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Updated Advisory on Tourist Visas

  • Home > Updated Advisory on Tourist Visas

Updated Advisory on Tourist Visas

Embassy of India

Washington DC

The Government of India has decided, with immediate effect, to restore valid long duration (10 years) regular (paper) tourist visas for the nationals of USA. Fresh issue of regular (paper) long-duration (10 years) tourist visas has also been restored for nationals of USA.

E-Tourist visas under the three options (one month, one year and five year) which remained suspended since March 2020, shall stand restored for nationals of 156 countries. Applications for fresh e-tourist visas for eligible nationalities can also be made at the Indian E-Visa Portal [ https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html ]

  • The current scheme of regular tourist visa/e-visa (single entry of 30 days duration) on gratis basis will be discontinued w.e.f. 1 st April 2022.  

Application for fresh tourist visa can be made as per following procedure:

E visa: Eligible foreign nationals can apply for e-tourist visa at https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html . [The applicant may note that the Embassy does not process e-visas and any enquiries in this regard will need to be made directly on the e-visa portal].

Regular (Paper) Tourist visa: Application for regular (paper) tourist visa from Embassy / Consulate in USA can be submitted by following the link: https://visa.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind

Foreign nationals on tourist/e-tourist visas would be permitted to enter India only through designated Sea Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) or Airport ICPs by flights, including those under the Vande Bharat Mission or ‘air bubble’ scheme or by any flights as allowed by Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation. In no case, the foreign nationals will be allowed to enter through land border or riverine routes on Tourist visa/E-Tourist visa.

Applicants are also advised to go through the guidelines for international travel to India available at:  https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/GuidelinesforInternationalarrivalsupdatedon10thFebruary2022.pdf .

28 March 2022

The current scheme of regular tourist visa/e-visa (one month stay only) on gratis basis will also continue.

15 March, 2022

            The Government of India has decided to issue fresh tourist visas with effect from 15 October, 2021 for group tourism and from 15 November, 2021 for individual travel.  In this context, the following may be noted:

  • All foreign nationals intending to visit India for tourism will be allowed to enter India on e-Tourist Visa/regular paper Tourist Visa through chartered flights (for group tourism only) with effect from 15 October, 2021.
  • All foreign nationals intending to visit India for individual tourism purposes will be permitted to enter India on e-Tourist Visa/regular paper Tourist Visa with effect from 15 November, 2021. Such travel will be allowed through Vande Bharat Mission, Air Bubble Scheme or by any scheduled/non-scheduled commercial flight allowed by the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation.
  • Foreign nationals will not be allowed to enter India through land routes on e-Tourist Visa/regular paper Tourist Visa.
  • A Single Entry e-Tourist Visa/regular paper Tourist Visa valid for a stay of up to 30 days will be issued, which will have to be utilized within a period of 120 days from the date of issue . This visa will be issued on a gratis basis for a limited time once to each applicant. However, VFS service charge and payments on account of value-added services like courier, etc. will need to be made.
  • It may be noted that existing valid e-Tourist Visa/regular paper Tourist Visa issued before 6 October, 2021 will continue to remain suspended and travel on such visas is not permitted.
  • The process of obtaining e-Tourist Visa/Regular Tourist Visa may be accessed at the following links:
  • e-Tourist Visa -  https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html . The applicant may note that the Embassy does not process e-visas and any enquiries in this regard will need to be made directly on the e-visa portal.
  • Regular Tourist Visa through VFS Global with effect from 13 December, 2021 (12:01 AM Eastern Standard Time) - https://visa.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind
  • Applicants are also advised to go through the guidelines for international travel to India available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/GuidelinesforInternationalarrivalsdated30thNovember2021.pdf

Advisory on Tourist Visas

  • A Single Entry e-Tourist Visa/regular paper Tourist Visa valid for a stay of up to 30 days will be issued, which will have to be utilized within a period of 120 days from the date of issue . This visa will be issued on a gratis basis for a limited time once to each applicant.
  • e-Tourist Visa - https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html . The applicant may note that the Embassy does not process e-visas and any enquiries in this regard will need to be made directly on the e-visa portal.
  • Regular Tourist Visa through the Embassy of India – https://www.indianembassyusa.gov.in/extra?id=88
  • Applicants are also advised to go through the guidelines for international travel to India available at  https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/Guidelinesforinternationalarrivals17022021.pdf .

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tourist e visa for india

1. E-Visa has been made available by the Government of India to citizens of certain countries, including the United States of America. Details of the scheme are available on the dedicated website created for this purpose: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

2. International travellers whose sole objective for visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends and relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine, business purpose, as attendant to e-Medical visa holder, attending a conference/ seminar/ workshop organized by a Ministry or Department of the Government of India, State Governments or UT Administrations etc. & their subordinate/ attached organizations & PSUs and no other purpose/activity, can apply for e-Visa.

3. e-Visa has 5 sub-categories viz. e-Tourist Visa (for 30 days/01 year/ 05 years), e-Business Visa , e-Medical Visa , e-Medical Attendant Visa and e-Conference Visa . A foreigner (other than those applying for e-Conference Visa) will be allowed to club activities permitted under these categories. Foreigners applying for e-Conference visa will be permitted to club the activities permitted under e-Tourist visa only (validity co-terminus with e-Conference Visa only i.e. 30 days). Only two e-Medical Attendant Visas will be granted against one e- Medical Visa.

4. For e-Tourist and e-Business visa, Applicants may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival.

5. For e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visa, Applicants may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival with a window of 120 days. Example: If you are applying on 1st Sept then applicant can select arrival date from 5th Sept to 2nd Jan.

6. Recent front facing photograph with white background and photo page of Passport containing personal details like name, date of birth, nationality, expiry date etc are to be uploaded mandatorily by the applicant. Additionally one more document depending upon the e-Visa type would also be required to be uploaded. The application is liable to be rejected if the uploaded documents and photograph are not clear / as per specification.

7. The revised fee structure for e-Tourist visa is as under:-

8. Bank transaction charges of 2.5% will be charged additionally on applicable e-Visa fees. The fee must be paid at least 4 days before the expected date of travel otherwise application will not be processed.

9. e-Visa fee once submitted is non-refundable as the fee is for processing of the application and is not dependent on either Grant or Rejection of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).Applicant should carry a copy of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) along with him/her at the time of travel. Please confirm that your ETA status is shown as 'GRANTED' on this website prior to commencement of your journey.

10. Biometric details of the applicant will be mandatorily captured at Immigration on arrival in India. e-Visa is non-extendable, non-convertible & not valid for visiting Protected/Restricted and Cantonment Areas. If you intend to visit Protected/Restricted/Cantonment areas, you would require prior permission from the Civil Authority.

11. The e-Visa fee payment status updation may take up to 2 hours due to technical reasons/network delays. Before re-applying, the applicants are requested to wait for 2 hours for payment status updating, after final submission of the application form and payment of the fee. In cases, where e-Visa fee has been deducted but status is not updated, the applicants are advised to verify their payment status by clicking on 'Verify Payment/Pay Visa Fee' tab or by clicking on the link Verify Payment.

12. Nationals of Yellow Fever affected countries or travellers arriving from these countries must carry YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION CARD at the time of arrival in India, otherwise they may be quarantined for 6 days upon arrival in India.

13. You must travel on the Passport which you have applied for eVisa. Entry will be allowed into India on the new passport even if ETA has been issued on the old passport, however in such cases a traveler must carry the old passport on which ETA was issued.

14. The documents required for completing the eVisa application is indicated against each type of eVisa. Please keep all these documents ready at hand before beginning to fill your eVisa application. All documents including Business cards, Invitation letters etc. must be in English language, failing which the application would be liable for rejection. The entire process may take 10 to 15 minutes to complete the application and make the payment. Applicants must be fill eVisa application himself/herself and give correct information in each column and take responsibility for the correctness of information provided.

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Page last updated on: February 12, 2024

How To Apply & Get An Indian e-Visa Online

India has some amazing architecture and natural sights, with famous landmarks like the Taj Mahal in Agra, and snow capped mountains in the Himalayas.

Most nationalities (except for Bhutanese and Nepali citizens) will need a visa to visit India, which is given in the form of an electronic Indian visa (eVisa) since November 2014.

This guide explains everything about how to get an Indian tourist visa using the e-Visa India website! I wrote it in 2019 and last updated it in 2024.

I went through this process as a tourist, but the process on the e-Visa India website is very similar for the other visa categories as well.

What Is The India eVisa?

The Indian e-Visa is for visitors coming to India on a short term trip for sightseeing, visiting friends or relatives, short term medical treatment or casual business related things.

The 5 eVisa types are as follows: e-Tourist, e-Business, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant, or e-Conference.

The eVisa is valid for 30 days, 1 year, or 5 years from the date of your arrival in India, and it’s a double entry visa (for e-Tourist or e-Business), single entry visa (e-Conference), or triple entry visa (e-Medical). It’s non-extendable and non-convertible.

You can apply and pay online anywhere from 4 to 120 days in advance of your date of arrival in India, but no later than 4 days prior to arrival, otherwise the application will not be processed.

The eVisa is valid for entry through 26 designated airports and 5 seaports in India, including Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, and Goa. The full list of airports and seaports permitted for the India eVisa can be found here (click the Instructions For Applicant link on the left side).  

Who Is The eVisa Available To?

The eVisa is available to US citizens and those of 170+ other places , and the fee depends on your country/territory.

The current fee for American citizens and other countries can be found in their full list of fees by country on the website .

An additional bank transaction charge of 2.5% may be applicable on the eVisa India online website.

The visa fee is non-refundable, even if for some reason your application is rejected.  

How Can I Get The India eVisa?

The visa process may sound complicated, but don’t worry, it’s actually pretty simple! Here it is broken down in 4 short steps:

  • 1. Apply Online. You will need to submit an application with a personal photo and passport page.
  • 2. Pay Visa Fee. Credit or debit cards (or Paypal) are accepted for online payment.
  • 3. Receive e-Visa. The visa will be sent to you by email.
  • 4. Visit India. You will need to print the India eVisa and carry it with you at the time of travel.

Before You Apply For The Indian e-Visa

It’s important to fill out your visa application completely and accurately, otherwise it may be rejected.

Before applying on the eVisa India website, make sure of the following:

  • Passport Validity. Your passport should have >6 months validity
  • Visa Pages. Your passport should have at least 2 blank visa pages for stamping
  • Sufficient Funds. You should have enough money for your stay in India (this is rarely questioned), and also a return ticket or onward ticket.

You will also need to have the following items on your computer:

  • Personal Photo. This should be a recent, clear photo of your face with a white background. JPEG format is required.
  • Passport Photo. This should be your main passport page with your name, date of birth, nationality, etc. PDF format is required. If you need help changing your passport image to a PDF, you can use the following website: https://smallpdf.com .

Note: If you’re applying for an e-Business or e-Medical visa, in addition to the above you will also need a copy of the business card (for the e-Business visa) or a copy of the letter from the hospital concerned in India on its letterhead (for the e-Medical visa).  

How To Apply For The India eVisa (Indian Tourist Visa)

When you’re ready to proceed, you can begin your visa application at the Indian government’s official eVisa website:

https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

THIS IS IMPORTANT. There are other websites circulating on the internet that mimic this one or pretend to grant speedy visas, but those are often scams and they will take your money. DO NOT USE ANY OTHER WEBSITE.

I’ve provided some photos below as EXAMPLES to guide you through the application, but these are not from my actual eVisa submission. In other words, the addresses and other data I used in the images below are only examples. With that said, the pages you see in your visa application will resemble the ones shown in these images.

If anything has changed in the application process since this guide was written, please let me know in the comments at the bottom of this page and I will update the guide ASAP. I will do my best to keep this entire page up to date.

To begin your visa application, click the button circled in red that says Apply here for e-visa .

India eVisa application guide and steps

Visa Application Page 1

E-visa application.

Passport Type*:  Select Ordinary Passport Nationality*:  Select your country from the dropdown list Port Of Arrival*:  Select the airport you will be flying into Date Of Birth*: Email ID*: Re-enter Email ID*: Expected Date Of Arrival*: Visa Service*: Select from the list, and then choose an activity that best fits your trip to India Please Enter Above Text*: Enter the captcha code given

(Items above marked with  * are required.)

India e-Visa online application guide and steps on page 1

Page 1 of the Indian visa online application on the eVisa India website. Very straightforward.

After selecting continue, if you’re applying for the Indian tourist visa (e-Tourist), then a small message will appear: “The following documents are required to be submitted. 1) Photograph. 2) Passport.” Select OK.

(For some reason the photo dimensions here state 2″ x 2″ but when you come to the actual uploader, the correct minimum dimensions will be 350 x 350 pixels. You’ll use the latter. Side note: separate messages may appear for Business/Medical eVisa applications.)

India eVisa application guide and steps on page 1

You can ignore this message on the Indian visa application and click OK.

You have now arrived at the second page of the Indian visa online application form. It’s a good idea to write down the Temporary Application ID  because it will be required if you have issues or need to come back to your application later.  

Visa Application Page 2

Applicant details form.

Surname: Exactly as in your passport Given Name*: Exactly as in your passport Have You Ever Changed Your Name?* If yes, click the box and give details Gender*: Date Of Birth: Automatically filled in Town/City Of Birth*: Country Of Birth*: Citizenship/National ID No*:  If not applicable, type NA Religion*: Visible Identification Marks*:  List any tattoos if you have them, otherwise put NONE Education*: Nationality:  Automatically filled in Did You Acquire Nationality By Birth Or By Naturalization?* Select yours Have You Lived For At Least Two Years In The Country Where You Are Applying Visa?* Select yes or no  

Passport Details

Passport Number*: Place Of Issue*: Whatever nationality is on your passport Date Of Issue*: Date Of Expiry*: Any Other Valid Passport/Identity Certificate (IC) Held?* Yes or no. If yes, give details

India eVisa application guide and steps on page 2

Page 2 of the e-Visa India application form. Personal identification details.

Visa Application Page 3

Applicant’s address details.

House No./Street*: Village/Town/City*: Country*: State/Province/District*: Postal/ZIP Code*: Phone No.*: One phone number is required Mobile No.: Email Address: Automatically filled in Click Here For Same Address*: Click here if your permanent address is the same address as above, and then it will be applied.

India eVisa application guide and steps on page 3

Page 3 of the Indian visa online. Personal address details.

Visa Application Page 3 (continued)

Father’s details.

Name*: Nationality*: Previous Nationality:  Leave blank if it never changed. Place Of Birth*:  Use the state/province/district of birth if you don’t know the town/city Country Of Birth*:  

Mother’s Details

Name*: Nationality*: Previous Nationality: Leave blank if it never changed. Place Of Birth*:  Use the state/province/district of birth if you don’t know the town/city Country Of Birth*:

Applicant’s Marital Status:  Select whether you’re single or married. If married (or separated but not divorced), enter your spouse’s details. If divorced, just select single. Were Your Parents/Grandparents (Paternal/Maternal) Pakistan Nationals Or Belong To Pakistan Held Area?  Select yes or no  

Profession / Occupation Details Of Applicant

Present Occupation*:  Select your occupation from the dropdown list. If it’s something else, select ‘Others’ and then enter it. The image below gives an example. Employer Name/Business*: Designation: Address*:  Phone: Past Occupation, If Any: Are/Were You In A Military/Semi-Military/Police/Security Organization?* Select yes or no. If yes, a dropdown will appear asking for the following: Organisation, Designation, Rank and Place Of Posting.

India eVisa application guide and steps on page 3

Page 3 (continued). Family and occupation details for the Indian visa online.

Visa Application Page 4

Details of visa sought.

