Beware ‘misleading’ Indian e-tourist visa sites

TRAVELLERS are unwittingly
paying for Indian e-tourist
visas – which are free
for SA passport holders
– through visa service
websites charging a fee for
applications.
The e-tourist visa
offered by India to certain
countries was extended to
South Africa in February.
Applications for the e-tourist
visa can be done free
on the official website of
the Indian Government,
indianvisaonline.gov.in.
However, several visa
service websites with
generic names – such as
e-touristvisaindia.com –
have travellers confused
and applying through these
websites thinking it is the
official government site.
Travellers are then required
to pay a non-refundable
service fee of US$127
(R1 992) for the application.
Valen Govender, country
manager of visa service
company, BLS International,
which processes Indian
visas for South Africans,
told TNW there were several
misleading websites
charging a fee for the Indian
e-tourist visa and that many
applicants were falling
victim to it.
At a recent roadshow
held in conjunction with
TravelVision, India Tourism
assistant director,
Shri I.R.V. Rao, warned
travel agents about these
websites, advising agents to
familiarise themselves and
their clients with the official
government website.
Annemarie Lexow, sales
and marketing manager of
TravelVision, adds: “If you
are not 100% sure that the
website is legitimate, then
contact the consulate to
confirm.”