The Ministry of Home Affairs has quietly approved the biggest single-day expansion of India’s electronic visa (e-Visa) programme since its launch a decade ago. From 15 August 2026 – Independence Day – nationals of 25 additional countries across Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean will be able to apply online for tourist, business and medical travel instead of visiting an Indian mission. Officials told Reuters that the newcomers include Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Colombia, Ecuador, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Trinidad & Tobago and Saint Lucia. Combined, the additions represent a potential market of more than 250 million passports that previously required in-person stamping. Processing times will remain three-to-five working days and fees stay unchanged at US $25 for a 30-day tourist e-visa and US $40 for the one-year option.
![India to Extend E-Visa Eligibility to 25 More Countries from 15 August]()
Travellers who prefer professional assistance can streamline the process through VisaHQ, which offers guided e-visa applications, document review and real-time status updates for India and many other destinations. Its India portal consolidates the latest eligibility lists—including the 25 newly added countries—so applicants can avoid mistakes and receive alerts as soon as approvals are issued.
Longer multiple-entry and category-specific prices are also unaffected. The move is part of the government’s target to double inbound arrivals to 20 million by 2030 and shore up foreign-exchange earnings from travel services, which currently lag regional peers Thailand and Vietnam. In 2025 India issued 1.8 million e-visas, accounting for 18 percent of all short-term entries; officials now hope to top 3 million in calendar-year 2026. The decision also helps airlines such as IndiGo and Air India that have rapidly added frequencies to Africa and Latin America but faced weak demand because of cumbersome visa rules. For corporates the policy means easier rotation of project staff, quicker mobilisation for after-sales support and shorter lead times for sales trips. Mobility managers should update internal travel tools to reflect the August start-date and remind employees that the passport used for the e-visa application must be the one presented on arrival. Pakistan and China remain excluded from the e-visa regime; their nationals must continue to apply through traditional channels. Industry experts expect a second wave of expansion before the end of the fiscal year, with another 10 African states under consideration once bilateral security clearances are completed. Travellers are advised to use only the official portal (indianvisaonline.gov.in) and avoid third-party sites charging “service fees” of up to US $100.
Travellers who prefer professional assistance can streamline the process through VisaHQ, which offers guided e-visa applications, document review and real-time status updates for India and many other destinations. Its India portal consolidates the latest eligibility lists—including the 25 newly added countries—so applicants can avoid mistakes and receive alerts as soon as approvals are issued.
Longer multiple-entry and category-specific prices are also unaffected. The move is part of the government’s target to double inbound arrivals to 20 million by 2030 and shore up foreign-exchange earnings from travel services, which currently lag regional peers Thailand and Vietnam. In 2025 India issued 1.8 million e-visas, accounting for 18 percent of all short-term entries; officials now hope to top 3 million in calendar-year 2026. The decision also helps airlines such as IndiGo and Air India that have rapidly added frequencies to Africa and Latin America but faced weak demand because of cumbersome visa rules. For corporates the policy means easier rotation of project staff, quicker mobilisation for after-sales support and shorter lead times for sales trips. Mobility managers should update internal travel tools to reflect the August start-date and remind employees that the passport used for the e-visa application must be the one presented on arrival. Pakistan and China remain excluded from the e-visa regime; their nationals must continue to apply through traditional channels. Industry experts expect a second wave of expansion before the end of the fiscal year, with another 10 African states under consideration once bilateral security clearances are completed. Travellers are advised to use only the official portal (indianvisaonline.gov.in) and avoid third-party sites charging “service fees” of up to US $100.
