Iran has announced visa-free travel for Indian citizens India News » Today Latest Stories
The decision aims to demonstrate Iran’s commitment to international cooperation, Zarghami said, adding that, “Iran wants to counter negative feelings and rumors with this migration, while fighting “Iranophobia perpetuated by international arrogance”.
The other thirty-two countries on the visa-free travel list for Iran include Russia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zimbabwe , Mauritius, Seychelles. , Indonesia, Darussalam, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Belarus.
Previously, Iran waived visa requirements for citizens of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia, Lebanon, and Syria.
Now, flights to Saudi Arabia for Umrah
According to the latest statistics, the number of tourists in Iran reached 4.4 million, in the first eight months of this Iranian year (starting from March 21) – an increase of 48.5 percent since the same period last year.
Zarghami also said that his Ministry planned to visit 60 countries without a visa, which was not fully approved.
According to Iranian media reports, its citizens will be able to travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah through “regular flights”, starting December 19. As a result, Iranians will be able to perform Umrah in Saudi Arabia for the first time in eight years. – changes in the relationship between the two countries.
India has a growing market for foreign tourists
Meanwhile, a recent analysis by McKinsey has shown that India has one of the fastest growing markets for tourism – with 13 million such visitors in 2022.
Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam have also recently waived visa requirements for Indian citizens.
Earlier this month, Thailand – another neighboring country whose economy depends heavily on tourism – announced that Indian citizens will not be granted visas, from November 10 to May 10 next year. A temporary exemption already existed for visitors from China and Kazakhstan.
In October, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry waived visa requirements for citizens of seven countries including India, China, and Russia, under a pilot project – and will continue until March 31, 2024. According to a press release from the Sri Lankan government Lankan, the move was part of the crisis-hit country’s efforts to boost tourism and achieve the goal of 50,00,000 visitors by 2026.
Currently, 27 countries offer free entry to Indian citizens. Recent additions include Kenya, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Other countries that allow visa-free entry for Indian citizens include Barbados, Bhutan, Dominica, Haiti, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Samoa, and Trinidad and Tobago, among others.
According to data provided by the Ministry of Tourism, the top five destinations for Indian nationals are UAE, USA, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Thailand; and many immigrants.
