Indian E-Visa Regime Becomes More Friendly for Medical Tourists

With the now modified visa policies if a tourist gets sick during their stay in the country he/she can avail medical assistance without converting their e-visa into a medical visa. The government has taken this step looking at the growth of medical tourism market in India. This new law will also help tourists feel more save in the country, in case of any type of medical emergency.

Recently, the Indian Union Tourism Ministry made some amendments in the e-visa regime of the country, liberalising it further for the tourists. The government introduced the e-tourist Visa in September 2014 which only included 46 countries that now has been modified and is applicable for tourists coming from 166 countries.

The Indian Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry Home Affairs had been working closely to ease off the visa regime in the country for a while, and now it has been implemented.

Some of the Key Modifications made in E-visa policies include:

The duration time of stay for e-business and e-tourist visa applicants in India has been maximized up to 1 year, granting multiple entries to the tourists which are subject to staying stipulations.

The existing restriction which allowed a foreigner to enter the country for maximum three times under e-visa policies has been removed.

Further, e-visa tourists will be valid for entry from two more designated airports including Port Blair and Bhubaneswar, increasing the total number of airports to 28.

There is no separate category for destination wedding visa. Tourists coming to India for a destination wedding can directly apply for a normal tourist visa or e-tourist visa.

Further, foreign nationals who get afflicted by a medical condition in India during their stay can also avail a medical treatment in the country without converting their tourist visa into a medical permit. This only includes sudden medical emergencies.

Besides, visa-on-arrival facility is also extended to Republic of Korea.

Changes in E-Visa

The e-tourist visa is now applicable to 166 countries.

Nationals (who are eligible for the grant) coming on an e-tourist visa, cannot stay for more than 90 days continuously in India during each visit except for residents of USA, Canada, UK, and Japan.

Nationals belonging to USA, Canada, UK, and Japan, cannot stay over 180 days continuously in India during each visit.

In all the cases mentioned above nationals of the countries eligible for e-visa don’t have to go through registration.

Changes in Business e-Visa

For nationals coming to India on e-business visa, the limit for continuous stay for each visit is set at 180 days for all countries, eligible for e-visa.

No registration needs to be made if the tourists plans on staying in India for less than 180 days.

Following table depicts a comparing statement showing the recent changes made by the Indian Government in e-visa: