In a major push to revive inbound tourism and position India as a seamless, tech-enabled destination, the Ministry of Tourism announced on 30 January 2026 that the e-Tourist Visa (eTV) facility now covers travellers from 166 more countries, taking the total eligibility list to 221.
The eTV programme, first rolled out in 2014, allows foreign nationals to apply, pay and receive an electronic visa approval entirely online for short-stay visits of up to 30 days (extendable to 90 days for business conferences). By widening the net, the Government hopes to deliver on its ‘Visit India 2030’ target of 30 million annual foreign tourist arrivals—double the pre-pandemic peak.
Officials say the expansion prioritised markets that send high-value business and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) traffic to India. New additions include Scandinavian nations, several African growth economies and strategically important Latin American partners.
![India Expands e-Tourist Visa Scheme to 166 Additional Countries]()
For travellers who prefer expert help, VisaHQ can prepare and submit the new Indian e-Tourist Visa on their behalf, track approvals in real time and troubleshoot any document issues—saving both leisure visitors and corporate mobility teams hours of administrative work. Explore their dedicated India portal at https://www.visahq.com/india/ to see how the service streamlines everything from individual tourist visas to bulk business applications.
For business-travel managers, the move eliminates the need for in-person submissions at Indian consulates, slashes processing times from weeks to as little as 48 hours, and reduces compliance risk by integrating real-time passport verification with INTERPOL watchlists.
However, corporates are advised to update their travel policies immediately: e-visas remain valid only at 28 designated airports and 5 seaports, and travellers arriving by land must still obtain a regular sticker visa in advance. Industry groups are lobbying for land-border acceptance ahead of the 2027 South Asian Games hosted by India.
The eTV programme, first rolled out in 2014, allows foreign nationals to apply, pay and receive an electronic visa approval entirely online for short-stay visits of up to 30 days (extendable to 90 days for business conferences). By widening the net, the Government hopes to deliver on its ‘Visit India 2030’ target of 30 million annual foreign tourist arrivals—double the pre-pandemic peak.
Officials say the expansion prioritised markets that send high-value business and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) traffic to India. New additions include Scandinavian nations, several African growth economies and strategically important Latin American partners.
For travellers who prefer expert help, VisaHQ can prepare and submit the new Indian e-Tourist Visa on their behalf, track approvals in real time and troubleshoot any document issues—saving both leisure visitors and corporate mobility teams hours of administrative work. Explore their dedicated India portal at https://www.visahq.com/india/ to see how the service streamlines everything from individual tourist visas to bulk business applications.
For business-travel managers, the move eliminates the need for in-person submissions at Indian consulates, slashes processing times from weeks to as little as 48 hours, and reduces compliance risk by integrating real-time passport verification with INTERPOL watchlists.
However, corporates are advised to update their travel policies immediately: e-visas remain valid only at 28 designated airports and 5 seaports, and travellers arriving by land must still obtain a regular sticker visa in advance. Industry groups are lobbying for land-border acceptance ahead of the 2027 South Asian Games hosted by India.
