A late-night update on the Ministry of Tourism website on 8 February confirmed that India’s e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) programme now covers 166 countries, up from 157 a year ago. The expansion – part of the government’s digitisation drive – quietly adds markets such as Kenya, Algeria, Fiji, Uruguay, Armenia and North Macedonia to the eligibility list.
The e-TV allows travellers to apply online, pay electronically and receive an electronic travel authorisation within 72 hours. For business visitors the standard 30-day double-entry permit can be upgraded to a 90-day business e-visa, a popular option for short-term project work and after-sales support visits.
![India widens e-Tourist Visa to 166 nationalities, boosting inbound corporate travel]()
Trade bodies including NASSCOM and the Indo-Africa Chamber of Commerce welcomed the move, noting that many of the newly added countries are emerging sources of specialised technicians and mid-level managers whom Indian companies struggle to bring in using traditional consular channels.
From an HR-mobility perspective, global mobility teams should update invitation-letter templates and check that their travel-booking tools flag e-TV eligibility automatically. Organisations hosting foreign trainees can leverage the simpler process to reduce lead-time and improve cost control – the e-TV fee is typically a fraction of paper-visa charges.
Travellers should still print the electronic authorisation and carry proof of onward travel; overstays attract hefty penalties under the new Immigration & Foreigners Act. Airlines have also stepped up gate checks now that India’s e-Arrival Card must be filed online before departure.
The e-TV allows travellers to apply online, pay electronically and receive an electronic travel authorisation within 72 hours. For business visitors the standard 30-day double-entry permit can be upgraded to a 90-day business e-visa, a popular option for short-term project work and after-sales support visits.
Trade bodies including NASSCOM and the Indo-Africa Chamber of Commerce welcomed the move, noting that many of the newly added countries are emerging sources of specialised technicians and mid-level managers whom Indian companies struggle to bring in using traditional consular channels.
From an HR-mobility perspective, global mobility teams should update invitation-letter templates and check that their travel-booking tools flag e-TV eligibility automatically. Organisations hosting foreign trainees can leverage the simpler process to reduce lead-time and improve cost control – the e-TV fee is typically a fraction of paper-visa charges.
Travellers should still print the electronic authorisation and carry proof of onward travel; overstays attract hefty penalties under the new Immigration & Foreigners Act. Airlines have also stepped up gate checks now that India’s e-Arrival Card must be filed online before departure.
