Monthly eVisa Granted by India from 2015 to 2024

The monthly eVisa data presents a rich tapestry of India’s international travel landscape over the past decade, revealing clear seasonal patterns, dramatic pandemic disruption, and an impressive recovery trajectory. From its inception, India’s eVisa program has demonstrated strong seasonal cyclicality, with peak issuances consistently occurring during the winter months (October through February), when India’s favourable climate attracts the highest volume of international visitors. This seasonality is remarkably consistent across the entire dataset, with December and January regularly recording the highest monthly figures each year. For instance, December 2019 saw 361,529 eVisas granted—more than double the 147,807 issued in June of the same year. This pattern reflects India’s status as a winter destination for tourists from North America and Europe seeking to escape harsh winters, as well as the popularity of year-end holidays and the appeal of India’s numerous winter festivals.

The data reveals a striking upward trajectory from 2015 through early 2020, with each successive January outperforming the previous year. January 2015 recorded 29,498 eVisas, growing to 122,407 in January 2016, 187,863 in January 2017, 299,676 in January 2018, 349,876 in January 2019, and reaching a pre-pandemic peak of 382,878 in January 2020. This represents a remarkable 1,198% increase over just five years, underscoring the program’s tremendous success in attracting international visitors and streamlining entry processes.

The COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact is starkly illustrated by the complete absence of data from April through December 2020 and January through March 2021, reflecting India’s border closures and global travel restrictions. The tentative resumption in April 2021 with just 2,308 eVisas marks one of the most challenging periods for international travel in modern history. The early recovery was painfully slow, with May 2021 showing only 678 eVisas granted—less than 0.5% of typical pre-pandemic monthly volumes.

The recovery pattern from mid-2021 onward demonstrates remarkable resilience in both global travel demand and India’s visa processing capabilities. October 2021 saw a significant turning point with 22,470 eVisas issued, followed by a continued upward trajectory through 2022 and 2023. By December 2023, monthly issuances had reached 309,875, nearly recovering to pre-pandemic levels. The recovery culminated in January 2024, with 366,006 eVisas granted—not only surpassing the previous peak but establishing a new monthly record.

Another notable observation is the gradual narrowing of seasonal variations in the post-pandemic period. While the winter peak remains evident, the difference between peak and off-peak months appears less pronounced in 2023-2024 compared to pre-pandemic years. For example, May 2024 recorded 151,554 eVisas—approximately 41% of the January 2024 peak, whereas May 2019 figures were only 39% of the January 2019 peak. This suggests a potential diversification in travel purposes beyond seasonal tourism, with business travel and other non-seasonal purposes potentially representing a larger share of post-pandemic eVisa issuances.

The data also reveals interesting regional variations in recovery patterns. The traditionally strong October-December period in 2022 showed a more rapid recovery rate compared to other months, suggesting that seasonal tourism from key markets like Europe and North America rebounded more quickly than other travel segments. In 2024, the monthly pattern had fully normalized, with October 2024 showing 358,357 eVisas granted—nearly identical to pre-pandemic seasonal peaks. Overall, the monthly eVisa data provides compelling evidence of India’s successful digital transformation of visa services, the catastrophic but temporary impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fundamental resilience of international travel demand. The program’s ability to not only recover but surpass previous records by 2024 demonstrates both effective policy implementation and India’s enduring appeal as a global travel destination.