Type Of Visa:  Automatically filled in Visa Service:  Automatically filled in Places To Be Visited*: Enter any cities or areas (e.g. Delhi) you will be visiting in India Places To Be Visited Line 2:  Duration Of Visa:  Automatically filled in No. Of Entries:  Automatically filled in Port Of Arrival In India:  Automatically filled in Expected Port Of Exit From India*:  Select the correct airport from the dropdown  

Previous Visa/Currently Valid Visa Details

Have You Ever Visited India Before?*  Select yes or no. If yes, enter the name and address of the place you stayed previously. Cities In India Visited*:  Enter details from previous visits Last Indian Visa No/Currently Valid Indian Visa*:  If your previous visit was with an eVisa, the number will be written on the stamp given in passport. If you don’t know the number, type unknown. Type Of Visa*:  Tourist Place Of Issue*:  United States (if it was a regular visa). Enter the airport name in India if it was an eVisa. Date Of Issue*:  The date it was issued. For an eVisa, you can use the date of entry from the stamp on your passport, or possibly in your email. Has Permission To Visit Or To Extend Stay In India Previously Been Refused?*  Select yes or no. Hopefully the answer is no  

Other Information

Countries Visited In Last 10 Years:  List any countries you’ve recently visited. I didn’t have room to list all of them, so I included a partial list. This field is not mandatory.  

SAARC Country Visit Details

Have You Visited SAARC Countries (Except Your Own Country) During Last 3 Years?*:  The list of SAARC countries can be found in the dropdown list.

India eVisa application guide and steps on page 4

Page 4 of the eVisa application. Your travel details.

Visa Application Page 4 (continued)

Reference Name In India*:  Your accommodation details will work Address*:  For a hotel this can usually be found on Google Maps or the listing at Booking.com or Agoda.com Phone*:  For a hotel this can usually be found on their website or on Google Maps Reference Name In Home Country*:  A relative or friend will work Address*:  Phone*: 

India eVisa application guide and steps on page 4

Page 4 (continued). Travel and reference details.

Visa Application Page 5

Additional question details.

  • Have You Ever Been Arrested/Prosecuted/Convicted By Court Of Law Of Any Country?*  Yes or no
  • Have You Ever Been Refused Entry/Deported By Any Country Including India?* Yes or no
  • Have You Ever Been Engaged In Human Trafficking / Drug Trafficking / Child Abuse / Crime Against Women / Economic Offense / Financial Fraud?* Yes or no
  • Have You Ever Been Engaged In Cyber Crime / Terrorist Activities / Sabotage / Espionage / Genocide / Political Killing / Other Act Of Violence?* Yes or no
  • Have You Ever By Any Means Or Medium, Expressed Views That Justify Or Glorify Terrorist Violence Or That May Encourage Others To Terrorist Acts Or Other Serious Criminal Acts?* Yes or no
  • Have You Sought Asylum (Political Or Otherwise) In Any Country?* Yes or no

Application guide and steps on page 5 for Indian visa online

Page 5 of the Indian visa online application. Background questions.

Visa Application Page 6

Upload photograph.

At this point you will be asked to upload a personal photo.

If you need to come back and do this later, you can save and exit the application (but make sure to write down the Temporary Application ID  because it will be required if you want to reuse your application later).

The photo format will need to be JPEG, with a minimum size of 10 KB and a maximum size of 1 MB. Minimum dimensions are 350 pixels wide x 350 pixels high. The personal photo needs to be recent and front facing, with a white background.

The picture needs to be a clear photo of your face. You can get these done at places like Walgreens, for example. Unfortunately you cannot crop your passport photo to use for this, it needs to be a separate photo.

It’s important to follow all of these specifications and rules, otherwise your eVisa India application may be rejected. Click choose file and navigate to the photo you want to choose; then click upload photo .

After uploading the photo, you’re given an opportunity to crop the photo or upload it again if you’d like.

Application guide and steps on page 6 for Indian visa online

Page 6 of the Indian visa online guide. Upload your personal photo.

Visa Application Page 7

Upload passport.

Next, you will be asked to upload a copy of your passport page.

This should be the photo page with personal details like name, date of birth, nationality, expiration date, etc. It should match the passport details entered in your eVisa application.

The file should be in PDF format with a minimum size of 10 KB and a maximum size of 300 KB. If you need help changing your passport file from an image to a PDF, you can use the following website: https://smallpdf.com .

Again, it’s important to follow all of the specifications and rules, otherwise your eVisa application may be rejected. Click choose file and navigate to the PDF file you want to choose; then click upload document .

Application guide and steps on page 7 for Indian visa

Page 7 of the Indian visa online guide. Upload your passport.

Verification & Payment

After submitting your passport upload, the next page will ask you to confirm ALL of the previous details from your Indian e-Visa application.

Look these over thoroughly to make sure you entered everything correctly, because this will be your last chance to edit anything. Once you verify and continue, you will be brought to the visa payment page.

At this point, you can pay for the visa now or later. Follow the instructions on the page for either option. You should also write down the visa Application ID so you can access the application again.

You can pay with international credit or debit cards, or you can make your visa payment with Paypal. I used Paypal and I would recommend this. It was easy to process.

If you don’t have a Paypal account, then the next best option is probably using your card via the Axis option.  

After submission and payment, you will get an email from the Indian government saying that your Indian visa online application was submitted successfully and will take 72 hours for processing.

Generally you will hear back in much quicker time; in my case the Indian visa application was processed and granted in under 24 hours.

You MUST print the email you receive containing the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) and present it to the immigration officer when you arrive in India. I would recommend printing and bringing at least two copies.

The government of India emphasizes that you should also track your application and make sure that the status says  granted on the official eVisa India website ( same link as above ) before making your journey to India.  

What If My India Visa Is Rejected?

If your India visa is rejected, don’t worry. You can apply again, and there’s no minimum amount of time you have to wait before re-applying for a visa. If the online system allows you to re-apply, then you can go ahead and do it when you’re ready.

However, it’s important to find out why you were rejected so you can fix it in your next application. Unfortunately a reason is not always given, but generally the most common reasons for India visas being rejected are simple errors like typos, wrong dates, or wrong photo specifications.

When reapplying, you’ll be faced with this question: “Has permission to visit or to extend stay in India previously been refused?”

How you answer this question will depend on why you were rejected in your first application. If it was a simple clerical error like a wrong date or wrong photo specifications, then I would answer no, because you weren’t actually refused a visa for visiting India due to being ineligible for some reason, you only made a minor mistake in the submission process that can easily be corrected.

Good luck and happy travels!

Black and white Taj Mahal pool reflection in Agra

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More travel guides.

Thanks for looking! I hope you were helped by this guide on how to fill out an Indian e-visa application.

While you’re waiting for your visa to be processed, don’t forget to check out the other travel guides on my blog!

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I’m very impressed by the quality of information on this website. There are a lot of good resources here. I’m sure I will visit this place again soon.

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I have an extra copy of my passport photo. Although it is the same picture as in my passport it is not just a cropped version of the photo in the passport. Is this acceptable?

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Hi Jeanne, I haven’t tried that myself but it should be okay as long as it meets the other requirements for the personal photo. Regards

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I used my extra copy of my passport photo this past week for my India E-visa, and it worked!

Thank you, David, for providing the details regarding the E-visa information. It was really helpful and guided me as I entered the required fields in the application.

Good to hear. Thanks Esther!

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why is it that when i filled the places to be visited form, it says invalid characters

What are you trying to enter there?

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Once we receive ETA the first name and last name are shuffled is it the same for everyone?

Yes, it was the same on my ETA. No problem.

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Hi David, thank you SO MUCH for this helpful post. I’m flying to India in a month and my e-visa application was just rejected (I traveled to India in early 2020 and had no issues at all) so I’m now going through the process of carefully re-applying… one question I’m hoping you can help me with: I just got married 2 weeks ago, do you expect it to be an issue to check the “married” box despite the fact my (USA & Israeli) passports say nothing about being married (or single, for that matter?) also -I can’t seem to find anything online about a minimum amount of time to wait before re-applying… any idea? Trying to minimize all odds of being rejected again. Thanks so much again, really appreciate your guidance.

Hi Abigail! Glad the post was helpful for you. Yes, it should be okay to put married on the application. Like you say, the marital status isn’t shown on the passport anyway, and spouse names aren’t always changed right away after marriage either, or sometimes they never change. So that should be fine. As far as I know, there’s no minimum amount of time to wait before re-applying. If the online system allows you to re-apply, then I would go ahead and try again. Do you know why you were rejected the first time? I would figure that out before re-applying. Good luck!

Hi David! Another important question – for the “Has permission to visit or to extend stay in India previously been refused?” question on page 4 – would my previous e-visa rejection quality as a “yes”?

For this question, I think it would depend on the reason why you were rejected on the first application. Was it a simple error like a wrong date, wrong photo specifications, etc? If so, I would answer no, you weren’t refused a visa for visiting India, your application was only rejected because of a minor mistake. This is different from refusing you a visa because you aren’t eligible for some reason.

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My e-visa application just got rejected without any specific reason provided. All they mention in the remark is “You may apply for Regular/Official Visa at nearest Indian Mission/Embassy abroad”. I compared my application to yours and the only difference I see is that for “city/town” of birth I put down city and state as opposed to state only. Would you happen to know if this could have caused the rejection?

Hi Jan! That shouldn’t cause a rejection. I’ve heard of people doing it either way (city and state, or city only). Both are correct answers. Do you think there might be another issue on your application? The most common things are simple errors like typos, wrong dates, or wrong photo specs.

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Thanks so much. This is very helpful.

Question – on page 2 it asks if you ever changed your name. Am I correct in assuming that I put yes because I changed my name when I got married?

Hi Judy! If your passport still has your maiden name, I would use that name in the application and answer no to the question about name change. If your passport has your married name, I would use that name in the application and answer yes to the question about name change. However, I know of people who have applied successfully either way. It shouldn’t affect your application.

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Thank you, this was very helpful. I have a question on section “Previous Visa/Currently Valid Visa Details”. I have traveled to India multiple times, but as an Indian citizen and held an Indian passport. Now I am no longer Indian citizen and applying for India Tourist visa for first time. What do I click in this “Previous Visa/Currently Valid Visa Details” section’s “Have you ever visited India before?”

Hi Sylvia, in that case you can answer “No” for the question “Have you ever visited India before?” because they’re asking if you’ve visited India on a visa before, and you haven’t. You were a citizen and resident, not a visitor. They should be able to understand this since you will list your country of birth as India on page 2 of the application, and also when they ask “Did You Acquire Nationality By Birth Or By Naturalization?” you can put Naturalization.

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tourist e visa for india

All visitors to India require a visa , except for citizens of neighboring Nepal and Bhutan. Visitors must either apply for a regular visa or an e-Visa (citizens of Japan and South Korea can also get a visa on arrival at six major airports in India). The e-Visa is hassle-free to obtain, and will be suitable for most tourists. Here's what you need to know about it.

Latest News as of September 2019

Three types of e-Tourist visas are now available with validity of one-month, one-year and five-years. The one-month e-Tourist Visa permits two entries. The one-year and five-year e-Tourist visas allow multiple entries but are subject to limitations on length of continuous stay. The fee for the one-year e-Tourist Visa has been reduced, while the fee for the new one-month e-Tourist Visa is discounted during the off-peak summer season from April to September.

The Indian government introduced a tourist visa on arrival scheme on January 1, 2010. It was initially trialed for citizens of five countries. Subsequently, a year later, it was extended to include a total of 11 countries. And, from April 15, 2014 it was extended to include South Korea.

Effective November 27, 2014, this visa on arrival scheme was replaced by an online Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) scheme. It has been implemented in phases and progressively made available to more countries.

In April 2015, the scheme was renamed "e-Tourist Visa" by the Indian government, to remove confusion over the previous ability to get a visa on arrival without applying in advance.

In April 2017, the scheme was further extended to passport holders of 158 countries (up from 150 countries).

The Indian government has also widened the scope of the visa scheme to include short duration medical treatment and yoga courses, and casual business visits and conferences. Previously, these required separate medical/student/business visas.

The aim is to make getting an Indian visa easier, and to bring more business people and medical tourists into the country.

To facilitate this change, in April 2017, the "e-Tourist Visa" scheme became known as "e-Visa". Furthermore, it was divided into three categories:

  • e-Tourist Visa
  • e-Business Visa
  • e-Medical Visa

Two additional categories—e-Medical Attendant Visa and e-Conference Visa—have since been added. Up to two e-Medical Attendant visas will be granted against one e-Medical Visa.

The visa categories can be clubbed together. However, e-Conference visas are only permitted to be clubbed with e-Tourist visas.

Be sure to research the different types of Indian visas .

Who is Eligible for an E-Visa?

Passport holders of the following 165 countries: Albania, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Island, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D'lvoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger Republic, Niue Island, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Island, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City-Holy See, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

However, do note that if your parents or grandparents were born in or lived in Pakistan, you will be ineligible to get an e-Visa even if you're a citizen of the above countries. You will have to apply for a normal visa.

What is the Procedure for Obtaining an E-Visa?

Applications must be made online at this website, no less than four days and no more than 30 days before the date of travel (for a 30-day tourist e-visa). A sample form with screen shots can be downloaded here .

As well as entering you travel details, you will need to upload a photograph of yourself with a white background that meets the specifications listed on the website, and the photo page of your passport that shows your personal details. Your passport will need to be valid for at least six months. Additional documents may be required depending on the type of e-Visa required.

Following this, pay the fee online with your debit or credit card. You will receive an Application ID and the ETA will be sent to you via email within three to five days (often earlier). The status of your application can be checked here . Make sure it shows "GRANTED" before you travel.

You will need to have a copy of the ETA with you when you arrive in India, and present it at the immigration counter at the airport. An immigration officer will stamp your passport with your e-Visa for entry into India. Your biometric data will also be captured at this time.

You should have a return ticket and enough money to spend during your stay in India.

What are the Fees?

The visa fees depend on the nature of the reciprocal relationship between India and each country. Citizens of some countries can get visas free of cost. There are also differing fees for e-Tourists visas and other types of e-Visas. The details can be found in this e-Tourist Visa Fee Chart and Fee Chart for Other E-Visa Types .

Citizens of the following countries are entitled to free visas:

  • Argentina, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, Niue Island, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uruguay and Vanuatu.

Citizens of all other countries, except Japan, now pay the same fees for e-Tourist visas. These are as follows:

  • One-month e-Tourist Visa (April to June): $10.
  • One-month e-Tourist Visa (remainder of the year) : $25
  • One-year e-Tourist Visa : $40.
  • Five-year e-Tourist Visa : $80.

Japanese citizens only pay $25 for one-year and five-year e-Tourist visas.

The fees for other types of e-Visas are as follows:

  • $100 Citizens of US, UK, Russia, Ukraine and Mozambique.
  • $80 : Citizens of the majority of countries including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
  • $25: Citizens of Japan, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

In addition to the visa fee, a bank charge of 2.5% of the fee must be paid.

How Long is the Visa Valid For?

The one-month e-Tourist Visa is valid for 30 days from the date of arrival in India, with two entries permitted. One-year and five-year e-Tourist visas are valid for 365 days from the date the ETA is granted, with multiple entries permitted.

E-Business visas are valid for one year from the date the ETA is granted, with multiple entries permitted.

E-Medical and e-Medical Attendant visas are valid for 60 days from the date of arrival in India. E-Conference visas are only valid for 30 days from the date of arrival. Three entries are permitted on e-Medical visas and e-Medical Attendant visas. Only one entry is permitted on e-Conference visas. The visas are non-extendable and non-convertible.

How Long Can You Stay in India?

It's important to note that although your e-Tourist Visa may be valid for one year or five years, this doesn't mean you can stay in India continuously for the whole time. The length of continuous stay must not be longer than 90 days—except for citizens of US, UK, Japan and Canada. Citizens of these countries can stay for up to 180 days at a time.

Citizens of all countries can stay in India for up to 180 days continuously on an e-Business visa.

Which Indian Entry Points Accept E-Visas?

You can now enter at the following 28 international airports in India : Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Calicut, Chennai, Chandigarh, Kochi, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Port Blair, Pune, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum, Varanasi, and Vishakhapatnam.

You can also enter at the following five designated seaports: Kochi, Goa, Mangalore, Mumbai, Chennai.

In addition, separate immigration desks and help counters have been set up to assist medical tourists at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad airports.

