Lok Sabha Question No. 166 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-17
Subject: Extension of e-Visa Facility
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: C. MAHENDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.166 ANSWERED ON 17.07.2017

## EXTENSION OF E-VISA FACILITY

## 166.  SHRI C. MAHENDRAN:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has extended the facility of e-Tourist Visa Scheme for citizens of 161 Countries recently;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the scheme aims to tap the vast tourism potential of India;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the criteria followed for issuing of such e-visa?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a): At present, the e-Tourist Visa Scheme is available for the citizens of 162 countries  as  informed  by  Ministry  of Home  Affairs  vide  their  Circular  No.488 dated 24.05.2017.

- (b):    The list of 162 countries is given at Annexure-I.

(c)  to  (e):    Yes,  Madam.      The  number  of  foreign  tourists  arrival  (FTAs)  in India  has  shown  continuous  increase  in  last  three  years.   The  number  of FTAs in India during 2014, 2015 and 2016 are as under:

|   2014 | 7.68 million   |
|--------|----------------|
|   2015 | 8.03 million   |
|   2016 | 8.80 million   |

This high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-Tourist Visa.

During  the  last  two  years  2015  and  2016,  the  foreign  tourists  visiting India under e-Tourist Visa Scheme have registered a growth of 142.5%.

As per information received from Ministry of Home Affairs, the criteria followed for issuing e-Visa are given at the Annexure-II. ********

ANNEXURE-I

STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.166 ANSWERED ON 17.07.2017 REGARDING EXTENSION OF E-VISA FACILITY.

List of countries whose nationals are eligible for e- Visa facility.

|   Sl.No. |                        |
|----------|------------------------|
|        1 | Andorra                |
|        2 | Angola                 |
|        3 | Anguilla               |
|        4 | Antigua & Barbuda      |
|        5 | Albania                |
|        6 | Austria                |
|        7 | Argentina              |
|        8 | Armenia                |
|        9 | Aruba                  |
|       10 | Australia              |
|       11 | Azerbaijan             |
|       12 | Bahamas                |
|       13 | Barbados               |
|       14 | Belgium                |
|       15 | Belize                 |
|       16 | Bolivia                |
|       17 | Bosnia & Herzegovina   |
|       18 | Botswana               |
|       19 | Brazil                 |
|       20 | Brunei                 |
|       21 | Bulgaria               |
|       22 | Burundi                |
|       23 | Cambodia               |
|       24 | Cameron Union Republic |
|       25 | Canada                 |
|       26 | Cape Verde             |
|       27 | Cayman Island          |
|       28 | Chile                  |
|       29 | China                  |
|       30 | China- SAR Hongkong    |
|       31 | China- SAR Macau       |
|       32 | Colombia               |
|       33 | Comoros                |
|       34 | Cook Islands           |
|       35 | Costa Rica             |
|       36 | Cote d'lvoire          |

|   37. | Croatia            |
|-------|--------------------|
|    38 | Cuba               |
|    39 | Cyprus             |
|    40 | Czech Republic     |
|    41 | Denmark            |
|    42 | Djibouti           |
|    43 | Dominica           |
|    44 | Dominican Republic |
|    45 | East Timor         |
|    46 | Ecuador            |
|    47 | El Salvador        |
|    48 | Estonia            |
|    49 | Eritrea            |
|    50 | Fiji               |
|    51 | Finland            |
|    52 | France             |
|    53 | Gabon              |
|    54 | Gambia             |
|    55 | Georgia            |
|    56 | Germany            |
|    57 | Ghana              |
|    58 | Greece             |
|    59 | Grenada            |
|    60 | Guatemala          |
|    61 | Guinea             |
|    62 | Guyana             |
|    63 | Haiti              |
|    64 | Honduras           |
|    65 | Hungary            |
|    66 | Iceland            |
|    67 | Indonesia          |
|    68 | Ireland            |
|    69 | Israel             |
|    70 | Italy              |
|    71 | Jamaica            |
|    72 | Japan              |
|    73 | Jordan             |
|    74 | Kenya              |
|    75 | Kiribati           |
|    76 | Laos               |
|    77 | Latvia             |
|    78 | Lesotho            |

