From 1 July 2024 onwards, Malaysian citizens are eligible for a free tourist visa for India. This means that tourists from Malaysia may travel to India without having to pay the visa cost until at least June 2025. The free tourist visa allows travellers to stay in India for up to 30 days.
Tourism in India is growing steadily
The Indian economy, particularly the tourism sector, suffered heavily from the covid pandemic. Tourism had still not completely recovered in 2023. In 2023, fewer international travellers arrived in India than in the year 2019, before the pandemic broke out. Nevertheless, the tourism infrastructure in India has been improved a lot. The number of airports in India has doubled in the past ten years, and Indian airlines are expanding at a fast pace. Therefore, it is to be expected that international tourism will grow in the upcoming decade.
Indian tourism is not in as bad a spot in 2024 as it might seem. This is mostly due to the rising Indian middle class, which is starting to travel more than in the past. Many Indians are profiting from rising wages in the past years, allowing them to save money and to travel within the country.
The Indian visa policy
The e-visa for India has been available for many years now. Due to this visa, travellers no longer have to go to the Indian embassy to get a travel authorisation. Therefore, travelling to India is easier than ever before. Nevertheless, the e-visa is still an obstacle for many travellers. The online application is not clear for everyone, and the e-visa is not free of charge.
India has eased their visa policy for travellers from certain countries to attract more foreign tourists. For example, citizens of Japan and South Korea may apply for a so-called visa on arrival when they are entering India. This means that they do not have to apply for an e-visa or any other type of visa before departure.
Free tourist visa for Malaysians
India has made a special agreement with Malaysia, as Malaysian citizens are no longer required to pay the cost of the e-visa to travel to India. This way, the Indian authorities hope to attract more tourists from Malaysia.
The new rule applies only to the e-visa for tourists. Malaysians still need to pay to apply for a paper visa at the embassy. They also need to pay to apply for another type of visa, such as the business visa for India.
What are you allowed to do on a tourist visa?
Most people who travel to India use a tourist visa. The tourist visa allows its holder to travel to India for tourism, but you may also visit friends and family. British and Irish citizens, as well as citizens of all EU-countries, are eligible to apply for the tourist visa online. Applicants need to fill in a form with questions about their travel plans and their personal information. In the end, the applicant needs to upload a clear passport photo and a scan of their passport. The visa is usually granted around 7 days after all questions are answered, and all documents have been submitted.