Once you have the e-Visa, you can leave India (and return) through any immigration point.

How Often Can You Get an E-Visa?

You can apply as often as you want. The limit on the number of times in a calendar year has been removed.

Visiting Protected/Restricted Areas with Your E-Visa

The e-Visa is not valid for entry into areas such as Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India, by itself. You'll need to obtain a separate Protected Area Permit (PAP) or Inner Line Permit (ILP), depending on the requirements of the particular area. This can be done in India after you arrive, using your e-Visa. You don't need to hold a regular tourist visa to be able to apply for a PAP. Your travel or tour agent can take care of the arrangements for you. If you're planning on visiting Northeast India, you can read more about permit requirements here.

Need Help with Your Application?

Call +91-11-24300666 or email [email protected]

Important: Scams to be Aware of

When applying for your e-Visa, do be aware that a number of commercial websites have been created to look similar to the government of India's official website, and they claim to provide online visa services to tourists. These websites include but are not limited to:

  • e-visaindia.com
  • e-touristvisaindia.com
  • indianvisaonline.org.in

The websites do not belong to the government of India and they will charge you hefty service fees.

Expediting Your E-Visa

If you do need to get your e-Visa in a hurry, iVisa.com offers 24-hour and 2-day processing times. However, this comes at a price— $100 for 24-hours, and $65 for 2-days. Their standard fee for a 4-day processing time is $35. These fees are all additional to the e-Visa fee. The company is legitimate and reliable though.

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E – Visa

tourist e visa for india

1. E-Visa has been made available by the Government of India to citizens of certain countries, including the United States of America. Details of the scheme are available on the dedicated website created for this purpose:  https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

2. International travellers whose sole objective for visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends and relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine, business purpose, as attendant to e-Medical visa holder, attending a conference/ seminar/ workshop organized by a Ministry or Department of the Government of India, State Governments or UT Administrations etc. & their subordinate/ attached organizations & PSUs and no other purpose/activity, can apply for e-Visa.

3. e-Visa has 5 sub-categories viz. e-Tourist Visa (for 30 days/01 year/ 05 years), e-Business Visa, e-Medical Visa, e-Medical Attendant Visa and e-Conference Visa. A foreigner (other than those applying for e-Conference Visa) will be allowed to club activities permitted under these categories. Foreigners applying for e-Conference visa will be permitted to club the activities permitted under e-Tourist visa only (validity co-terminus with e-Conference Visa only i.e. 30 days). Only two e-Medical Attendant Visas will be granted against one e- Medical Visa.

4. For e-Tourist and e-Business visa, Applicants may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival.

5. For e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visa, Applicants may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival with a window of 120 days. Example: If you are applying on 1st Sept then applicant can select arrival date from 5th Sept to 2nd Jan.

6. Recent front facing photograph with white background and photo page of Passport containing personal details like name, date of birth, nationality, expiry date etc are to be uploaded mandatorily by the applicant. Additionally one more document depending upon the e-Visa type would also be required to be uploaded. The application is liable to be rejected if the uploaded documents and photograph are not clear / as per specification.

7. The revised fee structure for e-Tourist visa is as under:-

8. Bank transaction charges of 2.5% will be charged additionally on applicable e-Visa fees. The fee must be paid at least 4 days before the expected date of travel otherwise application will not be processed.

9. e-Visa fee once submitted is non-refundable as the fee is for processing of the application and is not dependent on either Grant or Rejection of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).Applicant should carry a copy of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) along with him/her at the time of travel. Please confirm that your ETA status is shown as 'GRANTED' on this website prior to commencement of your journey.

10. Biometric details of the applicant will be mandatorily captured at Immigration on arrival in India. e-Visa is non-extendable, non-convertible & not valid for visiting Protected/Restricted and Cantonment Areas. If you intend to visit Protected/Restricted/Cantonment areas, you would require prior permission from the Civil Authority.

11. The e-Visa fee payment status updation may take up to 2 hours due to technical reasons/network delays. Before re-applying, the applicants are requested to wait for 2 hours for payment status updating, after final submission of the application form and payment of the fee. In cases, where e-Visa fee has been deducted but status is not updated, the applicants are advised to verify their payment status by clicking on 'Verify Payment/Pay Visa Fee' tab or by clicking on the link Verify Payment.

12. Nationals of Yellow Fever affected countries or travellers arriving from these countries must carry YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION CARD at the time of arrival in India, otherwise they may be quarantined for 6 days upon arrival in India.

13. You must travel on the Passport which you have applied for eVisa. Entry will be allowed into India on the new passport even if ETA has been issued on the old passport, however in such cases a traveler must carry the old passport on which ETA was issued.

14. The documents required for completing the eVisa application is indicated against each type of eVisa. Please keep all these documents ready at hand before beginning to fill your eVisa application. All documents including Business cards, Invitation letters etc. must be in English language, failing which the application would be liable for rejection. The entire process may take 10 to 15 minutes to complete the application and make the payment. Applicants must be fill eVisa application himself/herself and give correct information in each column and take responsibility for the correctness of information provided.

Helpful Information:

Passport used by the applicant should have at least six-months validity from the date of arrival in India. The passport should have at least two blank pages for stamping by the Immigration Officer on arrival.

The applicant must travel on the passport on which e-Visa has been applied. Entry into India will be allowed on a new passport even if the e-Visa has been granted on the old passport. However, in such cases, the traveler must also carry the old passport on which the e-Visa has been granted.

International Travelers should have return ticket or onward journey ticket, with sufficient money to spend during his/her stay in India.

International Travelers having a Pakistani Passport or are of Pakistani origin may please apply for regular Visa at the Indian Mission.

E-Visa is not available to Diplomatic/Official Passport Holders or Laissez-passer travel document holders.

E-Visa is not available to individuals endorsed on Parent's/Spouse's Passport i.e. each individual should have a separate passport.

E-Visa is not available to International Travel Document Holders.

Applicants requiring help regarding e-Visa may call the 24X7 helpline number (+91-11-24300666) or send an email to [email protected] for any queries.

The e-Visa facility is in addition to the existing Visa services being provided through Indian Embassy and Consulates.

Advisory : The applicant may note that the Embassy/Consulate does not process e-visas and any enquiries in this regard will need to be made directly on the e-visa portal. Service of e-Visa involves a completely online application for which no facilitation is required by any intermediary / agent etc. Applicants are, therefore, advised to be cautious and for any clarification, please contact [email protected] Applicants are also advised to be careful of fraudulent websites offering e-visa services for India and only use the Government of India portal which is https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

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Here's how to get a visa to visit India

Joe Bindloss

Dec 20, 2023 ‱ 7 min read

tourist e visa for india

From applying for an e-Visa to extending your stay, here's what you need to know about entry requirements for India © beavera / Getty Images

With its dense tapestry of cultures and landscapes, India feels like dozens of countries rolled into one, but a single visa will cover you for travel across more than 3 million sq km (more than a million sq miles) of territory, taking in everything from steamy jungles to the high passes of the Himalayas.

Every Indian state is as large and diverse as a nation, so take your time navigating this enormous and fascinating country. The good news is that visas are easy to obtain and allow plenty of time for exploring.

Here’s everything you need to know about visa requirements for India, from the application process for e-Visas to overland travel and extending your stay.

Rear view of tourist mother and daughter wearing a hat sitting at a step well (Toorji Ka Jhalra) in Jodhpur, Rajasthan

You'll probably need a visa to go to India

Almost everyone needs a visa to visit India , but for most nationalities, tourist visas are easy to obtain online or through your local Indian embassy or consulate. Citizens of 166 countries – including most nations in the EU and EEA, the UK, the US, Australia and New Zealand, and many countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America – can apply for an e-Visa before traveling via a simple online form .

Applying online is a fairly painless process, and it will save you hours compared to applying in person at an embassy or through a visa agency (in countries where Indian embassies no longer issue visas directly). Tourist e-Visas are available with a validity of 30 days, one year or five years, with the one- and five-year visas allowing for multiple entries for a maximum stay of 180 days on each visit.

For one- and five-year tourist visas, applications are accepted up to 120 days in advance of travel. The 30-day visa allows two entries into India, which is handy if you’re planning a side trip to Nepal , and you can apply up to 30 days in advance of travel. All e-Visas take at least 72 hours to process, so be sure to apply in plenty of time (at least 4 days in advance is recommended).

Applying online is the most hassle-free way to obtain a visa

The Indian government’s online e-Visa portal can be used to apply for tourist visas, business visas, and visas for medical treatment and attending conferences. The cost and duration of the visa vary depending on your nationality, and you may need to show proof of return travel arrangements and sufficient funds to support yourself during your trip.

Rules for non-tourist visas can be complex. Business travelers usually need to provide letters of introduction from Indian companies and organizations that they plan to meet. Assuming you meet the requirements, business visas are usually valid for multiple entries over the space of one year.

Working for an Indian company is more complicated. You’ll need an employment visa and a work permit, and most people need a firm job offer and assistance from an Indian employer to complete the paperwork. As with all visa requirements, the situation is subject to change; contact your local Indian embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information.

Applying for a tourist e-Visa is fairly straightforward

To apply for an Indian e-Visa, visit the government’s official e-Visa portal . You’ll need to upload a digital passport-style photo and copies of your passport ID pages, and pay the visa fee, which varies depending on your nationality.

Your passport must be valid for six months beyond the date of entry, and you’ll need two spare pages for the visa, which will be physically stamped into your passport on arrival. Assuming your application is accepted – which is the case for most applicants – you’ll receive a digital Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), which you should print out and carry with you when you travel, so you can present it to the immigration authorities on arrival. 

Young woman checking travel timetable board

Enter India via air or sea on your e-Visa

E-Visas allow entry to India through 25 designated airports: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Bengaluru (Bangalore), Hyderabad, Kochi (Cochin), Goa, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Gaya, Jaipur, Lucknow, Trichy (Tiruchirappalli), Varanasi, Kozhikode (Calicut), Mangaluru (Mangalore), Pune, Nagpur, Coimbatore, Bagdogra, Guwahati, Chandigarh and Visakhapatnam.

They’re also valid for entry via the designated seaports at Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, New Mangalore and Mormugao (in Goa).

Apply for a visa before you travel to enter India overland

If you plan to enter India overland – for example, from Nepal or Pakistan – you’ll need a visa stamped into your passport before you leave home, which you’ll need to obtain from the Indian embassy or consulate in your home country, or through an approved visa application office.

If you plan to visit India and Nepal on the same trip, get a multiple-entry visa – it used to be possible to arrange a new Indian tourist visa through the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu , but the authorities may now insist on a two-month gap before issuing a new visa.

There’s no need to worry about applying for a visa for Nepal in advance – they’re available on arrival at border crossings (bring passport photos and US dollars to pay the fee).

If you can't apply for an e-Visa, get one in person in advance

Contact your local embassy or consulate to check the application process in your country; the Indian Ministry of External Affairs maintains a list of diplomatic missions online. It’s best to apply for a visa in your home country – obtaining an Indian visa from an embassy in another country can be tortuously slow, assuming it’s possible at all. Fees and the permitted duration of stay will vary depending on your nationality.

As an alternative to applying through an Indian embassy or consulate, you may be able to apply for a visa through a visa agency – however, this tends to be more expensive than applying directly. In practice, many of these agencies just collect together applications and then send over a staff member to the embassy to apply in person.

Woman practicing yoga

Student visas are available to those on full-time courses in India

Student visas are reserved for people enrolled in approved full-time educational courses in India (which can include training courses in yoga, meditation, and traditional Indian art forms). Student visas are valid for up to five years, depending on the length of the course, but the rules are strict, and you’ll need documentation from the institution where you are studying to apply. The Ministry of Home Affairs provides some information online, but contact your local Indian embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date requirements.

Extending your stay in India is for exceptional circumstances only

E-Visas cannot be extended, but other types of visas can, though only in exceptional circumstances, such as medical emergencies or theft of your passport. To apply, you’ll need to use the government’s special online portal , providing evidence of a valid reason for extending your stay in India (e.g., a letter from the hospital where you are being treated or a police report).

You may then be called in for an in-person interview at the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Delhi. If there is a fee, it will be made clear during the application process.

Some border areas in India require additional travel permits

Under a system carried over from British colonial rule, special permits (known as “protected area permits” or “restricted area permits”) are required to visit many areas close to India’s disputed external borders with China , Pakistan and other territories – a zone known as the “inner line.” Applying for these permits outside India is tricky, but you can apply locally in India without too much difficulty.

Permits are especially important for highly sensitive border areas (which tend to be off-limits to all travelers). Applications can be made through local government offices or local travel agencies; contact the state government offices for these regions to get the latest information. In some areas, you may need to register with the local Foreigners Regional Registration Office on arrival, but this is an easy process.

This article was first published March 2022 and updated December 2023

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Government of India Indianvisaonline.gov.in Ministry of External Affairs -->

Three step regular visa application process.

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Apply Online

Fill and Submit Visa Application Form Securely.

Submit Documents

Submit your application with required documents at Indian Visa Application Center or at Indian Mission.

Receive Passport, visa

Collect your passport/visa from Indian Mission/Visa Application Center or by post.

For Visa application to Indian Missions/Posts

All foreign nationals entering India are required to possess a valid international travel document in the form of a national passport with a valid visa obtained from an Indian Mission or Post abroad.

All Individual visa seekers are requested to apply for the Indian Visa through Online application link , in order to make an application for getting the Indian visa.

Applicants may fill the online application form by going to the tab placed below. Once the form is filled and submitted, applicant must print the completed application form and sign and submit the physical copy along with the supporting documents and the Passport to the concerned Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) or directly at the Indian Mission on the scheduled appointed date. The instructions for filling the form and scheduling the appointment can be seen at Instructions for Regular Visa Application .

The status of Visa Application can be seen on the link for Visa Enquiry.

The applicants are also requested to visit website of the Indian Mission concerned for detailed information about Indian visa.

Regular/Paper Visa Application

Complete partially filled regular/paper visa form, check your visa status, print registered application form, re-upload document.

Technical information: This site is best viewed in Mozilla Firefox,Google Chrome,Internet Explorer (Windows) version 9.0 and above.The applicant must also have Adobe Acrobat Reader version 7.0 or higher installed on your PC in order to download and print the completed application form. This website is compatible with Android and IOS devices.

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Online Portal for Visa Application to Indian Missions/Posts

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List of Authorised ICPs for ENTRY #$ /EXIT # in India on Regular Visa

# subject to regular/sticker visa endorsements $ check authorised entry points for e-visa.

  • Bhubaneshwar
  • Tiruchirapalli
  • Vishakhapatnam
  • Attari Road
  • Changrabandha
  • Gauriphanta
  • Kailashahar
  • Lalgolaghat
  • Srimantapur
  • Kawarpuchia
  • Bedi Bunder
  • Mormagoa Harbour
  • Mumbai Seaport
  • Nagapattinum
  • Nhava Sheva
  • Vishakapatnam
  • New Mangalore
  • Agati and Minicoy Island Lakshdwip UT
  • Vallarpadam
  • Krishnapatnam
  • Munabao Rail Check Post
  • Attari Rail Check Post
  • Gede Rail and Road Check Post
  • Haridaspur Rail Check Post
  • Chitpur Rail Checkpost

How to Get Your India E Tourist Visa | Step-by-Step Guide

Find out how to get your India E Tourist visa in this step by step guide, which walks you through how, where and when to apply, evisa India FAQ’s, and everything about the India e visa service you need to know.

This post may contain compensated affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure here for more info .

Applying for your E Visa for India

Planning a trip to India can be an exciting and overwhelming process – but thankfully getting your Indian visa is not nearly as stressful as it used to be.

There are two types of visa for India – the regular sticker/paper visa that needs to be obtained in person, or, the E-visa. In this guide I’ll cover the ins and outs of getting an Indian E visa for tourism to India. There is no visa on arrival in India for the vast majority of nationalities.