|   80. | Liechtenstein               |
|-------|-----------------------------|
|    81 | Lithuania                   |
|    82 | Luxembourg                  |
|    83 | Macedonia                   |
|    84 | Madagascar                  |
|    85 | Malaysia                    |
|    86 | Malawi                      |
|    87 | Mali                        |
|    88 | Malta                       |
|    89 | Marshall Islands            |
|    90 | Mauritius                   |
|    91 | Mexico                      |
|    92 | Micronesia                  |
|    93 | Moldova                     |
|    94 | Monaco                      |
|    95 | Mongolia                    |
|    96 | Montenegro                  |
|    97 | Montserrat                  |
|    98 | Mozambique                  |
|    99 | Myanmar                     |
|   100 | Namibia                     |
|   101 | Nauru                       |
|   102 | Netherlands                 |
|   103 | New Zealand                 |
|   104 | Nicaragua                   |
|   105 | Niger Republic              |
|   106 | Niue Island                 |
|   107 | Norway                      |
|   108 | Oman                        |
|   109 | Palau                       |
|   110 | Palestine                   |
|   111 | Panama                      |
|   112 | Papua New Guinea            |
|   113 | Paraguay                    |
|   114 | Peru                        |
|   115 | Philippines                 |
|   116 | Poland                      |
|   117 | Portugal                    |
|   118 | Republic of Korea           |
|   119 | Romania                     |
|   120 | Russia                      |
|   121 | Rwanda                      |
|   122 | Saint Christopher and Nevis |

|   123. | Saint Lucia                    |
|--------|--------------------------------|
|    124 | Saint Vincent & the Grenadines |
|    125 | San Marino                     |
|    126 | Samoa                          |
|    127 | Senegal                        |
|    128 | Serbia                         |
|    129 | Seychelles                     |
|    130 | Sierra Leone                   |
|    131 | Singapore                      |
|    132 | Slovenia                       |
|    133 | Slovakia                       |
|    134 | Solomon Islands                |
|    135 | South Africa                   |
|    136 | Spain                          |
|    137 | Sri Lanka                      |
|    138 | Suriname                       |
|    139 | Swaziland                      |
|    140 | Switzerland                    |
|    141 | Sweden                         |
|    142 | Taiwan                         |
|    143 | Tanzania                       |
|    144 | Tajikistan                     |
|    145 | Thailand                       |
|    146 | Tonga                          |
|    147 | Trinidad & Tobago              |
|    148 | Turks & Caicos Island          |
|    149 | Tuvalu                         |
|    150 | UAE                            |
|    151 | Ukraine                        |
|    152 | United Kingdom(UK)             |
|    153 | United States of America (USA) |
|    154 | Uruguay                        |
|    155 | Uzbekistan                     |
|    156 | Vanuatu                        |
|    157 | Vatican City-Holy See          |
|    158 | Venezuela                      |
|    159 | Vietnam                        |
|    160 | Zambia                         |
|    161 | Zimbabwe                       |
|    162 | Uganda                         |

*********

********

## ANNEXURE-II

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (c) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.166 ANSWERED ON 17.07.2017 REGARDING EXTENSION OF E-VISA FACILITY (1) The nomenclature of the existing 'e-Tourist Visa' has been changed to 'eVisa'  with three  sub-categories  i.e.   'e-Tourist  Visa',  'e-Business  Visa' and 'eMedical Visa'. (2) Following activities are permitted under e-Tourist Visa, e-Business Visa and e-Medical Visa:(a) e-Tourist  Visa  :    Recreation,  sightseeing,  casual  visit  to  meet friends or relatives, and attending a short term yoga programme. (b) e-Business  Visa:  All  activities  permitted  under  normal  Business Visa as per the Visa Manual (c) e-Medical Visa   : Medical  treatment, including treatment  under Indian systems of medicine. (3) The  window  for  application  under  e-Visa  stands  increased  from  the existing 30 days to 120 days. (4) Duration  of  stay  in  India  under  e-Visa  has  been  increased  from  the existing 30 days to 60 days. (5) On e-Tourist Visa and e-Business Visa, a foreign national are e permitted double  entry.  In  the  case  of  those  availing  e-Medical  Visa,  triple  entry  are permitted. (6)          Restriction  of  one  application  per  email  ID  per  month  has  been removed.