Indian visas change

India will now issue visas on arrival to tourists from New Zealand and four other countries, according to the Foreign Ministry, just days after a plan to tighten some visa rules drew protests.

The visas, for tourists from NZ, Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, and Singapore, will be issued experimentally for a period of one year and will be valid for up to 30 days.

Single-entry visas will initially be issued at airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

Last week, India softened its stand on plans to tighten rules for long-term multiple-entry visas after the arrest of a Chicago man alleged to have prior knowledge of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Foreign missions had complained.