International travellers can now visit India using tourist visa from October 15

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Starting October 15, foreign tourists would be allowed to enter India, beginning with granting tourist visas to those travelling by chartered flights and those by regular planes from November 15. On Thursday, the Union Home Ministry announced that the restrictions placed on visa and international travel since March 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic stand further eased given the present pandemic situation. In a statement, the ministry said that it has taken these decisions after taking various inputs into consideration.

All protocols to be followed

The statement also said that the foreign tourists and the carriers bringing them will have to adhere to all the protocols related to Covid-19 as notified by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare from time to time.

In order to arrest the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, the central government had imposed various instructions on international travel. Also, all visas granted to foreigners were suspended last year.

But, considering the evolving Covid-19 situation foreigners were later on allowed to avail any kind of Indian visa other than tourist visa for entry and stay in India.

Recently, the Home Ministry had been receiving representations from various state governments as well as various stakeholders in the tourism sector to allow foreign tourists and start issuing tourist visas for the same.

The statement said that the decision was taken after the Home Ministry in consultation with all major stakeholders like the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Tourism and various state governments where foreign tourists are expected to arrive.