Now Reading: India Adds Six Ports for E-Visa Entry
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India Adds Six Ports for E-Visa Entry
India has expanded its e-visa facility to six additional ports, making it easier for foreign travellers to enter the country. The new ports include the Mumbai, Chennai, and Kochi cruise terminals, along…
India has expanded its e-visa facility to six additional ports, making it easier for foreign travellers to enter the country. The new ports include the Mumbai, Chennai, and Kochi cruise terminals, along with the inland river ports of Varanasi, Kolkata, and Guwahati. Foreign nationals, excluding Pakistani passport holders and those of Pakistani origin, can now use these ports for e-visa entry.
The move is aimed at boosting tourism and streamlining entry procedures for visitors arriving by sea or inland waterways. Previously, e-visa holders could only enter through 28 airports and five seaports. The government expects the expansion to benefit cruise passengers and river tourism, particularly along the Ganges and Brahmaputra.
Indian Opinion Analysis
India's visa-on-arrival and e-visa regime has been steadily expanded since its launch in 2014, now covering 169 countries. The exclusion of Pakistani nationals remains a constant feature of the policy, reflecting longstanding bilateral tensions. The addition of river ports is significant: it signals a push to develop inland waterway tourism, which has lagged behind coastal and air travel. The next milestone to watch is whether the government adds more inland ports or extends e-visa to land border crossings, which are currently excluded for most nationalities.
Source: ndtv.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
