India expands e-visa entry points to 88, includes Attari
What's the story
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has expanded the list of international ports for foreign travelers holding Indian e-visas to 88. The latest additions include nine land ports and two airports, with Attari on the India-Pakistan border being one of them. The newly added land ports are Agartala, Darranga, Gede, Ghojadanga, Haridaspur, Jaigaon, Dawki, Moreh, and Attari.
Expanded ports
New airports added
The two new airports added to the e-visa network are Bhopal and Tirupati.
This expansion takes the total number of international entry points for e-visa holders to 88, which include 37 airports, 38 seaports, and 13 land ports.
The move is aimed at making the e-visa facility more accessible for international travelers visiting India.
Visa accessibility
E-visas processed in under 72 hours
The e-visa facility is currently available to nationals of 172 countries and has been extended under 17 categories, including Tourist, Business, Medical, Student, and Group Visitor Visa.
The government claims that around 95% of e-visa applications are processed in under 72 hours.
Electronic visas now account for nearly 78% of all visas issued by India.
Visa restrictions
Not available to Pakistani passport holders
However, the e-visa facility is not available to travelers holding Pakistani passports or those of Pakistani origin.
Such travelers are required to apply for a regular visa through an Indian Mission.
The MHA said this expansion of designated entry points is another step toward making India's electronic visa facility more attractive and useful for international travelers.
Government objectives
Visa regime liberalization efforts
The government said the initiatives around e-visa have been taken under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The twin objectives are to facilitate legitimate international travel and strengthen India's technological and internal-security infrastructure.
This expansion is part of several recent efforts by the government to liberalize, streamline, and simplify India's visa regime while strengthening internal security through improved technological infrastructure.