Free e-visa to foreigners on OCIs’ advice

Under its ‘Chalo India’ campaign, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, will allow 100,000 free e-visas to foreigners on recommendation from OCI cardholders.

Janice Alyosius

India launched its ‘Chalo India’ campaign at the World Travel Market (WTM) London, held from 5-7 November, to boost inbound tourism with free e-visa incentives. Speaking at WTM, Mugdha Sinha, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, urged the Indian diaspora around the world to encourage five non-Indian friends to sign up for the scheme. She said Indians across the world can recommend the programme to their non-Indian friends, with more information available on the ‘Chalo India’ portal.

Commenting on the initiative, Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO, said, “Through ‘Chalo India’ initiative, foreign nationals with an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card can register on the programme’s website to receive a unique code. Each OCI cardholder can then recommend up to five foreign nationals to visit India, who will be eligible for a gratis e-tourist visa. These visas will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis at no charge.” He added, “This offer is exclusively for those recommended by an OCI cardholder and is not available to general tourists. Some attendees at WTM expressed concern that the programme’s scope should be broader, allowing anyone to apply, regardless of an OCI recommendation. Although the programme will grant 100,000 free visas, some feel it may be restrictive, as it requires applicants to have connections with OCI cardholders. This initiative goes beyond the $25 visa fee waiver; it aims to symbolise India’s goodwill and respect for international visitors.”

The UK remains a crucial market for Indian tourism, ranking as the third-largest source with 920,000 visitors in 2023. Additionally, the UK has one of the largest Indian diaspora populations, estimated at 1.9 million, a key factor supporting the Chalo India campaign.