Travel-India

Visas

All Foreign Nationals entering India are required to possess a valid national passport with a valid visa. The only exceptions are nationals of Nepal and Bhutan who can enter India without a Visa if (1.) they are travelling by land (2.) or if they are travelling by air from any country other than China. On arrival at India they have to produce their identification documents to confirm their nationality.

(Note: Nepalese and Bhutanese nationals need a Visa if entering India from China.)

There are few restrictions on travellers from Bangladesh and Pakistan, as well as certain European, African and Central Asian countries. Check any special conditions for your nationality with the Indian Embassy in your country.

Indian Visas can be obtained from an Indian Mission or post abroad or IVAC (Indian Visa Application Centre). Or those eligible, may also apply for Indian Tourist Visa on Arrival (e-TV). Indian Diplomatic Missions Abroad

Types of Indian Visa

The following types of Indian visa are issued to foreign nationals in accordance with the purpose of their visit. Details of requisite documentation may please be accessed at the website of concerned Mission/Post or Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi.

Tourist Visa

Those who wish to visit India for tourism are granted Tourist Visas with a validity of 6 months with single, double or multiple entries.

If the foreigner is connected with tourism trade, Tourist Visa upto 5 years may be granted.

If visa is for more than 180 days, registration is compulsory within 14 days of arrival in India.

e-Tourist Visa

The Government of India has recently extended warm welcome to tourists by offering e-Tourist Visa.

Currently, the e-TV is being offered to the tourists, from the given countries fulfilling mentioned eligibility criteria.

 Countries eligible for e-Tourist Visa

A

Andorra

Anguilla

Antigua & Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Aruba

Australia

B

Bahamas

Barbados

Belgium

Belize

Bolivia

Brazil

C

Cambodia

Canada

Cayman Islands

Chile

China

China- SAR Hongkong

China- SAR Macau

Colombia

Cook Islands

Costa Rica

Cuba

D

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

E

East Timor

Ecuador

El Salvador

Estonia

F

Fiji

Finland

France

G

Georgia

Germany

Grenada

Guatemala

Guyana

H

Haiti

Honduras

Hungary

I

Indonesia

Ireland

Israel

J

Jamaica

Japan

Jordan

K

Kenya

Kiribati

L

Laos

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

M

Malta

Malaysia

Marshall Islands

Mauritius

Mexico

Micronesia

Monaco

Mongolia

Montenegro

Montserrat

Mozambique

Myanmar

N

Nauru

Netherlands

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niue Island

Norway

O

Oman

P

Palau

Palestine

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

R

Republic of Korea

Republic of Macedonia

Russia

S

Saint Christopher and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent & the Grenadines

Samoa

Seychelles

Singapore

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Spain

Sri Lanka

Suriname

Sweden

T

Taiwan

Tanzania

Thailand

Tonga

Turks & Caicos Island

Tuvalu

U

UAE

Ukraine

United Kingdom

USA

Uruguay

V

Vanuatu

Vatican City-Holy See

Venezuela

Vietnam

Eligibility Criteria for e-TV

1.      E-TV is for those international travellers who plan to visit India for sightseeing, a casual visit to meet relatives or friends, a casual business visit or a short duration medical treatment.

2.      The visitor must be in possession of a valid passport with atleast six months validity from the date of arrival in India.

3.      The passport should have atleast two blank pages.

4.      The applicants must also be in possession of a return ticket or an onward journey ticket.

5.      E-Tourist Visa is not extended to

a.      Diplomatic/Official Passport holder.

b.      Individual endorsed on parent’s/spouse’s passport.

c.       International travel document holder.

d.      International traveller with Pakistani Passport or Pakistani origin.

e-Tourist Visa Application Process

1.      Apply online for e-TV

2.      Pay Visa Fee Online

3.      Receive e-TV by email

4.      Fly to India

1.    Apply online for e-TV

a.      Eligible applicants may apply for e-TV online minimum 4 days in advance of expected date of arrival in India with a window of 30 days. E.g. if applying on 1^st April then applicant can plan his arrival to India between 05^th April and 04^th May.

b.      One needs to upload the following documents at the time of application:

i.                    Scanned first page of passport

ii.                  A digital passport sized photo with white background.

2.    Pay visa fee online

a.      Fee for e-TV is specific to and varies from country to country.

b.      Bank transaction charges of 2.5% are applicable over and above the e-TV fee.

c.       E-TV fee must be paid a minimum of 4 days before the expected date of arrival else the application will not be processed.

d.      Irrespective of grant/rejection of Visa, e-TV fee is non-refundable as it is charged for the processing of application.

e.      One needs to be careful at the time of payment of e-TV as three unsuccessful attempts will lead to blocking of appId and then the applicant would be required to generate a fresh appId and fill the application form once again.

3.    Receive e-TV by email

Visa application status can be checked online by clicking Visa Status on the site. Once granted one would receive e-TV by email.

4.    Fly to India

a.      One must carry printed e-TV to India.

b.      On arrival in India, biometric details will be checked at immigration.

Important Points to remember while applying for e-Tourist Visa

1.      E-Tourist Visa is valid for 30 days from the date of arrival in India.

2.      E-TV is valid for entry through the given designated Indian airports:

Ahmedabad

Amritsar

Bengaluru

Chennai

Cochin

Delhi

Gaya

Goa

Hyderabad

Jaipur

Kolkata

Lucknow

Mumbai

Turuchirapalli

Trivandrum

Varanasi

3.      E-TV is allowed for a maximum of two visits in a calendar year.

4.      The applicants must carry a copy of e-TV with him or her at the time of arrival.

5.      E-TV is not valid for visiting Protected/Restricted as well as Cantonment areas.

6.      E-TV is not extendable and non-convertible.

7. For assistance, contact 24*7 Visa Support Centre at +91-11-24300666 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 Visa Extension

The extension of Visa beyond 6 months is very difficult!

In case of emergencies, the visa can be extended up to a period of 15 days. The request for the same has to be made at the Ministry of Home Affairs, the local State Government or the Foreigner’s Regional Registration Office.

Ministry of Home Affairs

26 Jaisalmer House

Mansingh Road

New Delhi

Foreigner’s Regional Registration Office

East Block 8, Level II

Sector-1, RK Puram

New Delhi

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 Visiting Restricted/Disputed areas?

Applicants who wish to travel to restricted/protected areas like Andaman-Nicobar, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram or disputed border areas like Ladakh, Sikkim and certain parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are required to obtain the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) or Inner-Line Permit (ILP) as applicable.

 Useful links:

Online Application for Indian Visa

Indian Diplomatic Missions Abroad

Embassies/High Commissions in Delhi