India has restored all valid five-year e-tourist visas given to citizens of 156 countries and regular visas to nationals of all countries with immediate effect, two years after their suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Officials also said all currently valid old long term regular tourist visas of the US and Japan had been restored. Fresh long-duration tourist visas will also be issued to the US and Japanese nationals. The government has decided that currently valid e-tourist visas issued for five years will be restored to the residents of 156 countries. Citizens of these 156 countries will also be eligible for fresh e-tourist visas as per the Visa Manual, 2019.

The foreign residents on tourist and e-tourist visas will only be able to enter into India via selected Sea Immigration Check Posts (IPs) or Airport ICPs by flights, including those under the ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ or ‘air bubble pact’ or by flights allowed by the DGCA or Ministry of Civil Aviation.