Iran, Thailand announce visa-free entry for Indians: Here are countries Indians can travel to without visa

With Iran’s latest announcement on lifting visa requirements for several countries including India, it has found a spot on the list of countries that allow visa-free travel for Indian passport holders. Travel enthusiasts now have a number of destinations to choose from as several countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Kenya have recently waived visa requirements for Indian tourists.

Sri Lanka’s pilot project to offer free tourist visas for the first 30 days would be in force till March 31, 2024. Travellers would be given dual entry status on arrival and the visa validity would be limited to 30 days of stay in the island nation, the announcement that came in November had clarified.

Given India’s spot at the top among countries contributing tourist arrivals to Malaysia, the latter last month announced its decision to grant 30-day visa-free entry for Indian citizens from December 1.

Indians can also travel to Thailand without a visa and stay for up to 30 days, according to the official announcement. This visa-free access for Indian passport holders is applicable from November 10, 2023, to May 10, 2024.

Here is a look at the nations that do not mandate visas for Indian passport holders.

Cook Islands, Fiji, Micronesia, Niue, Vanuatu, Oman, Qatar, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Kitts and Nevis, Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Macao (SAR China), Nepal, El Salvador, Mauritius, Senegal, Tunisia, Malaysia.

Apart from these nations, several others offer the visa-on-arrival option. They are Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Iran, Jordan, Bolivia, Burundi, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Zimbabwe, Marshall Islands, Palau Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, St. Lucia, Russia, and Tajikistan.

(With inputs from agencies)