Government liberalizes the e-Visa regime

Topics Covered:

1. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Government liberalizes the e-Visa regime

What to study?

For Prelims and Mains: Key features of e- Visa regime, recent modifications and its implications.

Context: The e-tourist visa, introduced in September 2014 with 46 countries, has now been made applicable for 166 countries. Recently, government made series of amendments in the e-visa regime, liberalising it further and making it more tourist friendly.

Important modifications made are highlighted as under:

1. Duration of stay in India of e-Tourist and e-Business Visas is maximum upto 1 Year with multiple entry subject to the stay stipulations.
2. Also, the existing restriction of allowing foreigner for a maximum of three times has also been removed.

Changes in e-Tourist Visa:

1. On e-Tourist Visa continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 90 days in case of nationals of all countries who are eligible for grant of e-visa except nationals of USA, UK, Canada and Japan.
2. In case of nationals of USA, UK, Canada and Japan continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days.
3. In all cases no registration will be required.

Changes in e-Business Visa:

1. Continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days in case of nationals of all countries who are eligible for grant of e-visa.
2. No registration will be required if the stay is for a period of less than 180 days.

Other changes:

1. e-Visa is valid for entry through 2 (two) more designated Airports (Bhubaneswar and Port Blair) raising the total number of such airports to 28.
2. Attending Destination wedding under normal e-Tourist visa or Tourist visa- No separate category of Destination Wedding Visa
3. Foreign nationals who fall sick during their stay in India can now avail medical treatment without converting their visa into Medical Visa. This would take care of sudden medical emergencies.
4. Visa-on-Arrival facility extended to the nationals of the Republic of Korea.