India expands e-visa network to 88 ports: Check out 11 new immigration points
The Ministry of Home Affairs has expanded India’s network of international entry points for foreign nationals travelling on e-visas by notifying 11 additional ports. With
The Ministry of Home Affairs has expanded India’s network of international entry points for foreign nationals travelling on e-visas by notifying 11 additional ports. With the latest additions, the number of ports where e-visa holders can enter the country has increased to 88. The newly designated entry points include nine land ports and two airports. The land ports are Attari along the India-Pakistan border, Darranga, Gede, Ghojadanga, Haridaspur, Jaigaon, Dawki and Moreh. The two airports added to the list are located in Bhopal and Tirupati. Move to make e-visa system more accessible to global travellers Following the expansion, India’s 88 international e-visa entry points comprise 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports.
The Home Ministry said the move is aimed at making the electronic visa system more accessible and useful for international travellers visiting India. The government said the expansion is part of ongoing measures being undertaken under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to liberalise and simplify India’s visa system. The initiative is intended to make travel easier for genuine foreign visitors while strengthening technological systems to support the country’s internal security framework. “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and leadership of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, Government of India has taken a number of significant initiatives over the last few years to liberalize, streamline and simplify visa regime with a view to facilitate the legitimate foreign travelers while simultaneously ramping up the technological infrastructure to enhance internal security,” said the official statement.
“With the latest addition, the total number of International Ports enabling entry of E-Visa holder foreigners has increased to 88, including 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports,” it added. According to the Home Ministry, India has also significantly improved the processing of e-visa applications, with approximately 95% of applications being processed within 72
hours. India introduced the e-visa facility in 2014, initially offering Electronic Travel Authorisation to nationals of 43 countries. Since then, the programme has expanded considerably and is now available to citizens of 172 countries. The e-visa system currently covers 17 categories, including tourist, business, medical, student, mountaineering, transit and group visitor visas for cruise travellers.
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