN GOA

There is a possibility to acquire and receive a visa on arrival in Goa at the Dabolim International Airport (Temporary Landing Facility and Temporary Landing Permit).

According to the current legislation of India the procurement of a visa on arrival can be made in the following cases:

• death or serious and sudden disease of a relative (with the submission of supporting documents);
• transit which does not exceed 72 hours of stay on the territory of India. NOTE: the flight must be carried out from the same airport the visitor landed at;
• the passage of a group of tourists (at least 4 people) that have purchased a trip package from an Indian tour operator. In this case, the list of group with the numbers of passports of each tourist and the detailed trip planned is handed to the Immigration Service in advance. During the whole term of the stay in India the tourists must travel ONLY within a group and ONLY in accordance with the submitted papers. At arrival the Immigration Service officer takes the passports of the members of the group and gives them the TLF/TLP form. At the passport control for your returning flight all passports are returned to their holders in exchange of the TLF/TLP form. For the issuing of Permission there is a charge in the amount of 40 USD which is collected upon arrival. Any other grounds for the TLF/TLP form are illegal.