In a quiet but significant update posted on the Ministry of Tourism portal on 19 November 2025, the Government of India confirmed that its e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) programme now covers 166 countries, up from 157 earlier this year. The change, reflected in the site’s “Last Update: 20-11-2025” stamp, broadens the digital visa-on-arrival channel that has become the backbone of India’s post-pandemic tourist recovery .
The expanded list is accompanied by a package of liberalisations first flagged to the travel industry earlier this month: travellers on any e-Tourist or e-Business visa may now stay in India for up to one year with multiple entries, and the previous cap of three such visits per calendar year has been scrapped. Continuous stay limits remain—90 days for most nationalities and 180 days for citizens of the US, UK, Canada and Japan—but the need to register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office for longer visits has been removed .
![India Expands e-Tourist Visa Scheme to 166 Countries]()
From a business-mobility standpoint, the e-Visa now allows entry through 28 airports (Bhubaneswar and Port Blair were added) and continues to recognise arrivals by sea at five major ports. For destination-wedding planners, the Ministry clarified that normal e-Tourist visas suffice—no separate “wedding visa” category will be created. Crucially, foreign visitors who fall ill during their stay may access medical treatment without converting to a medical visa, a small but practical reform welcomed by global insurers.
Stakeholders from tourism, meetings-and-events, and corporate-relocation sectors expect the wider eligibility to push inbound volumes closer to the record 10.9 million foreign tourist arrivals logged in 2019. Large hotel chains have already begun marketing campaigns in newly-added source markets such as Croatia, Ecuador and Rwanda, while India’s civil-aviation ministry is working with carriers to match seat capacity with anticipated demand.
For assignees and business travellers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: check whether colleagues or clients from additional countries can now apply online instead of visiting an Indian mission. The digital process typically delivers an approval within 72 hours, and the QR-coded e-Visa is recognised by all major airlines at check-in. Employers should update internal travel-approval workflows immediately to capture the efficiency gains.
The expanded list is accompanied by a package of liberalisations first flagged to the travel industry earlier this month: travellers on any e-Tourist or e-Business visa may now stay in India for up to one year with multiple entries, and the previous cap of three such visits per calendar year has been scrapped. Continuous stay limits remain—90 days for most nationalities and 180 days for citizens of the US, UK, Canada and Japan—but the need to register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office for longer visits has been removed .
From a business-mobility standpoint, the e-Visa now allows entry through 28 airports (Bhubaneswar and Port Blair were added) and continues to recognise arrivals by sea at five major ports. For destination-wedding planners, the Ministry clarified that normal e-Tourist visas suffice—no separate “wedding visa” category will be created. Crucially, foreign visitors who fall ill during their stay may access medical treatment without converting to a medical visa, a small but practical reform welcomed by global insurers.
Stakeholders from tourism, meetings-and-events, and corporate-relocation sectors expect the wider eligibility to push inbound volumes closer to the record 10.9 million foreign tourist arrivals logged in 2019. Large hotel chains have already begun marketing campaigns in newly-added source markets such as Croatia, Ecuador and Rwanda, while India’s civil-aviation ministry is working with carriers to match seat capacity with anticipated demand.
For assignees and business travellers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: check whether colleagues or clients from additional countries can now apply online instead of visiting an Indian mission. The digital process typically delivers an approval within 72 hours, and the QR-coded e-Visa is recognised by all major airlines at check-in. Employers should update internal travel-approval workflows immediately to capture the efficiency gains.
