India adds 11 ports to e-visa scheme; total entry points rises to 88

Total
umbe
of
ai po ts,
seapo ts
a d
la d
po ts
allowi g
e t y
of
e-visa
holde s
ises
to
88

NEW
DELHI:
The
gove me t
has
otified
11
mo e
i te atio al
po ts
i
the
cou t y,
i cludi g
9
la d
po ts
a d
2
ai po ts,
fo
the
e t y
of
eligible
fo eig e s
a ivi g
o
elect o ic
visas
(e-visas).
They
ca
ow
la d
with
e-visa
at
Bhopal
a d
Ti upati
ai po ts
a d
clea
immig atio .The
additio al
la dpo ts
via
which
e-visa
holdi g
fo eig
atio als
ca
e te
I dia
i clude
Atta i
i
Pu jab;
Gede,
Ghoja ga
a d
Jaigao
i
West
Be gal;
Da a ga
i
Assam;
Aga tala
i
T ipu a;
Mo eh
i
Ma ipu ;
a d
Ha idaspu
i
Odisha.E-visas
cu e tly
make
up
78%
of
the
total
visas
issued
i
the
cou t y.
I dia
p ovides
app oximately
95%
e-visas
applicatio s
i
less
tha
72
hou s.The
home
mi ist y,
i
a
stateme t
o
Mo day,
said
the
additio
of
11
i te atio al
po ts
fu the
e ha ces
att active ess
a d
utility
of
elect o ic
visa.The
Na e d a
Modi
govt
has
take
a
umbe
of
sig ifica t
i itiatives
ove
the
last
few
yea s
to
libe alize,
st eamli e
a d
simplify
visa
egime
with
a
view
to
facilitati g
the
legitimate
fo eig
t avele s
while
simulta eously
ampi g
up
the
tech ological
i f ast uctu e
to
e ha ce
i te al
secu ity.

With
the
latest
additio
of
11
i te atio al
ai po ts
to
the
e-visa
scheme,
the
total
umbe
of
i te atio al
po ts
e abli g
e t y
of
e-visa
holde
fo eig e s
has
ise
to
88,
i cludi g
37
ai po ts,
38
seapo ts
a d
13
la d
po ts.E-visa
facility,
with
elect o ic
t avel
autho isatio
(ETA),
was
i t oduced
i
2014
to
libe alize
a d
simplify
the
I dia
visa
egime,
especially
the
tou ist
visa
egime.
Havi g
take
off
with
43
eligible
cou t ies,
the
facility
is
ow
available
to
atio als
of
172
cou t ies.

E-visa
is
p ese tly
issued
u de
17
sub-catego ies;
amely
tou ist
visa,
mou tai ee i g
visa,
busi ess
visa
(six
types),
medical
visa
(fou
types),
stude t
visa
(two
types),
t a sit
visa,
miscella eous
visa
a d
g oup
visito
visa
(c uise).