Two years after the suspension following the COVID-19 outbreak, India has decided to restore all categories of tourist visas for foreign nationals.
On Tuesday, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) said it had considered the need for further relaxation of visa and travel restrictions, keeping in view the improvement in the Covid-19 situation in India.
The ministry said that the valid e-tourist visas issued for five years should stand restored to nationals of 156 countries with immediate effect. Fresh five-year e-tourist visas to the citizens of these 156 countries will also be issued.
Officials also said all currently valid old long duration (10 years) regular tourist visas are given to the US, and Japan nationals had been restored.
A long-term (10 years) tourist visa will also be issued to the US and Japanese nationals.
The government has decided that the currently valid e-tourist visa issued for five years, which was suspended since March 2020, shall stand restored to the nationals of 156 countries, an official told PTI.
Nationals of these 156 countries will also be eligible for fresh e-tourist visas as per the Visa Manual, 2019.
Read More: India To Resume Regular International Flights From March 27 (nrivision.com)
At present, a valid regular (paper) tourist visa with a validity of 5 years, issued to foreign nationals of all countries, which remained suspended since March 2020, shall stand restored.
The official said that a regular (paper) tourist visa up to five years validity would also be issued to the nationals of the eligible countries subject to the restrictions imposed from time to time.
Currently, valid old long duration (10 years) regular tourist visa, which too remained suspended since March 2020, shall stand restored for the nationals of the USA and Japan.
Fresh long duration (10 years) tourist visas will also be issued to the nationals of the USA and Japan.
Earlier, India declared that international flights will resume operations on 27 March 2022.
