In its new report, “Unlocking Growth in the Tourism and Hospitality Sector”, government think-tank NITI Aayog says India’s current patch-work of 30-plus e-visa sub-categories and single-entry tourist e-Visa is hampering the country’s ambition to treble inbound arrivals. The study recommends a 90-day, multi-entry Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) for travellers from carefully selected low-risk markets—similar to schemes long used by Thailand and Indonesia—and merging the entire e-Visa architecture into five broad purposes: tourism, business, short-term medical, study and attendant visas.
![NITI Aayog blueprint calls for 90-day, multi-entry Visa-on-Arrival and radical simplification of India’s e-visa system]()
Travel planners and corporate mobility teams looking to stay ahead of these changes can streamline their documentation through VisaHQ, which already handles India’s existing e-Visa and traditional consular processes online. The platform offers step-by-step guidance, real-time status tracking and dedicated support for group applications—features that will become even more valuable if VoA pilots roll out. Explore the service here: https://www.visahq.com/india/
Under the proposal, eligible travellers would obtain a visa electronically pre-trip or on arrival at major airports and seaports. Repeat visitors would qualify automatically for VoA renewal, and high-frequency travellers could be fast-tracked through dedicated counters linked to the DigiYatra biometric platform. Aayog also urges the Finance Ministry to examine a Tourist Refund Scheme to allow GST refunds at exit points—an incentive widely credited for higher visitor spending in Singapore and the UAE. For the hotel industry, the report seeks to slash approval timelines from the current 36-48 months to 18 months by removing project-stage clearances from the Ministry of Tourism, creating a single liquor licence valid across outlets within one hotel, and digitising all local permits under a single-window system. The think-tank argues that India’s branded room inventory—barely 8 % of total capacity—cannot meet the government’s 100-million foreign-tourist target without aggressive new-builds. If accepted, the recommendations would mark the first substantive overhaul of India’s visa policy since e-Visas were introduced in 2014. Industry groups such as FHRAI and FICCI have already endorsed the blueprint, saying a multi-entry VoA would be transformative for convention business, cruise tourism and meetings-incentives travel. While implementation will require inter-ministerial coordination and additional security vetting, officials privately indicate that a pilot covering Japan, South Korea, Australia and EU Schengen states could be launched before the 2027-28 winter season. For corporate mobility managers the message is clear: India is positioning itself as an easier market for repeat business travel, with less paperwork and faster processing times. Multinationals planning regional conferences or rotational assignments could soon find India competing head-to-head with Southeast Asian hubs on entry formalities and speed of hotel development.
Travel planners and corporate mobility teams looking to stay ahead of these changes can streamline their documentation through VisaHQ, which already handles India’s existing e-Visa and traditional consular processes online. The platform offers step-by-step guidance, real-time status tracking and dedicated support for group applications—features that will become even more valuable if VoA pilots roll out. Explore the service here: https://www.visahq.com/india/
Under the proposal, eligible travellers would obtain a visa electronically pre-trip or on arrival at major airports and seaports. Repeat visitors would qualify automatically for VoA renewal, and high-frequency travellers could be fast-tracked through dedicated counters linked to the DigiYatra biometric platform. Aayog also urges the Finance Ministry to examine a Tourist Refund Scheme to allow GST refunds at exit points—an incentive widely credited for higher visitor spending in Singapore and the UAE. For the hotel industry, the report seeks to slash approval timelines from the current 36-48 months to 18 months by removing project-stage clearances from the Ministry of Tourism, creating a single liquor licence valid across outlets within one hotel, and digitising all local permits under a single-window system. The think-tank argues that India’s branded room inventory—barely 8 % of total capacity—cannot meet the government’s 100-million foreign-tourist target without aggressive new-builds. If accepted, the recommendations would mark the first substantive overhaul of India’s visa policy since e-Visas were introduced in 2014. Industry groups such as FHRAI and FICCI have already endorsed the blueprint, saying a multi-entry VoA would be transformative for convention business, cruise tourism and meetings-incentives travel. While implementation will require inter-ministerial coordination and additional security vetting, officials privately indicate that a pilot covering Japan, South Korea, Australia and EU Schengen states could be launched before the 2027-28 winter season. For corporate mobility managers the message is clear: India is positioning itself as an easier market for repeat business travel, with less paperwork and faster processing times. Multinationals planning regional conferences or rotational assignments could soon find India competing head-to-head with Southeast Asian hubs on entry formalities and speed of hotel development.
