Indian tourist visa: Not for land route travel

India's recent announcement of visas for individual foreign tourists, from October 15, would not be applicable to those who want to travel using the land routes, Home Ministry sources said today.

Foreign tourists will be allowed to enter India either through "water routes or by flights", according to the new visa guidelines issued by the Home Ministry -- allowing international travel from October 15.

The tourist and e-visas will be for single entry for a month instead of the earlier double entry, said the guidelines, our New Delhi correspondent reports.

The ministry had on October 7 announced the easing of restrictions on visas and international travel, deciding to begin granting fresh tourist visas for foreigners coming to India by chartered flights with effect from October 15 and foreigners traveling to India via commercial flights from November 15 after observing Covid-19 protocols.

Regarding land routes, a senior Home Ministry official said there are currently nine integrated check posts operational in India at Agartala, Sutarkandi, Srimantapur and Petrapole (with Bangladesh), Attari and Kartarpur (with Pakistan), Raxaul and Jogbani (with Nepal) and Moreh (with Myanmar) which will not be opened to foreigners on tourist visas.

India shares land borders with China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Myanmar.

Referring to chartered flights for foreign tourists, the ministry official said it means "bubble" flights under Vande Bharat mission or any scheduled or non-scheduled commercial flights allowed by the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Ministry officials said a negative list of countries where Covid-19 cases remain a concern is also being drawn up.