Indian govt restores valid e-visa to 156 countries

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India has restored all currently valid five year e-tourist visa given to citizens of 156 countries and regular paper visa to nationals of all countries with immediate effect, two years after their suspension follow the COVID-19 outbreak.

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

Fresh long duration (10 year) tourist visa 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 told PTI.

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 USA and Japan.

Fresh long duration (10 year) tourist visa will also be issued to the nationals of 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 land border or riverine routes on tourist visa 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 grant of -e-Emergency X-Misc visa, the official said. (The Economic Times)