The number of foreigners who visited India in 2022 more than doubled from the footfall in 2021, but remains almost 35% lower than the pre-Covid years, an annual report by the Ministry of Home Affairs has said.
According to the report, a total of 38,34,984 foreigners visited India between April 1, 2022 to October 31, 2022, an average of 6,39,000 foreigners a month. The highest number of during this period arrived from Bangladesh (8,42,869), followed by the United States (8,05,692), United Kingdom (3,75,157), Australia (1,84,343), and Canada (1,45,221).
In comparison, a total of 15,24,469 foreigners had visited India between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, an average of 1,27,000 foreigners a month. The maximum number of foreigners who visited India during this period were from the US (4,29,860), followed by Bangladesh (2,40,554), United Kingdom (1,64,143) and Canada (80,437).
Before the Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a grinding halt in 2020, India used to witness the flow of more than 1 crore foreigners every year. As many as 1,09,23,084 foreigners (including 39,018 Pakistani nationals) had visited India in calendar year 2019. Bangladesh accounted for the maximum number of foreigners who visited India in 2019, followed by the US, UK and Canada.
Similarly, the annual report of 2018-19 had said over 1.37 crore foreigners visited the country. On an average, over 9 lakh foreigners visited India every month during that period. Bangladesh had again accounted for the maximum number of foreigners visiting India between January 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019 at 28,76,064, followed by the US (18,63,278), UK (13,69,548), Canada (4,79,228), Sri Lanka (4,51,736), Australia (4,44,033), Malaysia (4,11,050), Russian Federation (3,77,083), China (3,75,449) and Germany (3,60,843).
“In view of the political situation in Ukraine and Russia and as goodwill gesture all type of visa/e-Visa has been extended on gratis basis for Ukranian nationals and Russian nationals. Penalty for any overstaying by Ukranian and Russian nationals after 24.02.2022 has also been waived off,” the latest report said.
Experts attribute Bangladesh’s ascendancy on India’s tourism landscape to the lack of consulates for several European nations. Consequently, citizens of Bangladesh are compelled to journey to India for visa processing. Additionally, a significant number of Bangladeshis seek medical treatment in India, further adding up to their travel numbers.
Except for Bhutanese and Nepalese citizens directly traveling to India, all foreign nationals, including children, need a visa to travel to India.
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