Image used for representational purposes only. (Photo via Pixabay)
India

India expands e-Visa network to 88 ports with 11 new entry points

The newly added land entries include Attari, Moreh and Dawki, among others, along with Bhopal and Tirupati airports.

Mukesh Ranjan

NEW DELHI: The Indian government has notified 11 additional international ports to facilitate the entry and exit of foreign nationals holding e-Visas, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Monday.

The newly notified points include nine land ports and two international airports, taking the total number of ports authorised for e-Visa holders to 88. The expanded network comprises 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports.

The newly added land entry points include Attari in Punjab on the India-Pakistan border, Moreh in Manipur on the border with Myanmar, Dawki in Meghalaya, Jaigaon, Haridaspur, Gede and Ghojadanga in West Bengal, Darranga in Assam and Agartala in Tripura.

The international airports at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh have also been added to the list.

The MHA said the expansion would further enhance the “attractiveness and utility” of India’s electronic visa system while making travel more convenient for legitimate foreign visitors. The ministry said nearly 95% of e-Visa applications are processed within 72 hours.

The move also brings airports, seaports, land borders and rail posts under a common framework established by the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.

Officials said the updated list was part of efforts to consolidate and expand designated entry and exit points in line with the new legal framework.

“The notification brings clarity for travellers. It also helps standardise immigration facilities across different modes of entry,” a senior government official said.

The MHA said the government has undertaken several measures in recent years to liberalise, streamline and simplify India’s visa regime while strengthening technological infrastructure to improve internal security.

The e-Visa facility, introduced in 2014 for nationals of 43 countries, was designed to simplify the visa process, particularly for tourists. It is now available to nationals of 172 countries across 17 categories, including tourism, student, medical, group visitor and transit visas.

The ministry described e-Visa as a significant initiative to liberalise and simplify India’s visa regime while facilitating legitimate international travel.

The latest expansion of designated ports is expected to further widen the utility of the system and provide foreign visitors with more options for entering and exiting the country.

JPSC Protest: Weathering barricades, batons and tear gas, how Jharkhand students reached the Assembly

69 dead and buildings collapsed after 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes western Colombia

Why are Indian seafarers among the biggest victims of the West Asia war?

15 minutes, several demands: Inside NCP(SP) MPs’ meeting with PM Modi amid NDA merger buzz

'Not interested in Shah's speech on general topics': Rahul Gandhi demands clarification on pellet firing

SCROLL FOR NEXT