26 Countries Allow Visa-Free Access to Indians; 40 Offer Visa-on-Arrival: Government
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Synopsis
As of February 7, 2025, 26 countries offer visa-free access, 40 provide visa-on-arrival, and 58 countries allow e-visas for Indian passport holders, according to parliamentary updates. The Indian passport's ranking has fallen to 85th in the Henley Passport Index 2025.
Key Takeaways
- 26 countries provide visa-free entry for Indians.
- 40 countries offer visa-on-arrival facilities.
- 58 nations provide e-visa options.
- Indian passport rank dropped to 85th in 2025.
- Government aims to improve visa accessibility for Indian travelers.
New Delhi, Feb 7 (NationPress) A total of 26 nations grant visa-free entry to Indian citizens, while 40 nations offer visa-on-arrival services and 58 countries allow e-visa options for holders of Indian passports, as reported in Parliament on Friday.
In a written response during the Lok Sabha session, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh did not address the recent decline of the Indian passport's rank, which has dropped by five positions to 85th place in the newly published Henley Passport Index 2025.
In a query regarding the global passport rankings, TDP member Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy questioned whether the government acknowledged that the Indian passport has fallen from 80th place in 2024 and from 71st place in 2006.
MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh stated, “There are private organizations that generate such rankings based on their criteria. However, there is no universally recognized passport ranking system that serves as a standard due to the lack of accepted criteria.”
He emphasized that the government has been actively working to expand the number of nations offering visa-free travel, visa-on-arrival, and e-visa options for Indian citizens to facilitate global travel.
“Currently, 26 countries provide visa-free entry, 40 countries offer visa-on-arrival, and 58 countries have e-visa provisions for Indian passport holders. These details are frequently updated by this Ministry on its website, accessible at: https://www.mea.gov.in/VFFIN.htm,” he added in his written reply.
Reddy also inquired about potential government actions to improve the Indian passport's ranking.
MoS stated, “Visa issuance policies are sovereign matters of individual nations, and the provision of visa-free entry or visa-on-arrival depends on various considerations, including bilateral relations and reciprocity principles.”
In his question, Reddy referenced the Henley Passport Index 2025 and claimed that due to the lower ranking of the Indian passport, an Indian traveler can visit 57 countries without a visa, compared to 195 out of 227 countries accessible to Singapore passport holders.
