India Restores E-Visa To 156 Countries, 10 Year Visa For US, Japan Nationals

e-Tourist Visa: In addition, long-term (10-year) regular tourist visas have also been reinstated for citizens of the United States and Japan, officials said.

Police personnel checks passport of visa holders (AFP photo)

New Delhi: Taking a major decision on Wednesday, the Indian government has restored the five-year e-tourist visa for citizens of 156 countries with immediate effect, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Significantly, this visa was suspended in March 2020.

A report issued in this regard said that the government has restored the regular (paper) tourist visas issued to citizens of all countries with a validity of five years. In addition, long-term (10-year) regular tourist visas have also been reinstated for citizens of the United States and Japan, officials said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said, “The government has taken this step keeping in mind the improvement in the Covid-19 situation in the country and the need for further easing of visa and travel restrictions," an official told PTI.

Nationals of these 156 nations will likewise be qualified for the issuance of a new e-tourist visa according to the Visa Manual, 2019.

As of now legitimate normal (paper) tourist visa with a validity of 5 years, issued to foreign nationals, all things considered, which stayed suspended since March 2020, will stand restored.

New regular (paper) tourist visa for as long as five years legitimacy will likewise be given to the nationals of the eligible countries subject to the limitations imposed from time to time, the authority said.

As of now legitimate old long duration (10 years) regular tourist visa which excessively stayed suspended since March 2020, will stand restored for the nationals of the USA and Japan.

New long duration (10 years) tourist visa will likewise 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 just through assigned Sea Immigration Check Posts (IPs) or Airport ICPs by flights, including those under the 'Vande Bharat Mission or 'air bubble' scheme or by any flight as permitted by the DGCA or Ministry of Civil Aviation.

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

The government guidelines won't be pertinent to Afghanistan nationals who will keep on being represented by the separate instructions given by the Union Home Ministry in regards to concede of - e-Emergency X-Misc visa, the authority said.

(With PTI inputs)