Tours and travails

Visa delays in the UK are likely to hit the Indian tourism industry hard

- MANDIRA NAYAR

CAMILA WATSON wakes up each morning, heads straight to the Indian high commission's website and prays for a small miracle: An appointment slot for a visa. As a small tour operator who specialises in tailor-made holidays in India, the last week has been a nightmare for her. She had fallen in love with India when she was backpacking and has passionately recommended the country to others for years.

"The earliest date for an appointment is in the last week of November," says the London-based Watson. "These delays rule out any last-minute travel around Christmas and limit the business." They also affect well-laid plans. "It takes about three weeks to process, so if you're travelling in the first week of December, would you want to take the chance?" she asks.

The e-visa facility for the UK and Canada-which are the largest markets for tourists to Indiais still suspended. The Centre had halted the service in March 2020, because of the pandemic.

Additionally, on October 7, the Indian high commission in the UK said it was investigating visa agents who helped facilitate visas for a small fee, and also began enforcing a rule that requires applicants to personally deposit the documents at the VFS centre. In a press release, the high commission said that there were "unauthorised agents and individuals" who were "illegally" charging and "misleading" visa applicants. As agents usually book appointments in advance, individual travellers are not getting slots.