The easiest way to apply for your Indian tourist visa is online, and from repeated personal experience, I’ve found the process to be simple, quick and relatively pain-free. You can forget about any visions of long queues at embassies – if you go the electronic visa for India route at least!

However, there are some important things to know when it comes to getting your e tourist visa India application submitted and accepted on time. In my India travel planning Facebook group , I see frequent questions about how to fill into the fields on the form correctly and when the right time is to apply for your tourist visa to India – I’ll cover all of these below, as well as troubleshooting some of the common issues.

Disclaimer: Soul Travel India are not visa agents and do not offer visa advice. This guide is solely to provide practical help with the filling E-visa forms based on my own personal experiences. Information relating to visas can change quickly; please validate with official sources such as your country’s government travel advice for India.

India Tourist Visa Update (March 2022)

In March 2020, all visas for foreigners travelling to India were suspended and an international flight ban was imposed in response to the pandemic. As of March 2022 , all tourism visas are being issued again, and previously issued multi-year tourist visas have been reinstated .

Once again, nationals of 156 countries are eligible to apply for tourism e-visas to India of up to 5 years (or 10 years for USA & Japan nationals), although unfortunately passport holders of the UK & Canada are still not eligible for E-visas to India for other reasons.

Where to Apply for your Visa for Visiting India

Option 1: The official India E Visa website is here: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/

I suggest you use this service. Unfortunately there are many agencies who try to make their websites look like the official Indian E-visa website but are not, and will charge you fees for processing your application and/or turn out to be less than reputable. Double-check the website you are landing on and ensure it ends with .gov.in.

Option 2: While I have personally never had problems using the above official Indian website, unfortunately many readers have had issues with it not loading, crashing, or not functioning as expected. If you can’t get the website to work, or you don’t want the hassle, an alternative is to use IVISA who are a reputable visa agency and offer a great service with visas for India. They charge a small handling fee, which you can get a 5% discount on when using this link to place your order .

What Types of India E Tourist Visa are there?

Unfortunately, E-visas are still not being issued to UK & Canada passport holders. UK & Canadian nationals need to apply for a paper/sticker visa via your Indian consulate – allow PLENTY of time for this process.

To check which counties can avail from the India E-visa option, you can find the full list here .

  • 30 day E-visa (note that it’s 30 days not a calendar month!). Allows one single entry to India.
  • 1 Year E-visa (allows multiple entries to India)
  • 5 Year E-visa (allows multiple entries to India)
  • 10 Year E-visa (US & Japan nationals only, allows multiple entries to India)

If you choose one of the longer visas to India, you will still be restricted as to how long you can stay in India at one time. For most nationalities stays are restricted to 90 days, after which you’ll need to leave (you can come back later). For USA & Japan citizens, the maximum stay in India is 180 days at any one time.

Please note that some activities in India will require other types of visa than tourist. If you are volunteering, you will need a volunteer visa (which is not available as an E-visa). If you are travelling to India for business or are attending a conference, you should apply for an e-Business visa (available via the same portal). If you are attending an Ayurvedic retreat or coming to India for health treatments, you need to apply for a Medical visa instead (available as an E-visa via the same portal) and you will need to contact your retreat / doctor / hospital for a letter of invitation.

How Much is a Visa to India?

This depends on your country of nationality and the length and type of e tourist India visa you’re applying for.

You can find the table of prices for all tourist e-visas to India here . Prices are quoted in USD and there is a ~2.5% payment fee charged in addition to this fee.

At time of writing a 30 day India visa from USA cost $25 USD and a 5 year tourist Indian visa for USA citizens was $80 USD.

When Should I Apply for My India E Tourist Visa?

The best time to apply for your e-visa is usually 1-2 weeks ahead of your trip, so you’ll need to have booked your flights and most of your trip before you apply your visa. This can feel confusing (especially when instructions say not to book flights before hand), but unfortunately it’s the way things are currently set up. I don’t recommend waiting until your visa is issued to book flights, as these can get expensive at the last minute. You can read my general tips for planning your first trip to India here .

The only exception to this is if you have Pakistani parents or Grandparents (on either side) – this question is asked specifically in the Visa application form and can result in visa applications taking longer as additional background checks are performed. If you have Pakistani Parents or Grand Parents please factor additional time into your visa application.

Please note that – with the exception of the 30 day e-visa , which starts on your arrival in India, Indian e-visas start on the “grant” date, not the date of your landing in India. So, if you have a 1 year e-visa that’s granted on 1st July, your 1 year will start from 1st July, even if you enter India on 1st September.

Visa applications are processed within 72 hours of submission, my personal experience is that I’ve always had my visa returned the next day or day after.

Applying for a Visa to India – Step by Step

This guide assumes you are applying for a visa for India using the government website above. (If you are using IVISA, you can relax and they’ll let you know everything they need form you.)

You can find a sample visa application form here , and there’s also a list of general instructions here .

When logging on to indianvisaonline.gov.in, you’ll want to select the button for E-visas in the bottom centre of the screen:

On the next screen, you’ll want to select the button “apply here for e-visa” on the bottom left:

From here, your application form will open up and you will be directed to enter your nationality, select the type of visa you are applying for (e-tourist visa), your expected date of arrival in India.

  • Type of passport – Select Ordinary unless you are travelling on a diplomatic or other special type of passport.

Once you press ‘continue’, you’ll be given a “temporary application number” which is shown at the top of the screen. Please note this down or take a screenshot , as you’ll need it if you want to save and come back to your application later at any point.

On the next page, proceed to fill in your details. This is all self explanatory.

  • For Visible Identification Marks – you can put any birthmarks, easily visible tattoos or any other marks you have visibly should you wish, or else simply type NA

On the next page, continue to fill in the details requested, again this is mostly self-explanatory.

On the following page, you will be asked to enter your expected itinerary in India, as well as details of previous visits to India. There are a few things to note:

  • Places to be visited – List the main places on your India itinerary (cities). It doesn’t have to mention every stop off. If you are backpacking and don’t have a fixed itinerary, enter some places you are likely to visit.
  • Expected Port of Exit from India – This doesn’t commit you to leaving via a specific airport, however please note that immigration officials may ask you for proof of your onward travel out of the country (ie an onward flight confirmation).
  • Previous visits to India – If you’ve visited India before, you’ll need to provide the address of (one of) your hotels, list some of the main cities you visited and provide your previous India visa number.

Continue down the page.

You’ll need to enter more information about your travel history and your ‘references’.

  • Enter countries you have been to in the last 10 years . I generally start with the ones with stamps in my passport. If you’re a frequent traveller you may run out of space, the maximum number of countries is about 10.
  • References – the first one is your hotel or accommodation which you must have booked prior to arrival in India . Put the hotel’s name, address and phone number, and carry a printed hotel confirmation with you when you travel in case immigration ask to see it. The second one is an emergency contact in your home country.

The following page has simple yes/no questions that ask you to confirm you have not been deported from India or any other country, have not been involved in terrorism, etc etc.

After that, you will reach the final section of the application, where you need to upload your photo you have taken (digital copy, no printed passport photo is needed) and a scan of the photo page of your passport. The specifications are as follows:

  • Photo : Must be JPEG format, recommended size 350 x 350 pixels. Maximum size 1MB. If you have trouble making your photo small enough to meet the size requirements, on a Mac computer you can resize it in preview, or else use a free website such as Image resizer . When you upload your photo you’ll be directed to crop it to size – make sure all of your face remains visible.
  • Passport Photo Page : Must be in PDF format (not JPEG) between 10KB – 300KB in size. This must be the passport you applied with and you must travel with this passport. If you have a JPEG (photo) file, convert it into a PDF using ‘save as PDF’ on rightclick, or else a free online converter such as this one .

You’re almost there!

The final steps of the India E tourist visa application process are to verify your application – you’ll see a summary screen, do a check to make sure all your details you’ve entered are correct.

On pressing submit, you will see a popup telling you your visa application ID – note this down – and it’ll also tell you what the visa fee to be paid is.

The final stage is to pay for your India evisa. The easiest way to pay via international card is via Paypal – select this option from the payment gateway. You’ll then be directed to an SBI payment gateway where you can select card or Paypal on the left hand side. Select ‘Paypal’ and proceed as with any Paypal payment.

I recommend taking a screenshot of your payment confirmation, and please note that it can take a few hours for the payment to go through / get updated in the visa system.

You should receive an email confirmation of your visa application, payment and then, within 72 hours an email about the status of your evisa application.

When granted (approved) you will receive an ETA which authorizes you to travel to India. Print this off for your journey to India, and on arrival proceed to the ‘E-visa’ gates to receive your E-visa stamp in your passport.

Happy travels!

Electronic Visa Application for India Frequently Asked Questions

What is the india e tourist visa processing time.

Generally, it’s 72 hours. All my applications have been granted within around 24 hours but it just depends on how busy they are. You’ll want to allow more time than 72 hours when applying to be on the safe side.

Is India Issuing Tourist Visas Again?

Yes! As per the announcement in March 2022, India has fully resumed granting e-tourism visas.

What is the India E Tourist Visa Cost?

It depends on your nationality – a full table of prices for Indian visas can be found at the link above in this article. The first 500,000 tourist visas are being offered for free to foreign tourists.

How Long Can I Stay in India on an E-Tourist Visa?

This depends on your nationality and type of visa. For most nationalities, e-visas are being issued for up to 5 years, with a maximum stay in the country of 90 days during any one trip.

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Travel Advisory June 23, 2023

India - level 2: exercise increased caution.

Reissued with updates to health information.

Exercise increased caution in India due to crime and terrorism.

Do not travel to:

  • The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (except the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh) due to terrorism and civil unrest .
  • Within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border due to the potential for armed conflict .

Country Summary : Indian authorities report rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India. Violent crime, such as sexual assault, has occurred at tourist sites and in other locations.

Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and government facilities.

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in rural areas from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal as U.S. government employees must obtain special authorization to travel to these areas.

Read the country information page for additional information on travel to India.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined India has a moderate level of COVID-19.  Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.

If you decide to travel to India:

  • Do not travel alone, particularly if you are a woman. Visit our website for Women Travelers .
  • Review your personal security plans and remain alert to your surroundings.
  • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
  • Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter .
  • Review the  Country Security Report for India.
  • Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist .

Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir – Level 4: Do Not Travel

Terrorist attacks and violent civil unrest are possible in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Avoid all travel to this state (with the exception of visits to the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh). Sporadic violence occurs particularly along the Line of Control (LOC) separating India and Pakistan, and in tourist destinations in the Kashmir Valley: Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam. The Indian government prohibits foreign tourists from visiting certain areas along the LOC.

Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas .

India-Pakistan Border – Level 4: Do Not Travel

India and Pakistan maintain a strong military presence on both sides of the border. The only official India-Pakistan border crossing point for persons who are not citizens of India or Pakistan is in the state of Punjab between Attari, India, and Wagah, Pakistan. The border crossing is usually open but confirm the current status of the border crossing prior to commencing travel. A Pakistani visa is required to enter Pakistan. Only U.S. citizens residing in India may apply for a Pakistani visa in India. Otherwise apply for a Pakistani visa in your country of residence before traveling to India.

Northeastern States – Level 4: Do Not Travel

Incidents of violence by ethnic insurgent groups, including bombings of buses, trains, rail lines, and markets, occur occasionally in the northeast.

U.S. government employees at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India are prohibited from traveling to the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Manipur without special authorization from the U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata.

Central and East India – Level 4: Do Not Travel

Maoist extremist groups, or “Naxalites,” are active in a large swath of India from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal, particularly in rural parts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand and on the borders of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha. The Naxalites have conducted frequent terrorist attacks on local police, paramilitary forces, and government officials.

Due to the fluid nature of the threat, all U.S. government travelers to states with Naxalite activity must receive special authorization from the U.S. consulate responsible for the area to be visited. U.S. officials traveling only to the capital cities in these states do not need prior authorization.

Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas . 

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Quick Facts

Must be valid for six months beyond date of visa application to obtain a visa.

Two pages required.

Yes. Travelers must enter in either on a paper visa, valid for 10 years for U.S. citizens, or an e-tourist visa.

Required for yellow fever if the traveler is arriving from an infected area; others are suggested.

The possession of satellite phones is prohibited in India; Currency in excess of USD $5,000 must be declared. Please check with the Indian Embassy in Washington if you are planning to carry a large amount of currency into India.

Check local law for reporting requirements for exiting with large quantities of foreign currency and Indian rupees.

Embassies and Consulates

U.s. embassy new delhi.

Shantipath, Chanakyapuri New Delhi - 110021 India Telephone: +(91) (11) 2419-8000 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(91) (11) 2419-8000 Fax: +(91) (11) 2419-0017 [email protected]

The U.S. Embassy, New Delhi   serves American citizens in the Indian states of  Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, the union territories of Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, and the country of Bhutan.

U.S. Consulate General Mumbai (Bombay) C-49, G-Block, Bandra Kurla Complex Bandra East, Mumbai 400051 India Telephone: +(91) (22) 2672-4000 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(91) (22) 2672-4000 If you are calling from within India, but outside Mumbai, first dial 022. Fax: 91-(0)22-2672-4786 [email protected]

The Consulate General in Mumbai provides consular services for the states of Goa, Gujarat, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, and the union territory of Diu and Daman, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

U.S. Consulate General Kolkata (Calcutta) 5/1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani Kolkata - 700 071, West Bengal, India Telephone: +(91) (33) 3984-2400 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(91) 99030 42956 or +(91) (33) 3984-2400 then dial "0" Fax: +(91) (33) 2282-2335

The United States Consulate General in Kolkata provides consular services for the states of Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tripura and Assam. [email protected]

U.S. Consulate General Chennai (Madras) 220 Anna Salai at Gemini Circle Chennai, India 600006 Telephone: +(91) (44) 2857-4000 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: (0) 44-2857-4000. Ask for American Citizen Services.(Within India, but outside Chennai, first dial 044. From the United States, first dial 011-(91) (44) ) Fax: +(91) (044) 2811-2020

The Consulate General in Chennai provides consular services for the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and the Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Pondicherry and Lakshwadeep Islands. [email protected]

U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad Survey No. 115/1, Financial District, Nanakramguda Hyderabad, Telangana, 500032 Phone: 040 6932 8000

The Consulate General in Hyderabad provides services to the U.S. citizens in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha. [email protected]

Destination Description

Learn about the U.S. relationship to countries around the world.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

All U.S. citizens need a valid passport as well as a valid Indian visa or an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, to enter and exit India for any purpose. Travelers without valid documents or the correct type of visa may be denied entry into India. Indian visa regulations and instructions change frequently, often with little advance notice. Travelers are urged to check the  website of the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C.  before any travel to India to review the most current information. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General in India cannot assist you if you arrive without proper documentation.

U.S. citizens seeking to enter India solely for tourist purposes for stays of less than 60 days may apply for an eVisa at least four days prior to their arrival. Please visit the  Indian government's website for electronic travel authorization for additional information and to submit an application.  

U.S. citizens seeking to enter India as a tourist for longer than 60 days or for any other purpose must apply for a visa from an Indian embassy or consulate. The Government of India has appointed VFS Global to assist with visa services to individuals in the United States. Applicants may apply for Indian visas through the application link https://visa.vfsglobal.com/usa/en/ind/apply-visa .

Diplomatic and Official visa applications are accepted directly at the Indian Embassy and Consulates. All U.S. government employees traveling on official orders, including military personnel, must obtain country clearance for travel to India. Once you have received your visa, check it carefully to ensure that the type of visa and number of entries is appropriate for your travel plans.

Keep copies of your U.S. passport data page, as well as the pages containing the Indian visa and Indian immigration stamps with you at all times. Consider downloading these documents to your mobile phone in case of emergency. If your passport is lost or stolen, copies will help you apply for a replacement passport and an exit visa from the Indian government. Replacing a lost visa, which is required in order to exit the country, may take four or five business days.   

U.S. citizens of Pakistani origin or descent are subject to administrative processing and should expect additional delays when applying for Indian visas.

