India widens gateway network for e-visa holders with 11 additions: What foreign visitors gain

Foreign travellers holding an Indian e-visa will now have more flexibility in choosing where they enter the country, with the Centre adding 11 international ports to the list of designated entry points.

The expansion covers nine land ports and two airports, taking the total number of international ports through which e-visa holders can enter India to 88. The network now includes 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports.

For e-visa holders, the move means greater choice when planning their journey to India.

Travellers who need to reach destinations closer to land borders or specific cities can now choose from a wider set of designated entry points, rather than being restricted to the earlier list.

Among the newly added land ports is Attari (Road), located on the India-Pakistan border.

Other additions include Darranga, Gede, Ghojadanga, Haridaspur, Jaigaon, Dawki and Moreh. Bhopal and Tirupati have also been added to the list of airports authorised to accept e-visa holders.

The wider network is particularly significant for international travellers visiting India for different purposes, as the country's e-visa system covers 17 categories.

These include tourist, business, medical, student, mountaineering, cruise, transit and group travel categories.

The government said the system has also been designed to speed up the visa process.

Around 95 per cent of e-visa applications are currently processed within 72 hours, making it a relatively convenient option for eligible foreign travellers planning trips to India.

India introduced the e-visa facility in 2014 to simplify the visa process for foreign nationals. What began with citizens of 43 countries has now expanded to cover nationals of 172 countries.

The latest expansion also reflects the growing importance of e-visas in India's overall visa system. According to the government, e-visas now account for 78 per cent of all visas issued by India.

However, the facility does not apply to international travellers holding Pakistani passports or those of Pakistani origin. They are required to apply for a regular visa through an Indian Mission.

The government said the expansion of designated entry points is part of broader efforts to make India's visa system more accessible while strengthening technological infrastructure and security measures.

For eligible e-visa holders, the immediate benefit is greater travel flexibility, with more airports and land crossings now available as gateways into India.