Foreign travellers holding a valid Indian E-Visa will now have more options to enter the country after the Government of India notified 11 additional international ports for E-Visa entry.
With the latest expansion, India now has 88 designated international ports where E-Visa holders can enter the country. These include 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports.
Of the 11 newly notified entry points, two are airports and nine are land ports.
The expansion is intended to make India’s electronic visa system more accessible and convenient for eligible foreign travellers while allowing Immigration authorities to process arrivals through additional designated locations.
What are the 11 new E-Visa entry points?
The latest additions include two airports and nine land ports.
Newly added airports
The two airports added to the E-Visa entry network are:
- Bhopal
- Tirupati
Newly added land ports
The nine newly notified land entry points are:
- Agartala
- Darranga
- Gede
- Ghojadanga
- Haridaspur
- Jaigaon
- Dawki
- Moreh
- Attari (Road)
Eligible E-Visa holders travelling through these designated locations can now use them as entry points, subject to the applicable E-Visa and immigration requirements.
How many E-Visa entry points does India have now?
Following the latest expansion, India has 88 designated international ports for E-Visa entry.
The network is divided into:
| Entry type | Number of ports |
|---|---|
| Airports | 37 |
| Seaports | 38 |
| Land ports | 13 |
| Total | 88 |
The expanded network gives eligible foreign travellers greater flexibility when planning their journey to India by air, sea or designated land routes.
However, an Indian E-Visa does not allow entry through every international airport, seaport or land border. Travellers must use an E-Visa-designated entry point and comply with all applicable visa and immigration requirements.
What is an Indian E-Visa?
An Indian E-Visa is an electronic visa facility that allows eligible foreign nationals to apply for an Indian visa online before travelling to the country.
India introduced the E-Visa facility, along with Electronic Travel Authorization, in 2014 for nationals of 43 countries.
According to the ministry of home affairs, the facility has since expanded and is now available to nationals of 172 countries.
The system was introduced to make India’s visa process more convenient while maintaining the immigration and Security checks required for international travellers.
How quickly are Indian E-Visas processed?
According to the government, approximately 95% of E-Visa applications are processed in less than 72 hours.
However, this does not mean that every application will necessarily be approved within 72 hours.
Processing time can depend on individual applications and the applicable requirements. Travellers should therefore complete their applications in advance and ensure that all required information is accurate.
What types of Indian E-Visas are available?
The E-Visa facility is currently available under 17 sub-categories.
These include categories covering:
- Tourism
- Mountaineering
- Business
- Medical travel
- Student travel
- Transit
- Miscellaneous purposes
- Group visitors travelling on cruises
The system therefore covers a range of travel purposes and is not restricted to foreign tourists visiting India for holidays.
How widely is E-Visa used in India?
The government says approximately 78% of visas issued by India are now electronic visas.
The figure highlights the extent to which India’s visa system has shifted towards digital processing since the E-Visa facility was introduced in 2014.
The expansion of designated entry points is another step in the wider move towards a more Technology-driven visa and immigration system.
What does the expansion mean for foreign travellers?
For eligible foreign travellers, the biggest benefit is greater flexibility when choosing an entry point.
A traveller arriving in India by international flight, cruise or a designated land route can now check whether their planned entry point is among the 88 locations authorised for E-Visa entry.
The additional airports and land ports could be particularly useful for travellers whose final destinations are closer to these locations, potentially giving them more choices when planning their routes.
However, travellers should remember that simply holding an Indian E-Visa does not guarantee entry through any location of their choice.
The entry point must be among India’s designated E-Visa ports, and the traveller must also satisfy all applicable immigration and visa conditions.
Why has India expanded its E-Visa network?
The government has been taking steps to liberalise, streamline and simplify India’s visa regime to facilitate legitimate foreign travellers.
At the same time, it has been working to strengthen technological Infrastructure related to internal security.
The expansion of E-Visa entry points therefore serves two objectives: improving convenience for eligible international visitors and expanding the infrastructure available to immigration authorities for processing travellers.
Adding more airports and land ports can also give travellers greater choice when planning trips to different parts of India.
What foreign travellers should know
The latest expansion does not change the basic requirement that travellers must meet India’s E-Visa rules.
Before travelling, E-Visa holders should ensure that:
- Their E-Visa is valid for their intended journey.
- Their nationality is eligible for the applicable E-Visa category.
- Their purpose of travel matches the visa category granted.
- Their intended entry point is one of the designated E-Visa ports.
- They meet all applicable immigration requirements.
The availability of an E-Visa at a particular entry point should be checked before finalising travel plans, especially for travellers entering India through land borders.
India now has 88 E-Visa entry points
The addition of 11 international ports expands India’s E-Visa entry network to 88 designated ports, comprising 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports.
For eligible foreign travellers, the change means more options to enter India through designated air, sea and land routes.
The expansion also reflects India’s broader effort to make visa processing more convenient and digitally driven while maintaining immigration and security procedures.
For travellers planning a visit to India, the key takeaway is straightforward: an Indian E-Visa can now be used to enter through 88 designated international ports, but travellers must use an approved E-Visa entry point and comply with all applicable visa and immigration requirements.
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest India on thefoxdaily.com.
COMMENTS 0