Foreign citizens who visit India to  study, do research, work, or act as missionaries,  as well as all travelers and residents planning to stay more than 180 days,  are required to register their visit or residency within 14 days of arrival with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO)  closest to where they will be staying in addition  to having the appropriate visa  when they enter India. The FRRO maintains offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Lucknow, Calicut, Goa, Cochin, Trivandrum, and Amritsar. District Superintendents of Police serve as Foreigners Registration Officers (FROs) in all other places. We recommend all U.S. citizens review the entry requirements described on the  Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)  section on the Indian Bureau of Immigration website.

If you overstay your Indian visa, or otherwise violate Indian visa regulations, you may require clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs to leave the country. Generally, you will be fined and, in some cases, may be jailed for months. Visa violators seeking an exit permit must visit  the Foreigners Regional Registration Office portal  to submit the application and pay any levied fines. Processing of an exit permit under these circumstances can take up to 90 days and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.  

For the most current information on entry and exit requirements, please contact the  Embassy of India  at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, telephone (202) 939-9806 or the Indian Consulates in Atlanta ,  Chicago , Houston ,  New York , or  San Francisco . Outside the United States, inquiries should be made at the nearest Indian embassy or consulate.

General information regarding Indian visa and immigration rules, including the addresses and telephone numbers for the FRRO offices, can be found at the  Indian Ministry of Home Affairs Bureau of Immigration website .

HIV/AIDS RESTRICTIONS:  There are no disclosure requirements or restrictions for HIV/AIDS patients who enter India on a tourist visa. Disclosure regarding HIV/AIDS is required of anyone seeking a resident permit in India. Foreign residents found to be suffering from HIV/AIDS will be deported. Please verify this information with the  Embassy of India  before you travel.

Find information on  dual nationality ,  prevention of international child abduction  and  customs regulations  on our websites.

Safety and Security

U.S. citizens should always practice good personal security and situational awareness. Be aware of your surroundings (including local customs and etiquette) and keep a low profile. Monitor local news reports, vary your routes and times in carrying out daily activities, and consider the level of security present when you visit public places, including religious sites, and when choosing hotels, restaurants, and entertainment and recreation venues.

India continues to experience terrorist and insurgent activities which may affect U.S. citizens directly or indirectly. Anti-Western terrorist groups, some on the U.S. government's list of foreign terrorist organizations, are active in India, including Islamist extremist groups such as Harkat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami, Harakat ul-Mujahidin, Indian Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Lashkar-e Tayyiba. The U.S. government occasionally receives information regarding possible terrorist attacks that could take place in India, monitors such information to determine credibility, and advises U.S. citizens accordingly.  Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive messages from the Embassy automatically.   

Past attacks have targeted public places, including some frequented by Westerners, such as luxury and other hotels, trains, train stations, markets, cinemas, mosques, and restaurants in large urban areas. Attacks have taken place during the busy evening hours in markets and other crowded places, but could occur at any time.  Alerts are usually more frequent around major holidays. The Maoists (also known as “Naxalites”) are the most active insurgent group in India. The Naxalites typically attack Indian government officials, but have also derailed trains, targeted other government buildings such as police stations, and conducted other criminal activity.  In eastern India’s Bihar state, 10 security personnel were killed and five injured in a Naxalite-triggered Improvised Explosive Device blast on July 18, 2016.  In the eastern state of Jharkhand, seven policemen were killed and eight others injured in a landmine blast by Naxalites on January 27, 2016.   

Beyond the threat from terrorism and insurgencies, demonstrations and general strikes, or “bandh,” often cause major inconvenience and unrest. These strikes can result in the stoppage of all transportation and tourist-related services, at times for 24 hours or more. U.S. citizens caught in such a strike may find they are unable to make flight and rail connections, as local transportation can be severely limited. Local media generally give an idea of the length and geographical location of the strike. Large religious gatherings that attract hundreds of thousands of people can result in dangerous and often life-threatening stampedes. Local demonstrations can begin spontaneously and escalate with little warning, disrupting transportation systems and city services and posing risks to travelers. In response to such events, Indian authorities occasionally impose curfews and/or restrict travel. You are urged to obey such curfews and travel restrictions and to avoid demonstrations and rallies as they have the potential for violence, especially immediately preceding and following political rallies, elections, and religious festivals (particularly when Hindu and Muslim festivals coincide). Tensions between castes and religious groups can also result in disruptions and violence. In some cases, demonstrators specifically block roads near popular tourist sites and disrupt train operations in order to gain the attention of Indian authorities; occasionally vehicles transporting tourists are attacked in these incidents. India generally goes on “High Alert” status prior to major holidays or events. You should monitor local television, print media, Mission India’s American Citizens Services  Facebook  page, and enroll with the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  for further information about the current situation in areas where you will travel.

The U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulates General in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai will post information about routine demonstrations on the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulates General websites, under the heading “Demonstration Notices.” Please monitor our websites regularly for information about protest activities in the country. Please note that the Embassy and Consulates General will issue emergency/security messages for other purposes, as necessary.

Religious violence occasionally occurs in India, especially when tensions between different religious communities are purposefully exacerbated by groups pushing religiously chauvinistic agendas. There are active "anti-conversion" laws in some Indian states, and acts of conversion sometimes elicit violent reactions from Hindu extremists. Foreigners suspected of proselytizing Hindus have been attacked and killed in conservative, rural areas in India in the past. 

Swimming in India:  You should exercise caution if you intend to swim in open waters along the Indian coastline, particularly during the monsoon season. Every year, several people in Goa, Mumbai, Puri (Odisha), off the Eastern Coast in the Bay of Bengal, and other areas drown due to strong undertows. It is important to heed warnings posted at beaches and to avoid swimming in the ocean during the monsoon season. Trained lifeguards are very rare along beaches.

If you visit the Andaman Islands, be aware that there have been reports of crocodile attacks in salt water resulting in fatalities.  Ask local residents about dangerous sea life before swimming and keep a safe distance from animals at all times.

Wildlife safaris:  India offers opportunities for observation of wildlife in its natural habitat and many tour operators and lodges advertise structured, safe excursions into parks and other wildlife viewing areas for close observation of flora and fauna. However, safety standards and training vary, and it is a good idea to ascertain whether operators are trained and licensed. Even animals marketed as “tame” should be respected as wild and extremely dangerous. Keep a safe distance from animals at all times, remaining in vehicles or other protected enclosures when venturing into game parks.

Trekking in India:  Trekking expeditions should be limited to routes identified for this purpose by local authorities. Use only registered trekking agencies, porters, and guides, suspend trekking after dark, camp at designated camping places, and travel in groups rather than individually or with one or two companions. Altitudes in popular trekking spots can be as high as 25,170 feet (7,672 m); please make sure that you have had a recent medical checkup to ensure that you are fit to trek at these altitudes and carry sufficient medical insurance that includes medical evacuation coverage.

Train Travel:  India has the third largest rail network in the world, and train travel in India generally is safe. Nevertheless, accidents and on-board fires are sometimes caused by aging infrastructure, poorly maintained equipment, overcrowding, and operator errors. Train accidents and fires have resulted in the death and serious injury of passengers.

Areas of Instability: Jammu & Kashmir:  The Department of State strongly recommends that you avoid travel to the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir because of the potential for terrorist incidents as well as violent public unrest. A number of terrorist groups operate in the territory targeting security forces, particularly along the Line of Control (LOC) separating Indian and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, and those stationed in primary tourist destinations in the Kashmir Valley: Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam. Since 1989, as many as 70,000 people (terrorists, security forces, and civilians) have been killed in the Kashmir conflict. Foreigners are particularly visible, vulnerable, and at risk. In the past, serious communal violence left the territory mostly paralyzed due to massive strikes and business shutdowns, and U.S. citizens have had to be evacuated by local police. The Indian government prohibits foreign tourists from visiting certain areas along the LOC (see the section on Restricted Areas, below).

India-Pakistan Border:  The Department of State recommends that you avoid travel to areas within ten kilometers of the border between India and Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan maintain a strong military presence on both sides of the border. The only official India-Pakistan border crossing point for persons who are not citizens of India or Pakistan is in the state of Punjab between Atari, India, and Wagah, Pakistan. The border crossing is usually open, but you are advised to confirm the current status of the border crossing prior to commencing travel. A Pakistani visa is required to enter Pakistan. Only U.S. citizens residing in India may apply for a Pakistani visa in India. Otherwise you should apply for a Pakistani visa in your country of residence before traveling to India.

Both India and Pakistan claim an area of the Karakoram mountain range that includes the Siachen glacier. Travel or mountain climbing in this area is highly dangerous. The disputed area includes the following peaks: Rimo Peak; Apsarasas I, II, and III; Tegam Kangri I, II and III; Suingri Kangri; Ghiant I and II; Indira Col; and Sia Kangri. Check with the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi for information on current conditions.

Northeastern states:  Incidents of violence by ethnic insurgent groups, including bombings of buses, trains, rail lines, and markets, occur occasionally in the northeast. While U.S. citizens have not been specifically targeted, it is possible that you could be affected as a bystander. If you travel to the northeast, you should avoid travel by train at night, travel outside major cities at night, and crowds. U.S. government employees at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India are prohibited from traveling to the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Manipur without permission from the U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata. Restricted Area Permits are required for foreigners to visit certain Northeastern states (see the section on Restricted Areas, below.) Contact the U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata for information on current conditions.

East Central and Southern India:  Maoist extremist groups, or “Naxalites,” are active in East Central India primarily in rural areas. The Naxalites have a long history of conflict with state and national authorities, including frequent terrorist attacks on local police, paramilitary forces, and government officials, and are responsible for more attacks in the country than any other organization through an ongoing campaign of violence and intimidation Naxalites have not specifically targeted U.S. citizens but have attacked symbolic targets that have included Western companies and rail lines. While Naxalite violence does not normally occur in places frequented by foreigners, there is a risk that visitors could become victims of violence.

Naxalites are active in a large swath of India from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal, particularly in rural parts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand and on the borders of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha. Due to the fluid nature of the threat, all U.S. government travelers to states with Naxalite activity must receive authorization from the U.S. Consulate responsible for the area to be visited. U.S. officials traveling only to the capital cities in these states do not need prior authorization.

Restricted/Protected areas:  While the Indian Government has designated that travelers to “portions” of certain areas need special advance permission, actual practice has been to require a permit to enter any portion of certain states or territories. Areas requiring a permit include:

  • The state of Arunachal Pradesh
  • Portions of the state of Sikkim
  • Portions of the state of Himachal Pradesh near the Chinese border
  • Portions of the state of Uttarakhand (Uttaranchal) near the Chinese border
  • Portions of the state of Rajasthan near the Pakistani border
  • Portions of the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir near the Line of Control with Pakistan and certain portions of the union territory of Ladakh
  • The union territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands
  • The union territory of the Laccadives Islands (Lakshadweep)
  • Portions of the state of Manipur
  • Portions of the state of Mizoram
  • Portions of the state of Nagaland

More information about travel to/in restricted/protected areas can be found from India’s  Bureau of Immigration .

“Restricted Area Permits" are available outside India at Indian embassies and consulates abroad, or in India from the Ministry of Home Affairs (Foreigners Division) at Jaisalmer House, 26 Man Singh Road, New Delhi. The states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim maintain official guesthouses in New Delhi, which can also issue Restricted Area Permits for their respective states for certain travelers. While visiting Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) in Tamil Nadu, be aware the Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Center, Kalpakkam, is located just south of the site and is not clearly marked as a restricted and dangerous area.

For the latest security information, travelers should enroll in  STEP  to receive updated security information and regularly monitor travel information available from the  U.S. Embassy in New Delhi  as well as the U.S. Consulates General in  Mumbai  (Bombay),  Chennai (Madras),  Hyderabad , and  Kolkata  (Calcutta).

CRIME:  Petty crime, especially theft of personal property (including U.S. passports), is common, particularly on trains or buses, at airports, and in major tourist areas. Pickpockets can be very adept and women have reported having their bags snatched, purse-straps cut, or the bottom of their purses slit without their knowledge. If you are traveling by train, lock your sleeping compartments and take your valuables with you when leaving your berth. If you travel by air, be careful with your bags in the arrival and departure areas outside airports. Violent crime, especially directed against foreigners, has traditionally been uncommon, although in recent years there has been a modest increase. Be cautious about displaying cash or expensive items to reduce the chance of being a target for robbery or other crime, and be aware of your surroundings when you use ATMs. ATM card scams have been used to clone credit card details to withdraw money.

Sexual Assault:  Travelers should be aware that there have been reported cases of sexual assault, including rape, of U.S. citizens traveling throughout India. U.S. citizens, particularly women, are cautioned not to travel alone in India. Women traveling in India are advised to respect local dress and customs. Customary everyday dress for Indian women throughout the country is conservative, and even more so in non-urban areas,  with women wearing clothing that covers their legs and shoulders. Exceptions are vacation resorts catering to foreign clientele and some neighborhoods of the major cities of New Delhi and Mumbai. Western women, especially those of African descent, continue to report incidents of verbal and physical harassment by individuals and groups of men. Known locally as “Eve-teasing,” these incidents of sexual harassment can be quite frightening and can quickly cross the line from verbal to physical. Sexual harassment can occur anytime or anywhere, but most frequently has happened in crowded areas such as in market places, train stations, buses, and public streets. The harassment can range from sexually suggestive or lewd comments to catcalls to outright groping. The Government of India has focused greater attention on addressing issues of gender violence. One outcome has been greater reporting of incidences of sexual assault country-wide, and Indian authorities report rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India. Among large cities, Delhi experienced the highest number of reported crimes against women. Although most victims have been local residents, recent sexual attacks against female visitors in tourist areas across India underline the fact that foreign women are at risk and should exercise vigilance.

Women should observe stringent security precautions, including avoiding use of public transport after dark without the company of known and trustworthy companions, restricting evening entertainment to well-known venues, and avoiding isolated areas when alone at any time of day. Keep your hotel room number confidential and make sure hotel room doors have chains, deadlocks, and peep holes. Travel with groups of friends rather than alone. In addition, only hire reliable cars and drivers and avoid traveling alone in hired taxis, especially at night. Use taxis from hotels and pre-paid taxis at airports rather than hailing them on the street. If you encounter threatening situations, call “100” for police assistance (“112” from mobile phones).

Scams:  Major airports, train stations, popular restaurants, and tourist sites are often used by scam artists looking to prey on visitors, often by creating a distraction. Beware of taxi drivers and others, including train porters, who solicit travelers with "come-on" offers of cheap transportation and/or hotels. Travelers accepting such offers have frequently found themselves the victims of scams, including offers to assist with "necessary" transfers to the domestic airport, disproportionately expensive hotel rooms, unwanted "tours," unwelcome "purchases," extended cab rides, and even threats when the tourists decline to pay.  There have been reports of tourists being lured, held hostage and extorted for money in the face of threats of violence against the traveler and his/her family members.

You should exercise care when hiring transportation and/or guides and use only well-known travel agents to book trips. Some scam artists have lured travelers by displaying their name on a sign when they leave the airport. Another popular scam is to drop money or to squirt something on the clothing of an unsuspecting traveler and use the distraction to rob them of their valuables. Tourists have also been given drugged drinks or tainted food to make them more vulnerable to theft, particularly at train stations. Even food or drink prepared in front of the traveler from a canteen or vendor could be tainted.

Some vendors sell carpets, jewelry, gemstones, or other expensive items that may not be of the quality promised. Deal only with reputable businesses and do not hand over your credit cards or money unless you are certain that goods being shipped are the goods you purchased. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it is best avoided. Most Indian states have official tourism bureaus set up to handle complaints.

There have been a number of other scams perpetrated against foreign travelers, particularly in Goa, Jaipur, and Agra that target younger travelers and involve suggestions that money can be made by privately transporting gems or gold (both of which can result in arrest) or by taking delivery abroad of expensive carpets, supposedly while avoiding customs duties. The scam artists describe profits that can be made upon delivery of the goods, and require the traveler to pay a "deposit" as part of the transaction.

