Home Ministry notifies 14 more seaports for e‑visa entry
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a Gazette notification adding 14 new seaports to India's list of designated Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) where e-visa holders can enter the country.
The newly notified ports are spread across Gujarat (7 ports), Tamil Nadu (3 ports), Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.
The notification went live on 19 March 2026, bringing the total number of authorised ICPs for e-visa holders to 114 across airports, seaports, and land borders.
The expansion is aimed at boosting maritime tourism, cruise ship arrivals, and foreign direct investment in coastal states.
India's E-Visa System
The e-visa (electronic visa) system was launched by India in November 2014 to enable eligible foreign nationals to apply online for entry permits without visiting an Indian mission. The system replaced and expanded the earlier Visa-on-Arrival scheme. Applications are processed digitally and linked to the traveller's passport, with approval typically granted within 72 hours.
Key Details
- Currently available to nationals of 166 countries; Pakistani passport holders are not eligible.
- Categories include e-Tourist, e-Business, e-Medical, and e-Conference visas.
- Managed by the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Prior to the March 2026 expansion, the total authorised ICPs numbered 100.
The 14-seaport addition is the latest incremental expansion of the ICP network that began with 3 seaports in 2017, reflecting a policy priority to capture growing global cruise and maritime tourism.
Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) and Their Regulation
An Immigration Check Post is a designated point of entry or exit that has been formally notified by the Government of India under the Foreigners Act, 1946, and the Passport Entry into India Act, 1920. Only notified ICPs are authorised to process foreign nationals arriving on e-visas or visas-on-arrival; entry through non-notified ports is prohibited for such visa categories.
Key Details
- The Foreigners Act, 1946 gives the central government authority to regulate entry, movement, and exit of foreigners.
- The Bureau of Immigration, under MHA, manages all ICPs.
- As of April 2026, India has 33 designated airports, 19 seaports (after this expansion), and several land-border ICPs.
- Addition of a new ICP requires a formal Gazette notification in the Official Gazette of India.
The MHA Gazette notification formally creates the legal authority for immigration officers at these 14 seaports to process e-visa entries, without which international arrivals at those ports would not be permissible under e-visa.
Coastal and Maritime Tourism Policy
India's coastline of approximately 7,516 km spans 9 states and 4 union territories. The central government has been pursuing a port-led development approach under the Sagarmala Programme (launched 2015), which includes modernising minor ports and developing cruise terminals to attract international traffic. E-visa access at seaports directly complements this policy by removing a key regulatory barrier for foreign cruise passengers.
Key Details
- India's coastline includes more than 200 ports (major and minor).
- Sagarmala Programme focuses on port modernisation, coastal connectivity, and port-led industrialisation.
- The newly added Gujarat ports—Pipavav, Hazira, Porbandar—are commercially active minor ports.
- Tamil Nadu ports Tuticorin (now V.O. Chidambaranar Port) and Nagapattinam are strategically located near Sri Lanka.
Designating these commercially active ports as e-visa ICPs is expected to ease entry for foreign business delegations and cruise tourists, directly supporting the Sagarmala objective of increasing maritime sector GDP contribution.
- Total ICPs for e-visa after this expansion: 114
- New ports added: 14 (all seaports)
- States covered in the new notification: Gujarat (7), Tamil Nadu (3), Andhra Pradesh, Odisha
- E-visa eligible nationalities: 166 countries
- India's coastline length: approximately 7,516 km
- Notification effective date: 19 March 2026
- Governing legislation: Foreigners Act, 1946; Passport Entry into India Act, 1920
- Programme supporting port development: Sagarmala Programme (launched 2015)
- Gujarat ports notified: Alang, Bedi Bandar, Bhavnagar, Porbandar, Hazira, Pipavav, Mandvi
- Tamil Nadu ports notified: Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Tuticorin