Centre Expands E-Visa Entry Network to 88 Ports
Attari land port among nine new border crossings added as India widens access for international travellers
- Centre notifies 11 new international ports for e-visa entry into India.
- Attari, Bhopal and Tirupati added to the list of authorised entry points.
- Total e-visa entry ports rise to 88, including airports, seaports and land ports.
- E-visa facility now serves nationals of 172 countries across 17 visa categories.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 11th Aug: The Central Government has officially notified 11 additional international entry points for foreign nationals holding Indian e-visas, taking the total number of authorised e-visa entry ports across the country to 88.
According to a government statement issued on Monday, the newly notified locations include nine land ports and two airports, aimed at making India’s electronic visa facility more accessible to international travellers.
The newly added land ports are Darranga, Gede, Ghojadanga, Haridaspur, Jaigaon, Dawki, Moreh, Attari (Road) on the India-Pakistan border, and one additional notified land crossing. The newly authorised airports are Bhopal and Tirupati.
With this expansion, e-visa holders can now enter India through 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports, bringing the total number of designated entry points to 88.
The government said the e-visa facility is currently available under 17 visa categories, including tourist, business, medical, student, cruise, transit, mountaineering and group travel. Around 95 per cent of e-visa applications are processed within 72 hours, it added.
Initially introduced in 2014 for nationals of 43 countries, the e-visa programme has since been expanded to cover travellers from 172 countries.
The government noted that the electronic visa now accounts for 78 per cent of all visas issued by India, reflecting its growing adoption among international visitors.
However, the statement clarified that Pakistani passport holders and persons of Pakistani origin are not eligible for the e-visa facility and must continue to apply for a regular visa through an Indian Mission.
The Centre said the latest expansion is part of ongoing efforts under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to liberalise and simplify India’s visa regime while strengthening technological infrastructure to facilitate legitimate travel and enhance internal security.