India-based criminals use the internet to extort money from victims abroad.  In a common scam, the victim develops a close romantic relationship with an alleged U.S. citizen they meet online. When the “friend” travels to India, a series of accidents occur and the victim begins to receive requests for financial assistance, sometimes through an intermediary.  In fact, the U.S. citizen “friend” does not exist; they are only online personas used by criminal networks. Victims have been defrauded of thousands of dollars in these schemes. Do not send money to anyone you have not met in person and carefully read the Department of State’s advice on  international financial scams . 

U.S. citizens have had problems with business partners, usually involving property investments. You may wish to seek professional legal advice in reviewing any contracts for business or services offered in India. The U.S. Embassy and/or consulates are unable to provide legal advice or intervene on behalf of United States citizens with Indian courts on civil or criminal matters.  A list of local attorneys is available on the Embassy and Consulates General  websites .

In another common scam, family members in the United States, particularly older people, are approached for funds to help callers claiming to be grandchildren or relatives who have been arrested or are without money to return home. Do not send money without contacting the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General to confirm the other party’s situation. You can also call our Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 888-407-4747 (from overseas: 202-501-4444). Review our information on  Emergency Assistance to Americans Abroad . 

See the  Department of State  and the  FBI  pages for more information on scams.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Victims of Crime:  U.S. citizen victims of sexual assault should first contact the local police, then inform the U.S. Embassy or local Consulate.

Report crimes to the local police by calling “100” or “112” from a mobile phone.                      

Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime.

See our webpage on  help for U.S. victims of crime overseas .

  • help you find appropriate medical care
  • assist you in reporting a crime to the police
  • contact relatives or friends with your written consent
  • explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
  • provide a list of local attorneys
  • provide our information on  victim’s compensation programs in the U.S.
  • provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution
  • help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
  • replace a stolen or lost passport

Please note that you should ask for a copy of the police report, known as a “First Information Report” (FIR), from local police when you report an incident. Local authorities generally are unable to take any meaningful action without the filing of a police report. 

If your passport is stolen, you should immediately report the theft or loss to the police in the location where your passport was stolen. A FIR is required by the Indian government in order for you to obtain an exit visa to leave India if the lost passport contained your Indian visa. Although the Embassy or Consulate General is able to replace a stolen or lost passport, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) are responsible for approving an exit permit. This process usually takes three to four working days, but can take longer.

In cases of sexual assault or rape, the Embassy or Consulates General can provide a list of local doctors and hospitals, if needed, to determine if you have been injured and to discuss treatment and prevention options for diseases and pregnancy. You should be aware that in order for evidence of an assault to be submitted in a court case, Indian authorities require that the medical exam be completed at a government hospital. Therefore, if a victim goes to a private hospital for treatment, the hospital will refer them to a government hospital for this aspect of the medical process. 

There are a number of resources in India for victims of rape and sexual assault. The specific toll-free Women’s Helpline Service number in Delhi is 1091; in Mumbai it is 103; in Kolkata, 1090; in Chennai, 1091 or 2345-2365; and in Hyderabad one can dial 1-800-425-2908 or 1098 for crimes in general.

The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in India is “100.” An additional emergency number, “112,” can be accessed from mobile phones.

Please see our  information for victims of crime , including possible victim compensation programs in the United States. 

Domestic Violence:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the Embassy for assistance.

Tourism:  The tourism industry is unevenly regulated, and safety inspections for equipment and facilities do not commonly occur.  Hazardous areas/activities are not always identified with appropriate signage, and staff may not be trained or certified either by the host government or by recognized authorities in the field.  In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is typically available only in/near major cities.  First responders are generally unable to access areas outside of major cities and to provide urgent medical treatment.  U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance.  See our webpage for more  information on insurance providers for overseas coverage.

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties:  You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. 

Furthermore, some activities are crimes under U.S. law and can be prosecuted in the U.S. regardless of whether they are allowed under local law.  For examples, see our website on  crimes against minors abroad  and the Department of Justice website.

Arrest Notification:  If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our  webpage  for further information.

Alcohol: Each of India’s states has independent regulations concerning alcohol purchase and consumption. Legal drinking ages range from 18 to 25 and can vary by beverage type. Some states permit alcohol use for medicinal purposes only, others require you to hold a permit to buy, transport, or consume alcohol. Penalties for violation can be harsh.

Drugs:  Several U.S. citizens have been arrested at Indian airports for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs from India.  All claimed that they did not realize they were carrying narcotics.  Never transport or mail packages that do not belong to you and maintain direct control of your luggage at all times.

Beef and Cow Hide: Several states in India impose various types of prohibition on beef.  In some rural areas, cow protection vigilantes have attacked people they suspected of selling or consuming beef, or possessing items made with cow hide.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

Dual nationality: India does not permit its citizens to hold dual nationality. In 2006, India launched the "Overseas Citizens of India" (OCI) program, which does not grant Indian citizenship but is similar to a U.S. "green card" in that you can travel to and from India indefinitely, work in India, study in India, and own property in India (except for certain agricultural and plantation properties). If you are a U.S. citizen and obtain an OCI card you will not become a citizen of India; you will remain a citizen of the United States. An OCI card holder does not receive an Indian passport, cannot vote in Indian elections, and is not eligible for Indian government employment. The OCI program is similar to the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card except that PIO holders must still register with Indian immigration authorities, and PIO cards are not issued for an indefinite period. U.S. citizens of Indian descent can apply for PIO or OCI cards at the Indian Embassy in Washington, or at the Indian Consulates in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Houston. Inside India, U.S. citizens can apply at the nearest FRRO office (please see “Entry/Exit Requirements” section above for more information on the FRRO). U.S. citizens are required to travel on a U.S. passport when traveling in and out of the United States.

Religious activities and faith-based travelers:  See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report .  If you plan to engage in religious proselytizing you are required by Indian law to have a "missionary" visa. Immigration authorities have determined that certain activities, including speaking at religious meetings to which the general public is invited, may violate immigration law if the traveler does not hold a missionary visa. Foreigners with tourist visas who engage in missionary activity are subject to deportation and possible criminal prosecution. The states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh have legislation that regulates or places restrictions on conversion from one religious faith to another. If you intend to engage in missionary activity, you may wish to seek legal advice to determine whether the activities you intend to pursue are permitted under Indian law.

Tourists should also be mindful of restrictions and observances when planning to visit any religious establishment, whether Hindu temples, mosques, churches, or other locations considered sacred by the local population. Many individual temples and mosques do not permit non-members to enter all or parts of the facilities, and may require the removal of shoes, the covering of the head, or have other specific requirements for appropriate attire.  

Customs restrictions: Before traveling to or from India, you are urged to inspect all bags and clothing thoroughly to ensure they do not inadvertently contain prohibited items. Several U.S. citizens have been arrested or detained when airport security officials discovered loose ammunition (even spent individual bullets and casings) or weapons in their luggage. If you are found to have loose ammunition or bullets (including empty bullet shells used in souvenirs) on your person or in your bags, you could be charged with violation of the Indian Arms Act, incarcerated, and/or deported from India.

In addition, U.S. citizens have been arrested for possession of satellite phones. Satellite phones, personal locator beacons, and hand-held GPS devices are illegal in India.

Indian customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from India of such items as, antiquities, electronic equipment, currency, ivory, gold objects, and other prohibited materials. Permission from the Government of India is required to bring in restricted items, even if you are only transiting through India. If you do not comply with these regulations, you risk arrest or fine or both and confiscation of these items. If you are charged with any legal violations by Indian law enforcement, have an attorney review any document before you sign it. The Government of India requires the registration of antique items with the local police along with a photograph of the item. It is advisable to contact the Embassy of India in Washington or one of India's consulates in the United States for specific information regarding customs requirements. More information is available from the Indian Central Board of Excise and Customs .

Indian customs authorities encourage the use of an ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) Carnet for the temporary admission of professional equipment, commercial samples, and/or goods for exhibitions and fair purposes. ATA Carnet Headquarters, located at the U.S. Council for International Business , 1212 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, issues and guarantees the ATA Carnet in the United States. For additional information call (212) 354-4480, or email USCIB for details. Please see our section on Customs Information for more information.

Natural disaster threats: Parts of northern India are highly susceptible to earthquakes. Regions of highest risk, ranked 5 on a scale of 1 to 5, include areas around Srinagar, Himachal Pradesh, Rishikesh and Dehra Dun, the northern parts of Punjab, northwest Gujarat, northern Bihar, and the entire northeast. Ranked 4 (high damage risk) is an area that sweeps along the north through Jammu and Kashmir, Eastern Punjab, Haryana, Northern Uttar Pradesh, central Bihar and the northern parts of West Bengal. New Delhi is located in zone 4. Severe flooding is common in hilly and mountainous areas throughout India. Flooding in 2013 in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and other areas left thousands of people presumed dead and temporarily stranded dozens of U.S. citizens.

Typhoons/cyclones and subsequent flooding are common along the Indian coasts, in particular the Eastern coastal states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, and have at times resulted in massive loss of life.  Tourists and residents in areas prone to these events should remain vigilant during severe weather, monitor local media for latest developments, and heed all municipal warnings.  Residents in these areas should have contingency plans for loss of power and inavailability of goods and services, including supplies for multiple days after a severe weather event.

Accessibility: While in India, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different than what you find in the United States. Despite legislation that all public buildings and transport be accessible for disabled people, accessibility remains limited. One notable exception is the Delhi metro system, designed to be accessible to those with physical disabilities.

Women Travelers: Please review our travel tips for  Women Travelers .

Students:  See our   Students Abroad  page and FBI travel tips .

LGBTQI+ Travelers:  Section 377 of India’s penal code makes same-sex sexual acts illegal in India. On September 6, 2018, the Supreme Court of India declared unconstitutional the application of Section 377, barring discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, effectively legalizing homosexuality in India. Reports of widespread discrimination and violence against LGBTQI+ persons, particularly in rural areas, persist. See our LGBTQI+ Travel Information page and section 6 of our Human Rights report for further details.

Zika is present in India. See the Centers for Disease Control’s website for more information.

The quality of medical care in India varies considerably. Medical care in the major population centers approaches and occasionally meets Western standards, but adequate medical care is usually very limited or unavailable in rural areas.

We do not pay medical bills. Be aware that U.S. Medicare does not apply overseas. 

Medical Insurance: Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas.  Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. See our webpage for more information on insurance providers for overseas coverage . 

We strongly recommend supplemental insurance (our webpage) to cover medical evacuation.

If traveling with prescription medication, check with the government of India to ensure the medication is legal in India.  Always, carry your prescription medication in original packaging with your doctor’s prescription. 

Vaccinations: Be up-to-date on all vaccinations recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you are arriving in India from Sub-Saharan Africa or other yellow-fever areas, Indian health regulations require that you present evidence of vaccination against yellow fever. If you do not have such proof, you could be subjected to immediate deportation or a six-day detention in the yellow-fever quarantine center. If you transit through any part of sub-Saharan Africa, even for one day, you are advised to carry proof of yellow fever immunization.

Dogs and bats create a high risk of rabies transmission in most of India. Vaccination is recommended for all prolonged stays, especially for young children and travelers in rural areas. It is also recommended for shorter stays that involve occupational exposure, locations more than 24 hours from a reliable source of human rabies immune globulin and rabies vaccine for post-exposure treatment, adventure travelers, hikers, cave explorers, and backpackers. Monkeys also can transmit rabies and herpes B, among other diseases, to human victims. Avoid feeding monkeys. If bitten, you should immediately soak and scrub the bite for at least 15 minutes and seek urgent medical attention.

Influenza is transmitted from November to April in areas north of the Tropic of Cancer (north India), and from June through November (the rainy season) in areas south of the Tropic of Cancer (south India), with a smaller peak from February through April; off-season transmission can also occur. All travelers are at risk. Influenza vaccine is recommended for all travelers during the flu season.

Outbreaks of avian influenza (H5N1 virus) occur intermittently in eastern India, including West Bengal, Manipur, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Assam. For further information on pandemic influenza, please refer to the Department of State's 2009-H1N1, Pandemic Influenza, and H5N1 Fact Sheet .

Malaria prophylaxis depends on time of year and area the traveler is visiting. Please consult the CDC website for more information. Dengue fever presents significant risk in urban and rural areas. The highest number of cases is reported from July to December, with cases peaking from September to October. Daytime insect precautions such as wearing long-sleeved shirts and mosquito repellent are recommended by the CDC.

Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in India. For further information, please consult the CDC’s Travel Notice on TB .

Further health information:

  • World Health Organization
  • U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Air pollution is a significant problem in several major cities in India, and you should consult your doctor prior to travel and consider the impact seasonal smog and heavy particulate pollution may have on you.  The air quality in India varies considerably and fluctuates with the seasons.  It is typically at its worst in the winter. Anyone who travels where pollution levels are high is at risk. People at the greatest risk from particle pollution exposure include:

  • Infants, children, and teens
  • People over 65 years of age
  • People with lung disease such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema;
  • People with heart disease or diabetes
  • People who work or are active outdoors

Current air quality data can be found on the Embassy’s Air Quality page . The data on this site are updated hourly.

Rh-negative blood may be difficult to obtain as it is not common in Asia.

For emergency services, dial 112 from a cell phone; from a land line, dial 100 for police, 102 for ambulance (108 in parts of South India), and 101 for fire. Ambulances are not equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment, and traffic does not yield to emergency vehicles. Injured or seriously ill travelers may prefer to take a taxi or private vehicle to the nearest major hospital rather than wait for an ambulance. Most hospitals require advance payment or confirmation of insurance prior to treatment. Payment practices vary and credit cards are not routinely accepted for medical care.

Medical Tourism: Medical tourism is a rapidly growing industry. Companies offering vacation packages bundled with medical consultations and financing options provide direct-to-consumer advertising over the internet. Such medical packages often claim to provide high quality care, but the quality of health care in India is highly variable. People seeking health care in India should understand that medical systems operate differently from those in the United States and are not subject to the same rules and regulations. Anyone interested in traveling for medical purposes should consult with their local physician before traveling and refer to the information from the CDC . Persons traveling to India for medical purposes require the proper “medical” visa. Please check with the nearest Indian embassy or consulate for more information.

Despite reports of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals, in general travelers should not delay or avoid treatment for urgent or emergent medical situations. However, health tourists and other travelers who may be contemplating elective procedures in this country should carefully research individual hospital infection control practices.

Surrogacy: Commercial surrogacy is illegal for foreigners in India, subject to complex local regulation.  For additional information, visit the Government of India’s official information on foreigner surrogacy . 

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General in India maintain lists of local doctors and hospitals, all of which are published on their respective websites under "U.S. Citizen Services." We cannot endorse or recommend any specific medical provider or clinic.

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety:  Travel by road in India is dangerous. India leads the world in traffic-related deaths and a number of U.S. citizens have suffered fatal traffic accidents in recent years. You should exercise extreme caution when crossing streets, even in marked pedestrian areas, and try to use only cars that have seatbelts. Seatbelts are not common in three-wheel taxis (autos) and in taxis’ back seats. Helmets should always be worn on motorcycles and bicycles.Travel at night is particularly hazardous.

On Indian roads, the safest driving policy is always to assume that other drivers will not respond to a traffic situation in the same way you would in the United States. Buses and trucks often run red lights and merge directly into traffic at yield points and traffic circles. Cars, autos, bicycles, and pedestrians behave only slightly more cautiously. Use your horn or flash your headlights frequently to announce your presence. It is both customary and wise.

Inside and outside major cities, roads are often poorly maintained and congested. Even main roads frequently have only two lanes, with poor visibility and inadequate warning markers. On the few divided highways one can expect to meet local transportation traveling in the wrong direction, often without lights. Heavy traffic is the norm and includes (but is not limited to) overloaded trucks and buses, scooters, pedestrians, bullock and camel carts, horse or elephant riders en route to weddings, bicycles, and free-roaming livestock.

Public Transportation: Buses, patronized by hundreds of millions of Indians, are convenient in that they serve almost every city of any size. However, they are often driven fast, recklessly, and without consideration for the rules of the road. Accidents are quite common.

