India reciprocal visa on arrival
India is preparing a new reciprocal visa on arrival system and a simplified e-Visa, aiming to boost tourism and make travel procedures faster and easier.
India has announced major developments in its visa policy, including a forthcoming reciprocal visa on arrival system and updates to streamline the India e-Visa. Presented by the Tourism Minister during the CII India Edge 2025 summit, these reforms aim to make the country more accessible, competitive, and attractive to international visitors. The visa on arrival would apply only to citizens of countries offering the same privilege to Indians, while the e-Visa will become shorter and easier to complete. Combined with the new e-Arrival Card, India seeks to offer a smoother and faster entry experience for travelers.
⭐ Key Essentials — India Visa on Arrival & e-Visa Updates
- Reciprocal visa on arrival planned for travelers from countries that already grant Indian citizens the same benefit.
- No final list of eligible countries yet, but Japan, South Korea, UAE and Maldives already benefit from VOA.
- India aims to boost tourism competitiveness by simplifying entry for international visitors.
- e-Visa to be further simplified, with fewer pages and a shorter online form.
- Most travelers already use the India e-Visa, issued in about 72 hours via mobile.
- New e-Arrival Card introduced to replace airport paper forms and speed up immigration.
- Part of India’s 2047 development vision, strengthening tourism as a major growth sector.
A major step toward easier travel and a more competitive tourism strategy.
India is preparing significant changes to its visa framework as part of its broader goal to strengthen tourism and make travel procedures more accessible. During the CII India Edge 2025 summit in New Delhi, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, announced that the government is actively developing a reciprocal visa on arrival India system.
At the same time, authorities are working to streamline and shorten the country’s widely used e-Visa application. Together, these changes form a central pillar of India’s strategy to boost visitor numbers, modernize border procedures and enhance the travel experience.
Below, we break down the key announcements and what travelers can expect.
The Indian government confirmed that it is examining a new India visa on arrival mechanism that would apply only to citizens of countries offering the same privilege to Indian nationals. This means the system would not be universal but strictly reciprocal.
“On a reciprocal basis, we are exploring how to grant a visa on arrival to citizens of countries that already extend this benefit to Indians,” explained Minister Shekhawat.
India already grants a visa on arrival to travelers from:
These remain the current official India visa on arrival countries.
More than 35 countries currently offer Indian nationals visa-on-arrival access, including:
This wide international access is part of the argument behind India adopting a more reciprocal approach.
Alongside the visa-on-arrival developments, the minister highlighted the importance of the India e-Visa, which has become the primary entry route for most visitors.
“In most countries today, travelers no longer need to visit an embassy for an Indian visa. The e-Visa is available online, and within 72 hours, using your phone, your authorization is ready,” said Shekhawat.
However, he acknowledged that the current e-Visa form remains too long and not intuitive enough, and confirmed major simplifications are underway.
🧩 Planned Improvements to the India e-Visa
These changes aim to bring India in line with global destinations that compete for the same tourism markets.
Another key development is the rollout of India’s new e-Arrival Card, a digital document meant to replace the paper arrival forms still used at airports.
⭐ Benefits of the e-Arrival Card
This initiative supports India’s overall effort to make entry procedures faster, cleaner, and more modern.
Tourism is now considered a strategic pillar of India’s economic vision, with the goal of raising its contribution from 5–6% of GDP to nearly 10%.
During the summit session titled Unlocking the Growth and Employment Potential of Tourism, Shekhawat described tourism as a major engine for job creation, stating that one rupee invested in the sector provides an economic multiplier of 3.5.
Shekhawat emphasized that two factors heavily influence travelers when choosing a destination:
This is why simplifying the India e-Visa and expanding a reciprocal visa on arrival India system are seen as crucial steps.
The minister’s announcement was part of a discussion featuring key figures in India’s tourism and hospitality sector, including:
Their collective perspective reinforces the urgent need to streamline entry processes as India positions itself within a highly competitive tourism landscape.
Find out if your question has been answered in the list below
Yes, India currently offers a limited visa on arrival India scheme for citizens of Japan, South Korea, the Maldives and the United Arab Emirates. The government is now studying a broader reciprocal visa on arrival model, but no final list of countries or implementation date has been announced.
For the moment, the answer depends on nationality. Only travelers from a few countries qualify. The upcoming system will apply exclusively to citizens of countries that already grant Indian nationals a visa on arrival, but the new India visa on arrival countries list has not yet been released.
Yes, but only if you are from one of the currently eligible nationalities. The minister confirmed that reforms are being evaluated, but until the reciprocal system is officially launched, access to an India visa on arrival remains limited.
The government has not provided any list or timeline. The minister simply stated that eligibility will be based on reciprocity — meaning countries that already offer visa-on-arrival access to Indian citizens may be considered.