Surat: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has officially designated three additional seaports, Hazira Port and Pipavav Port in Gujarat and Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala, as immigration checkposts. This comes through an amendment to its earlier notification under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.

According to the Press Relations Officer (PRO) of Vizhinjam Port, the latest Gazette notification (S.O. 5306(E)) lists these ports as Category II entry points, effective from November 20.

Earlier, in September, the MHA had designated around 37 airports, 34 sea and river ports, and 37 international land crossing points for international passenger entry and exit. Additionally, six railway stations along the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders were also named as official immigration posts.

The previously notified airports included major hubs such as Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Varanasi, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and several others across the country. Similarly, existing designated seaports include Alang, Bhavnagar, Calicut, Chennai, Mormugao Harbour, Mumbai, Paradeep, Port Blair, and Mundra among others.

Designated land ports span Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Manipur, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and West Bengal, while railway check posts include Attari, Gede, Petrapole, Haridaspur, and New Jalpaiguri.

E-visa facilities have also been enabled at over 31 airports and six seaports, streamlining international travel procedures.