Traffic Laws: Traffic in India moves on the left. It is important to be alert while crossing streets and intersections, especially after dark as traffic is coming in the "wrong" direction. Travelers should remember to use seatbelts in both rear and front seats where available, and to ask their drivers to maintain a safe speed.

In order to drive in India, you must have either a valid Indian driver’s license or a valid international driver’s license. Because of difficult road and traffic conditions, you may wish to consider hiring a local driver.

If a driver hits a pedestrian or a cow, the vehicle and its occupants are at risk of being attacked by passersby. Such attacks pose significant risk of injury or death to the vehicle's occupants or risk of incineration of the vehicle. It could be unsafe to remain at the scene of an accident of this nature, and drivers may instead wish to seek out the nearest police station. Protestors often use road blockage as a means of publicizing their grievances, causing severe inconvenience to travelers. Visitors should monitor local news reports for any reports of road disturbances.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.

Emergency Numbers: The following emergency numbers work in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata:

  • Fire Brigade 101
  • Ambulance 102

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of India’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of India’s air carrier operations. Further information may be found on the  FAA’s safety assessment page . Travelers are urged to use caution while booking private helicopters for travel, especially in the northeast. 

For additional travel information

  • Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
  • Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
  • See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
  • Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
  • See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

India was cited in the State Department’s 2023 Annual Report to Congress on International Child Abduction for demonstrating a pattern of non-compliance with respect to international parental child abduction. Review information about International Parental Child Abduction in  India . For additional IPCA-related information, please see the  International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act ( ICAPRA )  report.

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The Wandering Quinn Travel Blog

How to Apply for a Tourist Visa for India in 2024? A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE to Tourist Visa Application

Categories Asia , India

Applying for a tourist visa for India is no longer hard! Well, not as hard as it once was!

As of 2020 there became 3 tourist visas for India you can apply for – 30 Days, 1 Year, 5 Years.

Here is a step by step guide of how to apply for a visa for India online so you can get an e-visa for India no matter where you are from. This is how to get a visa for India from UK, how to get a visa for India from USA, and every other country!

Tourist Visa for India

Tourist visa for India

SIM CARD FOR INDIA

I really recommend having a sim card in India as it makes travel in India so much easier! You may have heard that it’s hard to get a sim card in India but you can get a sim card in Delhi Airport, read this post to see how to buy a sim card in Delhi Airport or if you fly in elsewhere 3 ways to buy a sim card in India and you’ll be connected in just a few hours!

WHAT TO WEAR IN INDIA

If you are a woman, here’s what I recommend you pack and wear in India . Technically you can wear what you like in India in most places but to get fewer stares and feel more comfortable, read my post!

DON’T GET SCAMMED IN DELHI

Most people arrive for the first time into Delhi and get scammed within a few hours! Read my Delhi Travel Tips to help you enjoy Delhi, and the best places to stay in Delhi which is so important!

This is a breakdown of the e-tourist visas for India that are on offer from the official India visa application website :

Tourist Visa for India

IMPORTANT NOTE: Before you read this post too much, I want to tell you now that if you are applying for the 1 month visa for India (aka the 30 day visa), you can only apply when you are within 30 days of going,  so if your trip is more than 30 days away, bookmark this post and come back to it 30 days before you visit India!

There are 2 ways to get your Indian visa online:

Find What You're Looking For Easily Here!

1) The Official E-Visa website

This is the official India e-Visa website  to get your India visa on for all nationalities , and this blog post is going to show you how to go through the online India visa application.

2) An India Visa Specialist

When you type into Google ‘ how to get an Indian visa ‘, you will come across other sites to the one above, they will tell you that this is how you get a visa for India, but they will charge you extra money on top of the standard visa fee because they are 3rd party sites.

However, the positive of using third party visa websites is that they offer you assistance and make the visa application process easier .

I have been speaking to iVisa who offer visa services for India. I didn’t use them because I think the official site is easy to navigate and I’m going to explain how to use it below, but if you have any issue working the official system or you’re happy to pay a bit extra to get some assistance and help,

iVisa.com

I’d recommend getting your India visa through iVisa by clicking here.

Applying for India Tourist Visa Via Official E-visa Website

Here’s a step-by-step guide with pictures and screenshots to apply for an E-visa for India.

Step 1: Indian E-Visa Application Form:

On the Homepage , click For eVisa by Bureau of Immigration. Apply here .

(If you are applying for a visa for India from Japan or South Korea, click the button with your flags next to it.)

You’ll be taken to this page :

tourist visa for India, Indian visa online application homepage screen

Under Advisory you can check the Indian visa types on offer. When you click on the number, details will appear on the right about how long the visa for India lasts and extra nationality information so if you are not from the UK, check the details for your country.

(FYI that I am guiding you on how to get a visa for India using a desktop so the buttons may be in different places on a mobile.)

For example, at the time of writing this post, this is what the 1. e-Tourist Visa details show with the 3 different options:

As you can see if you’re applying for an Indian Visa from the USA, Canada, UK or Japan you can stay for longer without leaving to go back.

Click the  Apply here for e-visa at the bottom left of the page.

Step 2: Completing the form:

Page 1 asks for simple contact and personal details.

The only bit that may catch you out here is  port of arrival and expected date of arrival  if you do not know when you’ll enter India yet. If you do not know, the answers do not need to be exact or correct but try to get them as near as possible. For example, it’s fairly likely you’ll fly into Delhi, Mumbai or Goa as these are the 3 main airports in India.

However, if you are applying for the 30 DAY VISA , note that you can only apply for this within 30 days of your arrival date, so if you don’t know when you’ll visit India yet, you should probably think about this first. After this, your visa will be valid for 30 days once you arrive in India.

If you plan to arrive by land, be sure to check what I’ve said about land border crossings into India in the important information section at the bottom of this post . If you plan to arrive into India from Pakistan, read this blog post about crossing the Wagah Border .

tourist visa for India application

Page 2 asks for more details and your passport details.

On the question  Citizenship/National Id No – type NA and for  Visible identification marks – type NA too.

IMPORTANT TIP: Make a note of the Temporary Application ID at the start so if the form crashes midway through (which it may well do) you can go back to the homepage and continue to fill out the pre-filled out form from there rather than starting again.

Page 3 requests details for address, family details and occupation.

tourist visa for India, Indian visa online application screen

Page 4 gets you to confirm and check the type of visa you are applying for. Generally, unless you are visiting India for business, you will be applying for an eTourist visa . It also asks you for more details about your trip to India.

You’re asked for Places to be visited , in the box, name as many places as you can but you don’t need to name them all and there are limited characters for the box so you can’t name them all anyway.

If you do not know your India route yet, popular places to visit in India that you’ll probably go to are Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodphur, Varanasi, Mumbai, Goa, Kerala . After you’ve finished with your visa, you can look at one of my India itineraries to help you plan your trip!

BOOKING TRAINS IN INDIA

India is best travelled by train because its the quickest, cheapest and best way of getting to know the country. For an EASY option of booking trains in India use 12GO to search and book trains really easily. If you’ll be in India for awhile, you can use the local booking system, it’s a bit tricker but possible, here’s my post on how to book trains in India as a tourist .

BEST ACCOMMODATION IN INDIA

I always use Booking.com to book my hotels in India and Hostelworld to book my hostels . India has a great range of accommodation with brilliant hostel chains like Moustache, Zostel and Backpacker Panda as well as homestays to luxury hotels.

GUIDED TOURS IN INDIA

Many cities in India are best seen with a guide , even if it’s just a half day tour on your first day . Cities in India are chaotic and complex and what better way to taste the food and get to know the city than with a local. I recommend Get Your Guide & Viator for the best tours in India!

Have you booked any room in Hotel/Resort etc. through any Tour Operator? – If you’re visiting India solo and you’re not visiting India on a tour, click no. If you are visiting on a tour click yes and give the tour operator details. 

When they ask for Countries Visited in Last 10 years , note that although it lets you add 50+ Countries as I added, when you proceed you’ll get an error message to say you can only add 20. So only add up to 20 if you have been to more.

  • My Must Read India Blog Posts To Help You See the Best of India!
  • 24 places in India Perfect for Your First Trip!
  • Golden Triangle India Itinerary for 1 Week in India!
  • A 2 Week India Itinerary For Your First Trip To India!
  • A 2 Month India Itinerary Visiting North & South India!
  • How to Get a Sim Card in Delhi Airport!
  • 10 Delhi Travel Tips to See & Enjoy Delhi as a Tourist!
  •   All My India City Guides and Tips

Have you visited SAARC countries (except your own country) during last 3 years? The SAARC countries are Afganistan, Bhutan, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal.

Reference Name in India: Put your first hotel/hostel name if you have one booked, if not pick any accommodation in the city you might go to first. For example, I used the details of Backpacker Panda in Colaba, Mumbai as I have been there before and might go back.

Related Blog Post: Best Places to Stay in Delhi, Hostels, Hotels & Airbnbs!

Reference Name in Home Country:  This is where you add your next of kin details.

Page 5  asks you to answer, what should be, pretty easy questions!

tourist visa for india, Indian visa online application questions screen

Page 6  is where things can get a bit more tricky but it’s not too hard if you follow these steps.

You need to upload a passport photo to go along with your Indian online visa .

They give you the dimensions and details- it must be a JPEG photo, between 10KB and 1MB, and a minimum of 350×350 pixels .

This can seem tricky but my secret is that I tried scanning in 2 different sized passport photos and uploading them but it didn’t accept them. I then took a photo of a passport photo on my phone, transferred it to my laptop, uploaded it and it worked!  

Note that your photo may be too big, but it may also be too small so be sure to read the red warning correctly if it will not let you load a photo.

Once it is uploaded, you’re given the chance to crop it to the dimensions they need in the next screen. Easy!

Related Post: Are you still working out where to visit in India? Here are 24 places in India perfect for your first trip !

tourist visa for india, Indian visa online application photo upload screen

Page 7 asked you to upload a copy of your passport photo page in a PDF format.

What I did is take a photo of my passport on my phone and transferred it to my laptop , as I did with the passport photo.

I opened the photo and changed the size to fit the minimum 10KB and maximum 300KB requirements and I exported it into PDF all on my Mac before uploading it. If you do this, make sure you rename the photo with .PDF at the end or it won’t accept it and will keep telling you it’s not a PDF.

See the screenshots below for help on how to resize a photo and export to PDF on a Mac.

Then, make sure you click upload under the file name so you get the green ‘uploaded’ status on the right.

If you are having real issues at this stage and cannot upload the right photo, this is where I’d suggest you look into help from iVisa !

If you need to go away and take photos before you can upload them remember you can save your application and come back to it. Make a note of the Temporary Application ID and return to it within 7 days, otherwise, you’ll need to start again after 7 days.

tourist visa for india, Indian visa online application document upload screen

(Note that I applied for a business visa for India as I ran tours in India , so my screenshot asks for my business card, you won’t be asked for this if you’re applying for a tourist visa.)

Page 8 asks you to confirm the details you have entered so far.

Step 3: Paying for the Visa:

Page 9 is where you complete the online Indian visa payment.

Make a note of the application ID, this is different from the Temporary Application ID you were given before. 

Choose your payment type and click Pay Now .

I clicked onto Paypal which took me to this SBIePay site where I could pay via PayPal or by debit or credit card using Visa or MasterCard. Amex does work but there is an extra fee.

As you can see, the 30 day tourist visa for India costs $25.00, the one year visa for India cost is $40.00

tourist visa for india, paying for the india tourist visa

If you have issues paying as the system is crashing or doesn’t look like it’s processing the payment, leave the page and to go back to the   homepage  and click on Verify Payment / Pay e-Visa Fee which takes you to a page you can enter the application Id you were given and check the status. If the payment has processed, it will say.

Shortly after I got an email to say my visa application had been successfully received and the application will take up to 72 hours to be processed.

To my delight, I got an email 18 hours later to say it had been granted! That’s quick!

To finish the Indian e-visa process, I went back to the official Indian visa homepage , clicked Check Visa Status , filled in the details, and then clicked Print Status , which downloaded a copy of my granted ETA visa for India as a PDF which I printed to take with me to enter.

tourist visa for india, Indian visa confirmation email

Just when you are finished applying for an Indian E-visa and decided the dates, you might want to book the flights. I use Skyscanner to book all of my flights! I’m a huge fan of Skyscanner because I love how easy it is to compare different dates and routes to help me find the best flight at the best price! Open Skyscanner by clicking here and search for the best flights as you read this post.

Important Things To Note About The Tourist Visa for India

I hope you can tell from this post that you MUST apply for your visa for India in advance and as you can see it can take up to 3 days / 72 hours to process so give yourself time.

DO NOT ARRIVE AT THE AIRPORT WITHOUT A GRANTED VISA FOR INDIA. India does not offer a visa on arrival and you’ll be refused on your flight or into India.

The 1 year and 5 year   visa for India starts as soon as it is granted by email . This isn’t too much of a problem because of the length of the visa but it means the earlier you apply for the visa, the earlier it expires so don’t apply for it too far in advance if you think you’ll go back and forth to India over the next year.

HELP WITH YOUR INDIA ITINERARY

I’ve spent many months travelling India in the last few years visiting over 50 places around the country, here are my recommended itinerary posts for India to help you plan your trip!

2 WEEK INDIA ITINERARY, PERFECT FOR YOUR FIRST TRIP!

2 WEEK SOUTH INDIA ITINERARY – GOA & KERELA

1 MONTH NORTH INDIA ITINERARY IDEAS!

1 MONTH SOUTH INDIA ITINERARY IDEAS!

2 MONTH INDIA ITINERARY IN THE NORTH & SOUTH

MY 4 MONTH INDIA ITINERARY!

24 BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN INDIA!

However, the 30 day tourist visa for India gives you 30 days from when you enter, not from when it’s approved !

With that being said, you can’t apply for the visa earlier than 180 days before your intended trip, or 30 days if you get the 30 day visa.

Although this is a 365 day visa, most nationalities can only stay for 90 days at a time , then they will have to leave and come back. People with a UK, USA, Canadian or Japanese passport (as of writing this) can stay for up to 180 days at a time.

PRINT off the visa ETA application  that is sent to you as you may need to show it when you arrive in India.

As of August 2019, applicants can arrive at 28 e-Visa designated airports in India which are Ahmedabad , Amritsar , Bagdogra , Bengaluru , Bhubaneshwar , Calicut , Chandigarh , Chennai , Cochin , Coimbatore , Delhi , Gaya , Goa , Guwahati , Hyderabad , Jaipur , Kolkata , Lucknow , Madurai , Mangalore , Mumbai , Nagpur , Portblair , Pune , Tiruchirapalli , Trivandrum , Varanasi , Vishakhapatnam, and 5 designated seaports – Chennai , Cochin , Goa , Mangalore , Mumbai. However, he/she can depart from any of the authorized Immigration Check Posts in India.

It’s popular for travellers to travel into India by land border from Nepal, there are also land borders to cross into India from Pakistan and Bangladesh however with this new visa because it is not technically in your passport already like it used to be if you went to a visa office in your home country.

From what I understand you CANNOT arrive into India via land border for the first time on an e-visa as they need to put a special stamp in, you can re-enter India via land though once your e-visa is in your passport.

This was reconfirmed to me when I travelled from Pakistan to India via the Wagah Border , I could do it as I had the visa in my passport already but I could not have done it if I didn’t.

If you plan to travel into India by land from Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh or any other way, I would strongly recommend speaking to the Indian Visa Office first to check if that’s ok, their email is  [email protected] and their number is +91-11-24300666.

Lastly, the visa rules for India state that you need proof of exit from India so you may be asked to show a flight out of India when you check-in at your departing airport. If you don’t have this because you don’t know when or where you’ll leave India from, you can either book a super cheap flight on Skyscanner , or you can use Expedia.com  to book a flight when you get asked at the airport and to book a flight with a 24-hour cancellation notice so you can cancel it within 24 hours with no charges!

Related Post:  How to Show Proof of an Onward Flight WITHOUT Paying for a Flight!

Make sure you also check out by  India blog posts & YouTube videos to help plan your trip!

