In a major push to revive inbound travel, the Ministry of Tourism announced on 2 December 2025 that India’s e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) facility is now available to nationals of 166 additional countries, taking the total eligibility list to 211. The move dramatically widens the digital visa-on-arrival channel that had been restricted to 45 nations when first launched in 2014 and suspended during the pandemic.
Officials said the expansion is part of the government’s ‘Visit India 2030’ roadmap, which targets 25 million annual foreign tourist arrivals within five years. By allowing applicants to complete the entire process online—uploading documents, paying fees and receiving an electronic travel authorisation that is scanned at immigration counters—authorities hope to cut processing times from weeks to hours and eliminate broker-driven paperwork. The new list covers key source markets such as France, Germany, South Korea, Brazil and several African states that previously needed a regular sticker visa.
![India Extends e-Tourist Visa Scheme to 166 More Countries]()
For business travellers, the liberalised regime includes the e-Business Visa sub-category that permits stays of up to 180 days with multiple entries for meetings, technical work and trade fairs. Corporate mobility managers should update travel dashboards immediately, as employees from the newly added countries can now enter India on short notice without visiting a consulate. Airlines have been asked to integrate the expanded nationality options into their API/PNR systems by mid-December to reduce check-in errors.
The ministry clarified that the standard security filters—Advanced Passenger Information, watch-list screening and biometric capture on arrival—remain unchanged. Visa fees will continue to be priced dynamically based on season and reciprocity, ranging from US $10 to US $80. The government will run joint campaigns with OTAs and MICE operators to promote ‘e-TV-ready’ itineraries ahead of the 2026 budget season.
Travel consultants expect immediate benefits for India’s convention hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad and the NCR, where large tech conferences frequently lose attendees to visa delays. Hospitality groups like IHCL and Marriott India have already launched discount packages tied to proof of e-TV approval, signalling confidence that the simpler entry process will translate into higher occupancy and F&B spends.
Officials said the expansion is part of the government’s ‘Visit India 2030’ roadmap, which targets 25 million annual foreign tourist arrivals within five years. By allowing applicants to complete the entire process online—uploading documents, paying fees and receiving an electronic travel authorisation that is scanned at immigration counters—authorities hope to cut processing times from weeks to hours and eliminate broker-driven paperwork. The new list covers key source markets such as France, Germany, South Korea, Brazil and several African states that previously needed a regular sticker visa.
For business travellers, the liberalised regime includes the e-Business Visa sub-category that permits stays of up to 180 days with multiple entries for meetings, technical work and trade fairs. Corporate mobility managers should update travel dashboards immediately, as employees from the newly added countries can now enter India on short notice without visiting a consulate. Airlines have been asked to integrate the expanded nationality options into their API/PNR systems by mid-December to reduce check-in errors.
The ministry clarified that the standard security filters—Advanced Passenger Information, watch-list screening and biometric capture on arrival—remain unchanged. Visa fees will continue to be priced dynamically based on season and reciprocity, ranging from US $10 to US $80. The government will run joint campaigns with OTAs and MICE operators to promote ‘e-TV-ready’ itineraries ahead of the 2026 budget season.
Travel consultants expect immediate benefits for India’s convention hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad and the NCR, where large tech conferences frequently lose attendees to visa delays. Hospitality groups like IHCL and Marriott India have already launched discount packages tied to proof of e-TV approval, signalling confidence that the simpler entry process will translate into higher occupancy and F&B spends.
