NEW DELHI: The government has notified 11 more international ports in the country, including 9 land ports and 2 airports, for the entry of eligible foreigners arriving on electronic visas (e-visas). They can now land with e-visa at Bhopal and Tirupati airports and clear immigration.The additional landports via which e-visa holding foreign nationals can enter India include Attari in Punjab; Gede, Ghojanga and Jaigaon in West Bengal; Darranga in Assam; Agartala in Tripura; Moreh in Manipur; and Haridaspur in Odisha.E-visas currently make up 78% of the total visas issued in the country. India provides approximately 95% e-visas applications in less than 72 hours.The home ministry, in a statement on Monday, said the addition of 11 international ports further enhances attractiveness and utility of electronic visa.The Narendra Modi govt has taken a number of significant initiatives over the last few years to liberalize, streamline and simplify visa regime with a view to facilitating the legitimate foreign travelers while simultaneously ramping up the technological infrastructure to enhance internal security.With the latest addition of 11 international airports to the e-visa scheme, the total number of international ports enabling entry of e-visa holder foreigners has risen to 88, including 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports.E-visa facility, with electronic travel authorisation (ETA), was introduced in 2014 to liberalize and simplify the Indian visa regime, especially the tourist visa regime. Having taken off with 43 eligible countries, the facility is now available to nationals of 172 countries.
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E-visa is presently issued under 17 sub-categories; namely tourist visa, mountaineering visa, business visa (six types), medical visa (four types), student visa (two types), transit visa, miscellaneous visa and group visitor visa (cruise).
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