Indian Tourist Visa Information for Cruise Ships Passengers
Effective April 1st 2017
1.With effect from April 1, e-visa has been sub-divided into 3 categories -- e-tourist visa, e-business visa and e-medical visa. Till now, e-visa was only for tourists
2.E-visa facility has been extended to nationals of 161 countries for entry through 24 airports (earlier granted through 16 airports) and three sea ports: Cochin, Goa and Mangalore. ( Cruise passengers E- Tourist visa can be applied online if their first port of call in India should be Cochin ,Goa or Manglore )
Apply online @ indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/Registration
3.The window for application under e-visa scheme has been increased from 30 days to 120 days and duration of stay on e-visa has been increased from 30 days to 60 days with double entry on e-tourist and e-business visa and triple entry on e-medical visa.
4.Separate immigration counters and facilitation desks to assist medical tourists have been provided at airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
5.The multiple-entry tourist and business visas for a period of 5 years will now be available to nationals of most of the countries. Upon urgent requests, business visa and medical visa will be granted within 48 hours of application.
6.94 Indian missions having bio-metric enrolment facilities have started giving 5-year long-term tourist and business visa from March . The remaining missions will provide this facility in due course.
7.A new category of visa titled intern (I) visa has been rolled out with effect from March 1, 2017 to a foreigner intending to pursue intership in Indian companies, educational institutions and NGOs, subject to certain checks and conditions. The period of visa is restricted to the duration of internship programme or one year, whichever is less. The intern visa will be granted immediately after completion of graduation/post-graduation.
8.Intern visa, however, will be issued with prior clearance from the home ministry in case of internship in NGOs or internship involving visit to protected and restricted areas.
9.Another new category of visa, titled film (F) visa has also been introduced with maximum duration of one year with multiple entry facility.
10.The minimum salary limit of for grant of employment visa, which is presently US $ 25,000 per annum, has also been modified. This will facilitate foreign nationals engaged as teaching faculty by the central higher educational institutions
If your cruise itinerary includes India, you will be required to obtain a Single / Multiple Entry Tourist Visa, whether you are staying on board, going ashore, in transit, embarking or disembarking.