• March 21, 2022

E-visas for 156 countries restored but not for UK nationals: HCI London says they have no role

By A Staff Reporter

LONDON March 18: India has restored all currently valid five year e-tourist visa given to citizens of 156 countries and regular paper visa to nationals of all countries with immediate effect, two years after their suspension follow the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Ministry of Home Affairs in India has decided to restore this facility now for 156 countries, from 171 countries previously on the list. Out of the excluded countries, the most notable ones are Iran, Indonesia, Canada, the UK, China, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia.

The Indian High Commission in London has confirmed to us that they do not have a role in granting or rejection of E-Visas as they do not process e-visas. E-visas are issued directly from New Delhi.  Therefore, any enquiries in this regard need to be made directly on the e-visa portal. More details and latest updates on Indian e-visas can be accessed by visiting https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

HCI London advise residents to apply for a regular Tourist Visa if they intend to travel by accessing Authorized Portal for Visa Application to India https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/

The Visa services has been outsourced to VFS (UK) and the application will have to be deposited with one of its centres by visiting https://services.vfsglobal.com/gbr/en/ind/apply-visa

This website made contacts with government of India’s E-Visa Online services. They too confirmed with us that, as of now, e-visas for UK nationals remains suspended till further notice.

UK nationals intending to visit India for tourism will be allowed to enter India regular paper Tourist Visa. They provided this website with a list of countries whose nationals are eligible for e-visa Facility as of 17th March.

Click To View The List of Countries Eligible

Media in India had reported that this appears to be a reciprocal treatment for citizens of Canada and the United Kingdom, the Indian government has withdrawn the e-visa facility for them, according to their sources.

The report quotes a senior Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official confirming that post-Covid, UK and Canada have posed a lot of restrictions over the entry of Indian nationals in their country and many of the times, travellers have to face inconvenience despite several requests were made to the concerned embassies to take up and matter and resolve it.

Earlier, the e-visa facility was denied to Chinese nationals following the Galwan Valley incident in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in violent clashes with China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) personnel in June last year, the media report added.

Meanwhile, the UK Pravasi Helpdesk, a Keralite Whatsapp group, who raised the matter with the Indian government authorities, have received a reply from V Muraleedharan MP, Union Minister of State for External Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs, stating that “necessary actions are being taken on this matter”

With Easter and Summer holidays fast approaching there is going to be an increase in tourists from the UK visiting India and hopefully e-visas for UK nationals will be restored.