India’s Visa Applications Cross 67.6 Lakh in 2024, Beating Pre-COVID Levels

Visa applications from India have finally exceeded pre-COVID-19 levels, marking a significant milestone for outbound travel. According to VFS Global, a leading visa sourcing and technology service provider, visa applications in 2024 surpassed 2019 figures by 4%. Industry sources indicate that while India recorded approximately 65 lakh visa applications in 2019, the number reached 67.6 lakh in 2024.

Government data further highlights the rising trend in international travel among Indians. In 2024, over 3 crore Indian travelers ventured abroad, reflecting an 8.4% increase from 2023's 2.8 crore and a 12.3% surge from 2019’s 2.7 crore. Popular destinations for Indian travelers last year included Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Despite this surge in outbound travel, inbound tourism remains below pre-pandemic levels. Data from the Union Ministry of Tourism reveals that foreign tourist arrivals (FTA) in India stood at 96.6 lakh in 2024, a modest 1.4% rise from 2023’s 95.2 lakh. However, this figure is still 11.6% lower than the 1.1 crore foreign tourists recorded in 2019.

The Indian travel industry continues to anticipate a revival in inbound tourism, but recovery has been sluggish. The ongoing geopolitical and economic developments in Bangladesh—India’s largest source country for inbound tourism—have further impeded this process. Moreover, industry experts suggest that the official FTA statistics may not accurately represent actual foreign tourist numbers, as they include the growing Indian diaspora returning home and an expanding expat community working in the country.

“In reality, the foreign tourist numbers are only a fraction of the FTA figures,” said Rajiv Mehra, President of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO).

While outbound travel from India continues its robust momentum, industry stakeholders remain hopeful for a stronger recovery in inbound tourism in the coming years. "India continues to show a strong demand for international travel, and it's clear that this momentum will persist in 2025," said Yummi Talwar, COO (South Asia) of VFS Global.