The Ministry of Tourism has quietly updated its portal (last modified 11 January 2026) to confirm that India’s e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) programme now covers applicants from 166 nations—up from 156 a year ago. The expansion comes on the heels of India surpassing pre-pandemic foreign-visitor numbers in 2025 and aligns with New Delhi’s goal of attracting 20 million international tourists by 2028.
What’s new: The additional 10 countries—believed to include Panama, Kenya, Iceland, Georgia and three Caribbean nations—bring near-global reach to the electronic authorisation, which already offers nine sub-categories (tourist, business, conference, medical, medical attendant, e-Ayush, etc.). Eligible foreigners apply online, receive approval within 72 hours and can enter through 29 designated airports and five seaports.
![India Extends e-Tourist Visa Scheme to 166 Countries, Signals Aggressive Push for Inbound Travel]()
Business impact: For multinational firms, the wider eligibility simplifies last-minute travel for client meetings, project kick-offs and trade-show attendance in India. Corporate mobility teams can now avoid the embassy-visa bottleneck for most short-term assignees, saving 5–10 working days per trip. Destination-service providers expect a spike in MICE (meetings-incentives-conventions-events) bookings ahead of the October-to-March conference season.
Compliance pointers: 1) The e-Business sub-category caps each stay at 180 days per calendar year. 2) Passport validity must exceed six months upon arrival. 3) The visa must be printed or stored digitally and presented to airline staff before boarding.
Sector outlook: Travel-tech companies welcomed the news, noting that India’s digital-visa infrastructure rivals that of ASEAN peers. Analysts predict the e-Visa channel will handle 70 % of all short-term arrivals by 2027, reducing costs for both travellers and Indian missions abroad.
What’s new: The additional 10 countries—believed to include Panama, Kenya, Iceland, Georgia and three Caribbean nations—bring near-global reach to the electronic authorisation, which already offers nine sub-categories (tourist, business, conference, medical, medical attendant, e-Ayush, etc.). Eligible foreigners apply online, receive approval within 72 hours and can enter through 29 designated airports and five seaports.
Business impact: For multinational firms, the wider eligibility simplifies last-minute travel for client meetings, project kick-offs and trade-show attendance in India. Corporate mobility teams can now avoid the embassy-visa bottleneck for most short-term assignees, saving 5–10 working days per trip. Destination-service providers expect a spike in MICE (meetings-incentives-conventions-events) bookings ahead of the October-to-March conference season.
Compliance pointers: 1) The e-Business sub-category caps each stay at 180 days per calendar year. 2) Passport validity must exceed six months upon arrival. 3) The visa must be printed or stored digitally and presented to airline staff before boarding.
Sector outlook: Travel-tech companies welcomed the news, noting that India’s digital-visa infrastructure rivals that of ASEAN peers. Analysts predict the e-Visa channel will handle 70 % of all short-term arrivals by 2027, reducing costs for both travellers and Indian missions abroad.
