Govt restores valid e-visas to 156 countries; regular visas to all

New Delhi: India has restored all currently valid five-year e-tourist visas given to citizens of 156 countries and regular paper visas to nationals of all countries with immediate effect, two years after their suspension following the Covid outbreak.

Officials also said all currently valid old long duration (10 years) regular tourist visas given to nationals of the US and Japan have been restored.

Fresh long duration (10 year) tourist visas will also be issued to the US and Japanese nationals.

The government has decided that currently valid e-tourist visa issued for five years, which was suspended since March 2020, shall stand restored to the nationals of 156 countries, an official said.

Nationals of these 156 countries will also be eligible for issuance of fresh e-tourist visa as per the Visa Manual, 2019. Currently, valid regular (paper) tourist visa with validity of 5 years, issued to foreign nationals of all countries, which remained suspended since March 2020, shall stand restored.

Fresh regular (paper) tourist visa up to five years validity will also be issued to the nationals of the eligible countries subject to the restrictions imposed from time to time, the official said. Currently, valid old long duration (10 years) regular tourist visa which too remained suspended since March, 2020, shall stand restored for the nationals of the USA and Japan. Fresh long duration (10 year) tourist visa will also be issued to the nationals of the USA and Japan.

The foreign nationals on tourist and e-tourist visas will be able to enter into India only through designated Sea Immigration Check Posts (IPs) or Airport ICPs by flights, including those under the 'Vande Bharat Mission or 'air bubble' scheme or by any flights as allowed by the DGCA or Ministry of Civil Aviation.

In no case, the foreign nationals will be allowed to enter through the land border or riverine routes on tourist visas or e-tourist visa.

The government instructions will not be applicable to Afghanistan nationals who will continue to be governed by the separate instructions issued by the Union Home Ministry regarding the grant of e-Emergency X-Misc visa, the official said.