e-Tourist visa facility is presently available to the nationals of 150 countries at 16 designated international airports in India. E-Tourist visa can be granted for a period of 30 days with single entry. Further, e-tourist Visa can be availed only twice in a calendar year. On e-tourist visa, foreign nationals are permitted recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, short duration medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine or casual business visit etc.

The proposal to extend the e-Tourist visa window to 180 days instead of the current 30 days and allowing multiple entry on the said visa instead of the existing single-entry as well as to extend the maximum stay up to 90 days from the existing 30 days, is under consideration of the government.

E-Tourist visa and visa on arrival facilities have been introduced by the Government of India as a unilateral measure with the objective of promoting tourism in India. However, many foreign countries have extended e-visa and visa-on-arrival facilities to Indian nationals. Some countries have exempted Indian passport holders form the requirement of visa.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to question by Shri Dushyant Singh and Shri Kalikesh N. Singh Deo in the Lok Sabha on 2.8.16