Complementing its e-Visa expansion, India will eliminate government processing fees for e-Tourist Visa applicants from six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates—effective 5 August 2026. The decision was circulated to travel agents on 9 July via the Atlas Guide bulletin. The waiver is expected to make India more price-competitive against regional rivals such as Thailand and Malaysia, which already discount visas for Middle Eastern travellers. Gulf nationals account for roughly 7 percent of India’s annual inbound tourist arrivals, driven by medical tourism, weddings and family visits. Visa fees currently range from US$10 to US$80 depending on duration; removing them could save a family of four up to US$320. Indian private hospitals in Chennai and Kochi anticipate a surge in self-pay medical tourists, while Kerala’s tourism board has scheduled roadshows in Muscat and Riyadh to capitalise on the announcement. Airlines operating Gulf–India routes may adjust fare buckets to absorb higher demand across August and September. Companies moving Gulf-based staff to Indian project sites should benefit from lower travel costs and simplified reimbursement processes. Mobility teams should remind employees that biometric enrolment and passport validity requirements remain unchanged, and that the waiver applies only to the government fee—third-party processing or card-payment charges may still apply.
Source: Atlas Guide
