PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
India: Visas (19 July 2022)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) offer E-visa facilities to Indian nationals and (b) agree reciprocal arrangements with New Delhi for British nationals.

Asked by:
Navendu Mishra (Labour)

We are developing a border and immigration system which is “digital-by-default”, which over time means we will increasingly replace physical and paper-based products and services with accessible, easy to use online and digital services.

We have been rolling out eVisas since 2018, first with the EU Settlement Scheme and increasingly on other immigration routes, so the number of eVisa holders is continuing to rise. We are making eVisas available primarily by route rather than on the basis of nationality, but increasing numbers of applicants, including Indian nationals, will benefit from the issue of eVisas rather than physical products.

As set out in the New Plan for Immigration: legal migration and border control strategy, published on 20 July, our ambition is to phase out use of physical documents as evidence of status by the end of 2024.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-plan-for-immigration-legal-migration-and-border-control-strategy

We are aware of British nationals' concerns regarding their exclusion from the Government of India’s (GoI) list of countries eligible for e-visas. We regularly raise our concerns with the GoI. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary raised this matter with her Indian counterpart during her last visit to India.

British nationals can continue to use the GoI’s regular/paper visa application services for all visa categories. We will continue to work closely with the GoI on the e-visa issue and update the India Travel Advice with the latest information on any changes to India's visa rules.

Answered by:
Kevin Foster (Conservative)
5 September 2022