New electronic permit

IF you’re planning a trip to New Zealand later this year, you’ll need to get busy applying for the new electronic travel permit, a procedure that becomes mandatory from October onwards.

To get into the country without a visa, visitors from most countries around the world now need to apply online for the so-called “New Zealand electronic Travel Authority” (NZETA) permit at least 72 hours prior to travel, New Zealand immigration authorities say.

Tourists on cruise ship who want to go ashore in New Zealand will also need the document. It even applies to air travellers who intend to travel straight on to other destinations via the international airport in Auckland. Australians and permanent residents are exempt.

The document will cost you NZ$12 (RM31). To get it slightly cheaper, you can download the app via Google Play or the App Store, where it costs NZ$9 (RM23). The NZETA remains valid for two years.

Don’t forget: A tourist tax of NZ$35 (RM92) is also due with the application. Officials say this fee, called “International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy” (IVL), is put towards investment in tourism infrastructure.

India lowers visa price

Meanwhile, India is hoping to attract more holidaymakers by drastically lowering the price of its tourist visa and changing its conditions. An electronic 30-day visa will now cost US$10 (RM41.50) during the low season that runs from April to June, while for the rest of the year, tourists will spend only US$25 (RM103.75) to stay in India for a month.

Until now, an e-tourist visa had cost US$80 (RM332).

Another new feature is a tourist visa that’s valid for five years, allowing its holder to travel into the country multiple times within that time frame. This option costs US$80, while a visa with the same feature for only one year will cost half that, US$40 (RM166).

India’s Tourism Ministry had decided on the new price after fewer tourists came to the country after an earlier hike in visa costs, according to the head of the Indian Association of Tour Operators.

More than 10 million foreign tourists came to India in 2017.