India introduces e-group visa for cruise tourists

Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business. The Ministry of Home Affairs has introduced an e-group visit visa (cruise) for foreign tourists arriving in India on cruise vessels operating on fixed and predetermined itineraries, in a move aimed at.

Citizens of all 172 countries currently eligible for India’s e-tourist visa can apply under the new facility. The visa allows cruise passengers to enter through any of India’s 38 designated e-visa-enabled seaports.

What Happened

The e-group visit visa will be valid for 30 days with multiple-entry permission, allowing foreign passengers to travel within India in accordance with their cruise itinerary. Cruise operators or agents must submit passenger applications through the designated portal or mobile application at.

• The initiative is part of India’s broader efforts to develop cruise tourism, leveraging its 7,500-km coastline and 110 navigable waterways.

• Easier cruise access is also expected to benefit ports, hotels, restaurants, transport operators, tour companies and local communities.

• The government expects simplified visa and immigration procedures to encourage international cruise lines to add Indian ports to their itineraries.

Key Details

The visa will carry a QR code that passengers can use at immigration checkpoints at ports of entry and for travel within India as per the fixed cruise itinerary.

• Passenger details can be uploaded in bulk, with no cap on the number of tourists covered under a single e-group application.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by TravelBiz Monitor as more details emerge