India paused its eVisa regime during the pandemic; it has since been restored to more than 150 nations – including all EU nations – but the UK has until now been overlooked, forcing travellers to attend a visa centre.
Appointments have been routinely oversubscribed, with Aito warning in October that India’s failure to restore eVisa access for UK nationals risked £10 million worth of bookings.
High commissioner Vikram Doraiswami said on Monday: "We are rolling out eVisas once again. This service will be made available to you forthwith. [With] the announcement that is to follow, you will see specific dates and the procedures and the costing all set out again. That should enable friends from the UK to travel for more easily to India.
"So welcome back, eVisas are up ahead. We look forward to a good winter season in which everyone gets to celebrate their festivals in India, the land of festivals."
The high commission added in a tweet: "Team @HCI_London is delighted to confirm that eVisa facility will again be available for UK nationals travelling to India. [A] system upgrade is under way and the visa website will soon be ready to receive applications from friends in the UK."
No specific date has yet been set for when functionality will restored, whereby Brits can see cheaper, less time-consuming eVisas.
Abercrombie & Kent chief tour operating officer Kerry Golds was among the first to welcome the news. "India has been a firm favourite for both Cox & Kings and A&K guests for years," she said. "The return of the eVisa for British citizens is a significant step forward in removing a barrier for travellers planning a visit to this incredible, captivating country."
