Before the pandemic kicked in and Indian forces have been locked in a standoff with the Chinese PLA in Ladakh, India witnessed among the many highest variety of arrivals from China on e-visas in 2018 and 2019, the federal government instructed Parliament on Wednesday.
Nationals of solely two nations—the US and the UK—have been forward of China in availing of e-visas for arrival in India, stated the federal government.
According to the information supplied by the federal government, as many as 2,26,210 Chinese nationals arrived in India on varied e-visas for tourism, enterprise, conferences and medical remedy in 2019. This was a marked enhance from 2018 when 1,63,146 Chinese arrived in India on e-visas registering — a progress of just about 40%.
A complete of 24,70,273 e-visas in 2018 and 28,87,220 in 2019 have been issued by India to nationals of 166 nations.
The authorities information reveals that the best variety of arrivals on e-visas in 2019 was from the UK at 3,74,273 adopted by the US at 3,48,068. Compared to 2018, whereas arrivals from the UK had marginally decreased, these from the US had elevated by about 20%.
Other nations which availed of a excessive variety of e-visas for India in 2019 included France (1,38,883), Malaysia (1,37,871) and Russia (1,31,125). Both Malaysia and Russia recorded virtually 100% enhance in availing e-visa for India in 2019 in comparison with 2018.
The info was supplied by MoS, Home, Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a query by BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe on whole arrivals in India on e-visas and the steps taken by the federal government to make sure that undesirable parts don’t enter the nation.
“To prevent the entry of undesirable persons in India by using e-Visa facility, there is a screening mechanism which involves checking of antecedents of each and every e-Visa applicant against the database of persons in adverse list,” Rai stated.
India suspended issuing visas to foreigners within the wake of the pandemic in March final yr and has solely partially liberalised it for the reason that opening of the lockdown. Since the pandemic and the standoff in Ladakh, India has additional tightened visa norms for these arriving from China.
“Indian Missions are issuing Visa to the foreigners through Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration and Tracking (IVFRT) system based on the visa policy laid down by the Central Government. At present, 180 Indian Missions are connected to the IVFRT system. Foreigners applying for Indian Visa are required to apply online on https://indianvisaonline.gov.in. Whenever changes are made in the visa issuance system by the Central Government, these are immediately shared by the Ministry of External Affairs with the Indian Missions abroad. The guidelines are also uploaded on the web portal immediately for use of visa officers in the Missions abroad,” Rai stated.
An e-visa or digital visa is a facility prolonged by India to foreigners the place they will apply for the Indian visa on-line. On November 27, 2014, the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) facility turned operational for residents of over 40 eligible nations, together with those that are eligible for visa on arrival. The checklist was expanded to 113 nations in August 2015 and has since expanded additional. ETA is issued for tourism, visiting family and friends, quick length medical remedy and enterprise visits.