Question : Extension of e-Visa Scheme

(a) whether the Government has launched e-visa scheme in 2014 to encourage tourism, business travel and health tourism in the country;

(b) whether the Government has plans to extend the scheme to more countries;

(c) whether the Government has now decided to increase the scope of this scheme to include e-Conference and e-Medical Attendant Visa;

(d) whether the Government plans to increase the number of Departure and
Arrival counters at major airports as well as providing human resource to the Bureau of Immigration (BoI) to fast-track the immigration process;

(e) whether the Government has also introduced e-FRRO services for those foreigners who are staying in India and who need services like visa extension, visa conversion, exit permit, registration, change of passport details, change of address and others; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a): Yes Madam.
(b): At present the e-Visa scheme is available for the nationals of 165 countries. Review of policy to include more countries under e-Visa regime is a continuous process.
(c): Yes Madam. The scope of e-Visa scheme has been enhanced to include e-Conference Visa and e-Medical Attendant Visa.
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LS.US.Q.NO.1069 FOR 24.07.2018

(d): In order to fast track the immigration process, the Govt. Of India is increasing number of departure/arrival counters and man-power at major airports on need basis.

(e) & (f): Yes Madam. e-FRRO services have been implemented in all 12 FRROs ( Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangluru, Calicut, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Trivandrum). As of now, all these FRROs are rendering online services under e-FRRO module to foreigners staying under their jurisdiction. All Visa and Immigration related services in India which were being processed by FROs/SPs/DCPs in their districts would now be processed online by the Nodal FRROs.




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