Forget a Schengen visa. 10 international trips instead of Europe you take on your Indian passport
Are you planning to take a vacation to Europe, but are finding it difficult to get a Schengen visa on your Indian passport? You are not alone. But even if you do get a visa after a loooooong wait, expect a rough landing plagued by flight delays, cancellations and chaos at the airport with some heatwave tossed in. Europe has become a hassle to travel for Indians, but thankfully there are alternative destinations to save your year.
Even if you can't vacation in Europe, these 10 international travel destinations will not dampen your travel mood.
1. Singapore doesn't allow visa-free entry to Indian passport holders. But applying for a tourist visa and the entire process is much easier than in Europe in the current scenario. It is one of the destinations that offers a quick visa solution. The city-state is also a favourite among Indians for travel.
2. Thailand offers a visa-on-arrival facility for Indian passport holders. Given that it's pretty closeby, the airfare and the travel are also budget-friendly.
3. Vietnam is seeing an uptick in popularity among Indian travellers according to reports. The country also provides a visa-on-arrival facility for Indian passport holders.
4. Cambodia, like Vietnam, is also soaring in popularity for most Indian travellers. The country with its ancient temples offers eVisa facilities for Indian tourists.
5. Turkey has been the most travelled to destination by Indian tourists this season according to reports. Travel agencies have been suggesting Turkey as an alternate destination to Europe as families and large groups of travellers struggled to get a visa to Europe on time. According to VFS Global, the minimum processing time for a visa application is 3 working days for a single entry and 15 days for multiple entries. And Turkey is anyway Europe (and Asia).
6. Egypt is also an alternate travel destination for Indians. While it doesn't offer visa-free, visa and visa-on-arrival options, the process is certainly easier. Egypt is famed for its pyramids and ancient temples housing some of the world's most famous mummies. But keep in mind not to disturb those mummies or else you might come back with a curse!
7. Jordan offers visa-on-arrival facilities for Indian passport holders given that the travellers are carrying all the necessary documents. Once all is done, you can enjoy a visit to its ancient cities like the Monastery in Petra, Wadi Rum and feel like having travelled back in time.
8. Kazakhstan now offers visa-free travel to Indian passport holders. Earlier, travel to Kazakhstan required Indians to get an eVisa, but not anymore. Indian travellers can explore the central Asian country with a rich culture.
9. UAE is another popular destination for international travel for Indians. While UAE doesn't offer Indian passport holders the visa-on-arrival facility, there is an exemption for those travelling through Dubai. Dubai offers visa-on-arrival for Indian travellers and you can also explore beyond Dubai after you have landed.
10. Seychelles in East Africa offers visa-free travel for Indian passport holders, so there is no hassle for travellers here. The archipelago of islands offers a year-round best time for taking a swim in the clear blue ocean waters, exploring the marine life and taking in the spectacular views of the coral reefs.
Not just these destinations, Indian passport holders can also travel to Indonesia, Malaysia, Serbia, a bunch of African nations, Azerbaijan, etc. without much of a visa hassle. A recent assessment of passports by the Henley Passport Index ranked India at the 87th position on a list of the world's least and most powerful passports.
India has visa-free or easy visa access and travels to 60 countries around the world.