Govt liberalises e-visa regime to 166 countries from 46

New Delhi: Enhancing tourism and facilitate the process of e-visa to foreign tourists, the government has decided to increase the validity of e-tourist and e-business visas from 60 days to one year with multiple entries. It further revised the liberalisation of the e-visa regime with 166 countries from 46 countries.

"Recently, the government has made a series of amendments in the e-visa regime, liberalising it further and making it more tourists friendly. The Ministry of Tourism has been working very closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs for easing of the Visa Regime in the country over a period of time," an official statement mentioned.

A circular of the home ministry on January 22 also mentioned that "Keeping in view the huge popularity of e-visa regime among foreigners, the matter regarding further liberalization of the e-visa regime has been considered. It has accordingly been decided with the approval of the competent authority to increase the duration of e tourist and e-business visas from 60 days with double entry to one year with multiple entries subject to stay stipulations and registration requirements.

It has also been decided to remove the restriction that a foreigner can be allowed e visa for a maximum of three times in a calendar year."

The new amendment also eased the existing restriction of allowing foreigner for a maximum of three times has been now removed. According to the changes in e-Tourist Visa, "the continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 90 days in case of nationals of all countries who are eligible for grant of e-visa except nationals of USA, UK, Canada and Japan. In the case of nationals of the USA, UK, Canada and Japan continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days. In all cases, no registration will be required."

For the e-Business Visa, "The continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days in case of nationals of all countries who are eligible for grant of e-visa. Further, no registration will be required if the stay is for a period of fewer than 180 days."

Adding more, the e-Visa is valid for entry through two more designated airports, Bhubaneswar and Port Blair. Hence the total number of such airports is now 28. Even no separate category of 'Destination Wedding Visa' is needed for attending wedding under normal e-Tourist visa or Tourist visa.

Even the government declared that the foreign nationals, who fall sick during their stay in India, can now avail medical treatment without converting their visa into Medical Visa.

The Visa-on-Arrival facility has now also been extended to the nationals of the Republic of Korea.