This will be a boost primarily for the capital region and its immediate surroundings. Business travelers would certainly be biggest first beneficiaries.
Indian visa rules have become very arbitrary over the years, mainly as a result of paranoia about terrorism and Pakistan. This rule will help not just foreign tourists, but also the Indian diaspora that makes frequent trips to the country.
As if reciprocity fees for entrance into South American countries aren’t burdensome enough to the budget traveler, tourists must know pay online before arrival. So much for carefree backpacking.
The EU is working to ease fee requirements for several former Soviet countries in an effort to create both a more unified space and better long-term relations between the two very different regions.
It seems near impossible to obtain a visa to North Korea or Iraq by applying in the U.S., but entering through a neighboring nation or setting up a guided tour will usually do the trick.
The effects of the significant rule change depends on which nations will offer average Cuban visas, as intellectuals like doctors and lawyers will not be allowed to leave to avoid a national “brain drain.” And remains to be seen if it comes back around in bigger inbound travel into Cuba.
Besides saving tourists $146, the visa-waiver program with one of Taiwan’s most visited destinations is a political success for a its leader, who has added 74 countries to the program since his election.
A wayward official erroneously announced earlier this week that blue-collar tourists would need an university degree to get a visa in an effort, he said, to decrease crime and trafficking in his country.