India introduces e-group visa for cruise tourists
The new electronic visa category is designed to simplify entry for organized groups of foreign nationals arriving at Indian ports by sea.
India has introduced an e-group visa facility tailored to cruise tourists as part of its plans to expand maritime tourism. The category is intended to provide a more streamlined entry process for organized groups of international travelers arriving by sea, including those sailing on cruise itineraries that call at multiple Indian ports.
Official summaries of India’s electronic visa system show that the cruise-group option has been added alongside existing categories for tourism, business, medical travel and other purposes. The government had already extended e-visas and visas on arrival to cruise passengers, while many cruise travelers using e-visas were exempted from biometric enrollment. Authorities have also adjusted port tariffs for passenger vessels.
Earlier government policy documents said the e-tourist visa program was initially available at five seaports: Mumbai, Cochin, Mormugao, Chennai and New Mangalore. More recent official releases report that e-visa holders can now use a combined 88 international entry points across all modes of travel.