The scheme for walk-in tourist visas for Bangladesh travellers with confirmed tickets to India is being extended to eight more Indian Visa Application Centers (IVACs) across the country with effect from February 1.

All Bangladesh travellers who have confirmed tickets (air/bus/rail) can avail the walk-in tourist visa without appointment dates at IVACs in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet, Chittagong, Khulna, Jessore, Mymensingh and Barisal, according to a press release of the High Commission of India.

Applicants in Dhaka with confirmed journey tickets may continue to submit their tourist visa applications on a walk-in basis at the IVAC in Mirpur.

Bangladesh travellers wishing to avail the walk-in tourist visa should have a confirmed air, train or bus ticket (issued by authorised operators) to India, according to the press release.

The journey date should be within one month of the date of submission of the visa application.

This initiative is part of the ongoing efforts to streamline, liberalise and ease the process of securing Indian visas. The walk-in tourist visa scheme was launched first in October 2016 for women travellers and their family members and thereafter extended to all Bangladeshi traveilers from January 1 this year. The scheme has eased access to Indian visas for Bangladesh nationals.

This measure is aimed at strengthening people-to-people contacts between India and Bangladesh.