India Expands E-Visa Facility with New Entry Points
The Indian government has expanded its electronic visa (e-visa) facility by adding new entry points and airports. The e-visa scheme, introduced in 2014 to simplify the visa process for nationals of 43 countries, now serves citizens of 172 countries.
According to a recent announcement by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 11 new land ports have been added, including Darranga, Gede, and Attari (Road), while two airports, Bhopal and Tirupati, have also been included in the list. The e-visa facility is currently available at 17 sub-categories, including medical, student, mountaineering, cruise, tourist, transit, group travel, and business.
The government has stated that around 95% of e-visa applications are processed within 72 hours. However, it's worth noting that Pakistani travellers are still not eligible for the e-visa facility, as India does not grant e-visas to those holding Pakistani passports or of Pakistani origin.