India expands e-visa entry points
The Government of India has announced 11 more International Ports where e-visa holders can enter the country. These include nine land ports and two airports, bringing the total number of entry points to 88. There are now 37 airports, 38 seaports, and 13 land ports, making India’s electronic visa system more accessible and convenient.
The new airports added are Bhopal and Tirupati. The land ports now included are Agartala, Darranga, Gede, Ghojadanga, Haridaspur, Jaigaon, Dawki, Moreh, and Attari (Road). With these additions, travellers arriving by air, sea, or land have more options to use the e-visa system.
This update is part of ongoing efforts led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In recent years, the Government has aimed to make the visa process more open, simple, and efficient. This aims to make travel easier for foreign visitors and to improve technology for better security. Introducing the e-visa was a major step. It started in 2014 for people from 43 countries and now covers citizens from 172 countries.
India processes about 95 per cent of e-visa applications in less than 72 hours, showing the system’s efficiency. There are 17 types of e-visas for different needs, including tourism, mountaineering, business (B-1 to B-6), medical (M-1 to M-4), student (S-1 and S-2), transit, miscellaneous (X-1), and group visas for cruise passengers. The expansion of entry points is expected to make the e-visa even more useful and attractive. By allowing arrivals at more land borders and regional airports, the government is making it easier to reach destinations beyond the main gateways.
This update is especially helpful for travellers from neighbouring countries and those visiting different regions of India, from the Northeast to the central and southern states. By improving the visa system, India shows it is committed to being more open and welcoming. More entry points, faster processing, and a variety of visa types help boost tourism, medical visits, education, and business. Using digital systems also improves security.
With the total of designated International Ports now standing at 88, this update is another step in modernising India’s entry process. Foreign visitors with e-visas now have more choices for where to arrive, making travel planning easier. As the program expands, India continues to welcome travellers from around the world while keeping border security a priority.
