India has taken its most ambitious step yet toward friction-free entry by expanding the e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) platform to an additional 166 countries, raising total eligibility to 211. Announced on 2 December and published on 3 December, the move is central to the government’s “Visit India 2030” roadmap, which hopes to attract 25 million foreign arrivals within five years. Travellers from markets such as France, Germany, South Korea, Brazil and several African nations can now upload documents, pay fees and receive electronic travel authorisation in hours rather than weeks.
Corporate mobility teams will welcome the parallel liberalisation of the e-Business Visa sub-category, which allows multiple entries and stays of up to 180 days. This change eliminates a key bottleneck for last-minute travel to conferences, audits and project kick-offs, especially in tech hubs like Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Airlines have been instructed to integrate the expanded nationality list into their PNR systems by mid-December to avoid check-in errors.
![India widens e-Tourist & e-Business Visa access to 211 countries]()
Officials stress that security filters remain intact: advance passenger information, watch-list screening and biometric capture on arrival are unchanged. Visa fees will still vary by season and reciprocity (US $10–80). The Tourism Ministry plans joint marketing campaigns with OTAs and MICE operators to publicise “e-TV-ready” itineraries ahead of the 2026 budget season.
Hospitality majors IHCL and Marriott have already launched discounts tied to proof of e-TV approval, signalling confidence that simpler entry rules will lift occupancy and F&B spend. Mobility managers should update internal dashboards immediately and brief assignees that sticker visas are no longer required for most short stays.
Corporate mobility teams will welcome the parallel liberalisation of the e-Business Visa sub-category, which allows multiple entries and stays of up to 180 days. This change eliminates a key bottleneck for last-minute travel to conferences, audits and project kick-offs, especially in tech hubs like Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Airlines have been instructed to integrate the expanded nationality list into their PNR systems by mid-December to avoid check-in errors.
Officials stress that security filters remain intact: advance passenger information, watch-list screening and biometric capture on arrival are unchanged. Visa fees will still vary by season and reciprocity (US $10–80). The Tourism Ministry plans joint marketing campaigns with OTAs and MICE operators to publicise “e-TV-ready” itineraries ahead of the 2026 budget season.
Hospitality majors IHCL and Marriott have already launched discounts tied to proof of e-TV approval, signalling confidence that simpler entry rules will lift occupancy and F&B spend. Mobility managers should update internal dashboards immediately and brief assignees that sticker visas are no longer required for most short stays.
