The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), on Thursday, said that India will begin granting fresh tourist visas to foreigners coming to India through chartered flights from October 15.

On the other hand, those foreign tourists travelling to India by flights other than the chartered aircraft would be able to do so from November 15.

‘To follow Covid protocol’

“All due protocols and norms relating to Covid as notified by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare from time to time shall be adhered to by the foreign tourists, carriers bringing them into India, and all other stakeholders at landing stations.

“With this, the restrictions placed on visa and international travel stand further eased, given the present overall Covid situation,” said an official statement by the MHA. Due to the pandemic, all visas granted to foreigners were suspended last year. Various other restrictions were also imposed on international travel by the Central government to arrest the spread of the pandemic. After considering the evolving Covid situation, foreigners were later on allowed to avail any kind of Indian visa other than tourist visa for entry and stay in India.

However, the MHA had been receiving representations from several State governments, as well as various stakeholders in the tourism sector, to start issuing tourist visas to foreigners.

Therefore, the MHA consulted all major stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Tourism and various State governments, where foreign tourists are expected to arrive.