Finally, if you want to start looking into how to get from place to place by train and bus in India, although I recommend getting the train as much as possible, head on over to 12GO Asia  to check out some routes and I suggest you book these in advance too!

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Saturday 17th of February 2024

Thanks so much for your blog. Very useful ad helpful espcially the part of the photos and uploads!!! I just applied for the indian evisas for my husband and I. We have our trip comletely planned and paid before we applied for the Visas. We also had our vaccinations and malaria pills so we are all set. We now have to wait for the visas to come through. Keeping our fingers crossed that it processes quickly and it is approved quickly as well.

Thanks agin!!! Really appreciate your blog!!!

Thursday 11th of January 2024

A big thank you for the post, it has been such a valuable benefit in the visa application process. We had ours granted within 12 hours of submitting. Result!

TheWanderingQuinn

Monday 15th of January 2024

Really glad to hear this, thanks for letting me know.

Sunday 7th of January 2024

I’m travelling to India Feb 24 via cruise ship, I will be visiting Goa, Cochin and Mumbai before travelling home via Mumbai Airport. I have received conflicting advice on what e-Tourist Visa I require ie 30 day or 1 year. Could you possible help?

Monday 29th of January 2024

@TheWanderingQuinn,

Thank you so much for your advice on applying for a Visa. My application was successful and granted within 14 hours. I couldn’t have done it without your assistance. Thank you

Monday 8th of January 2024

Hello, sounds like a great trip. I'm not 100% sure, if you are in India less than 30 days it seems like that one should be ok but if it will be more than 30 days from you arriving my ship and leaving from the airport you'll need the 1 year option. Is that the case?

Saturday 4th of November 2023

I am cruising Singapore to Mumbai with a stop at Cochin sea port. I then continue to Mumbai where I disembark for 3 days hotel stay in Mumbai before flying home from Mumbai airport. Will a 30 day tourist e-visa cover me for this trip? Thank you so much for your help.

Monday 6th of November 2023

Hello, wow, that sounds like a great trip! Yes, the visa will cover you for that. The cruise company should advise what visa (if any) you'll need for Cochin as being a cruise stop it might be different but because you are staying on in Mumbai afterwards I assume you will need a visa and therefore the 30 day tourist visa will be the right on :)

Tuesday 31st of October 2023

Thank you for writing such a detailed and helpful article.

Couple of things i was curious about: You'd mentioned that you got the approval within a day for your 30-day visa, but any idea if the Authorization takes longer if the application is for a 1 year or a 5 year visa? if the times / costs are approximately the same, I'm curious why one would apply for a 30-day visa instead of a longer duration.

Lastly, are there additional steps / documents required depending on the length of the visa duration?

Visa Traveler

Exploring the world one country at a time

How to apply for India e-Visa: A step-by-step guide (with screenshots)

Updated: July 26, 2023

How to Apply for India e-Visa - Home Page

India e-Visa application is quite simple and easy to navigate. It only takes about 15 minutes to apply for India e-Visa online. Keep the necessary documents ready before you start the application. If you are missing something, it’s not a big deal as you can save the application and come back later to complete it.

There can be occasional hiccups with the visa fee payment. But nothing major. These payment issues can be fixed easily. I have provided all the details you need to know in this article.

If you haven’t already, check out the complete guide to India e-Visa for details on different tourist e-Visa types, eligible nationalities, fees, processing time, application status, etc.

Table of Contents

Documents needed to apply for india e-visa.

Before starting your India e-Visa online application, have these documents ready.

  • Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your anticipated date of arrival in India
  • Photo must be in JPG/JPEG format only
  • Photo must be 2inch x 2inch in dimensions
  • Photo must be less than 1MB in size
  • Head must be centered with light background and no glasses
  • Scan must be in PDF format only
  • Scan must be larger than 10KB and smaller than 300KB
  • Your credit or debit card must support international transactions in non-home currency

Steps for filling out the India e-Visa application

India e-Visa - Apply button

  • Go to India e-Visa Portal
  • Click on the Apply here for e-Visa button

You will be taken to the e-Visa application page.

02. e-Visa application

India e-Visa - Application page

Enter the following details on the e-Visa application page.

  • Nationality/Region [ Comment : Enter your country of passport ]
  • Passport Type [ Comment : Select “ORDINARY PASSPORT” from the options ]
  • Port of Arrival [ Comment : Select the airport where you will be arriving ]
  • Date of Birth [ Comment : Enter your date of birth as it appears in your passport in DD/MM/YYYY format ]
  • Email ID [ Comment : Enter your email ID where you would like to receive your approved e-Visa ]
  • Re-enter Email ID [ Comment : Re-enter your email ID ]
  • Visa Service [ Comment : Select “e-TOURIST VISA”. If there is a 5-year option, select the 5-year option and then select “RECREATION/SIGHT-SEEING”. If you are not a tourist and applying for the e-Visa for some other purpose, select the appropriate purpose ]
  • Expected Date of Arrival  [ Comment : Enter your anticipated date of arrival in India in DD/MM/YYYY format ]
  • Please enter above text  [ Comment : Enter the captcha ]

Check the box for “I have read the instructions I have all the required documents in scanned pdf format and photograph in jpg/jpeg format”.

Click on the orange Continue button.

A small popup appears prompting you to make sure you have a colored digital photo and a scan of your passport ID page. 

Click on the Ok button on the popup. 

You will be taken to the Applicant Details Form .

03. Applicant Details Form (part 1)

India e-Visa - Applicant details page

Enter the following information in the Applicant Details section.

  • Surname (exactly as in your passport) [ Comment : Enter your surname as it appears in your passport ]
  • Given Name/s (exactly as in your passport) [ Comment : Enter your given name as it appears in your passport. If you have a middle name, enter your middle name followed by your first name in this field ]
  • Have your ever changed your name? [ Comment : If you have legally changed your name in the past, check this box and enter the details. Ex: changed your surname after marriage ]
  • Gender [ Comment : Select your gender from the options ]
  • Date of birth [ Comment : Nothing to enter here as your date of birth is populated automatically from the previous screen ]
  • Town/City of birth [ Comment : Enter your place of birth as it appears in your passport ]
  • Country/Region of birth [ Comment : Enter your country of birth ]
  • Citizenship/National Id No. [ Comment : If you have a national Id, enter here. But do not enter SSN or something similar that’s confidential. In that case, just enter NA ]
  • ZOROASTRIAN
  • Visible identification marks [ Comment : Enter any visible identification marks such as permanent moles or scars preferably on the face ]
  • BELOW MATRICULATION
  • HIGHER SECONDARY
  • MATRICULATION
  • NA BEING MINOR
  • POSTGRADUATE
  • PROFESSIONAL
  • Nationality/Region [ Comment : Nothing to enter here as your nationality is populated automatically from the previous screen ]
  • Naturalization
  • Have you lived for at least two years in the country where you are applying visa? [ Comment: Select “Yes”. If you haven’t lived more than two years in the country you are applying from, select “No” ]

Enter the following information in the Passport Details section.

  • Passport Number [ Comment : Enter your current passport number that you will use for entering India ]
  • Place of Issue [ Comment : Enter the place of issue as it appears in your passport ]
  • Date of Issue [ Comment : Enter the date of issue as it appears in your passport ]
  • Date of Expiry [ Comment : Enter the expiry date as it appears in your passport. Passport must have at least 6 months of validity from the anticipated date of entry ]
  • Any other valid Passport/Identity Certificate(IC) held [ Comment : Select No. If you also hold a passport from another country, select Yes and enter the details ]

Click on the orange Save and Continue button. 

You will be taken to the Applicant Details Form second part.

How to save the application and come back later to complete

If you plan to continue filling out the application later, you can click on Save and Temporarily Exit button.

India e-Visa - Save partially filled application

This will save your progress and exit the application. You will be asked to make a note of your application ID. 

India e-Visa - Partially saved email notification

You will also receive an email with your application ID. You will have 7 days to complete the application. Otherwise, the application will be deleted from the system and you will have to start over again.

India e-Visa - Complete partially filled form

Follow these steps to complete the partially saved application.

  • Click on the Complete Partially Filled Application Form button

You will be taken to the Complete Partially Filled Form .

India e-Visa - Complete partially filled form

Enter the following information in the Complete Partially Filled Form .

  • Temporary Application ID [ Comment : Enter your saved application ID. If you don’t remember, look in your email inbox ]
  • Please enter above text [ Comment : Enter the captcha ]

Click on the orange Complete Partially Filled button.

You will be taken to the last saved point of your e-Visa application. You can continue filling in from there.

04. Applicant Details Form (part 2)

India e-Visa - Applicant details page

Enter the following information in the Applicant Address Details section.

Present Address

  • House No./Street [ Comment : Enter your house number or street address where you live ]
  • Village/Town/City [ Comment : Enter the city where you live ]
  • Country [ Comment : Enter the country where you live ]
  • State/Province/District [ Comment : Enter the state or province where you live ]
  • Postal/Zip Code [ Comment : Enter your current address postal or zip code ]
  • Phone No. [ Comment : Enter your current fixed-line phone number ]
  • Mobile No. [ Comment : Enter your current mobile or cellphone number ]
  • Email Address [ Comment : Nothing to enter here as your email is populated automatically from the previous pages ]
  • Click here for same address [ Comment : Check this box if your permanent address is the same as your current address. If not, enter your permanent address below ]

NOTE Enter your permanent address below if it’s different from your present address.

Permanent Address

  • House No./Street [ Comment : Enter your permanent address house number ]
  • Village/Town/City [ Comment : Enter your permanent address city ]
  • State/Province/District [ Comment : Enter your permanent address state or province ]

Enter the following information in the Family Details section.

Father’s Details

  • Name [ Comment : Enter your father’s full name including first, middle and last names ]
  • Nationality/Region [ Comment : Enter your father’s nationality ]
  • Previous Nationality/Region [ Comment : This is not a mandatory field, so leave it unselected. But if your father held any previous nationality, select the country from the list ]
  • Place of birth [ Comment : Enter your father’s place of birth ]
  • Country/Region of birth [ Comment : Select your father’s country of birth from the list ] 

Mother’s Details

  • Name [ Comment : Enter your mother’s full name including first, middle and last names ]
  • Nationality/Region [ Comment : Enter your mother’s nationality ]
  • Previous Nationality/Region [ Comment : This is not a mandatory field, so leave it unselected. But if your mother held any previous nationality, select the country from the list ]
  • Place of birth [ Comment : Enter your mother’s place of birth ]
  • Country/Region of birth [ Comment : Select your mother’s country of birth from the list ] 

Enter the following information in the next (Marital Status) section.

Spouse’s Details

  • Name [ Comment : Enter your spouse’s full name including first, middle and last names ]
  • Nationality/Region [ Comment : Enter your spouse’s nationality ]
  • Previous Nationality/Region [ Comment : This is not a mandatory field, so leave it unselected. But if your spouse held any previous nationality, select the country from the list ]
  • Place of birth [ Comment : Enter your spouse’s place of birth ]
  • Country/Region of birth [ Comment : Select your spouse’s country of birth from the list ] 
  • Were your Parents/Grandparents (paternal/maternal) Pakistan Nationals or Belong to Pakistan held area? [ Comment: Select No. If you select Yes for any reason, give the details on your ancestory ]

Enter the following information in the Profession/Occupation Details of Application section.

  • Present Occupation [ Comment : Select your current occupation/profession from the list. If you can’t find your occupation/profession in the list, such as NURSE, select OTHERS and enter your occupation/profession in the box that appears below ]
  • Employer Name/business [ Comment : Enter your current employer/business name ]
  • Designation [ Comment : Enter your current designation or title ]
  • Address [ Comment : Enter your current employer/business address ]
  • Phone [ Comment : Enter your current employer/business phone number ]
  • Past Occupation, if any [ Comment : If you had any other occupations or professions in the past, select from the list ]
  • Are/were you in a Military/Semi-Military/Police/Security Organization? [ Comment : Select No. If you are/were in defense, select Yes and enter the details ]

Click on the orange Save and Continue button.

You will be taken to the Visa Details Form .

05. Visa Details Form

India e-Visa - Visa details page

Enter the following information in the Details of the visa sought section.

  • Type of visa [ Comment : Nothing to enter here as your visa type (e-Visa) will be automatically populated here ]
  • Visa service [ Comment : Nothing to enter here too as the e-Tourist Visa option that you have selected earlier will be automatically populated ]
  • Places to be visited [ Comment : List all the places that you will visit in India on this trip ]
  • Places to be visited line 2 [ Comment : If the above text box is not enough, you can enter more places that you plan to visit in India here ]
  • Have you booked any room in Hotel/Resort etc. through any Tour Operator? [ Comment : If you have already booked a hotel or tour, select Yes and enter the details here ]
  • Duration of visa [ Comment : Nothing to enter here as the visa length that you have selected earlier will be automatically populated here ]
  • No, of Entries [ Comment : This will also be auto-populated based on your selection in the previous pages ]
  • Port of Arrival in India [ Comment : This will also be auto-populated based on your selection in the previous pages ]
  • Expected Port of Exit from India [ Comment : Select the airport or seaport from which you plan to leave the country after your trip ]

IMPORTANT Your port of arrival and exit do not matter much. After your e-Visa is approved, you can enter from any airport/seaport and exit from any airport/seaport.

Enter the following information in the Previous Visa/Currently valid Visa Details section.

  • Have you ever visited India before? [ Comment : If you have been to India before, select Yes and enter the details below. If this is your first time visiting India, select No and skip to the next section ]
  • Address [ Comment : Enter the address of the house or hotel where you stayed during your last visit to India ]
  • Cities previously visited in India [ Comment : List all the cities you have visited on your last visit to India ]
  • Last Indian Visa No/Currently valid Indian Visa No. [ Comment : Enter your previous India visa number ]
  • Type of Visa [ Comment : Select the type of your previous visa from the list ]
  • Place of Issue [ Comment : Enter the place your previous India visa was issued. If it was e-Visa, then it would be your first port of entry in India. If it were a consular visa, then it would be the city abroad where it was issued ]
  • Date of Issue [ Comment : Enter the date on which your previous India visa was issued ]
  • Has permission to visit or to extend stay in India previously been refused? [ Comment : Select No. If you were denied entry into India before select Yes and enter the details ]

Enter the following in the Other Information section.

  • Countries Visited in Last 10 years [ Comment : Enter the list of countries that you have visited in the last 10 years ]

Enter the following in the SAARC Country Visit Details section. 

  • Have you visited SAARC countries (except your own country) during last 3 years?  [ Comment : If you have visited any SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries in the last 3 years, enter them here ]

SAARC Countries SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. If you have visited any of these countries in the last 3 years, you must enter them for the above question. 

Enter the following in the Reference section.

  • Reference Name in India [ Comment : Enter the name of a contact person in India. This can be a family, relative or friend who lives in India. If you do not know anyone, you can enter the hotel where you plan to stay ]
  • Address [ Comment : Enter your India contact person’s address or hotel address ]
  • State [ Comment : Select the state where your India contact person resides or your hotel is ]
  • District [ Comment : Select the district where your India contact person resides or your hotel is ]
  • Phone [ Comment : Enter an Indian phone number of your India contact person or hotel ]
  • Reference Name in <your country> [ Comment : Enter the name of someone from your country as an emergency contact. This can be a family, relative or friend who lives in your country ]
  • Address [ Comment : Enter your emergency contact person’s address ]
  • Phone [ Comment : Enter your emergency contact person’s phone number ]

06. Additional Question Details

India e-Visa - Additional questions page

Answer the following question on this page.

  • Have you ever been arrested/ prosecuted/ convicted by Court of Law of any country? [ Comment : Select No unless you have been arrested or prosecuted ]
  • Have you ever been refused entry / deported by any country including India? [ Comment : Select No unless you have been refused entry or deported from any country in the past ]
  • Have you ever been engaged in Human trafficking/ Drug trafficking/ Child abuse/ Crime against women/ Economic offense / Financial fraud? [ Comment : Select No ]
  • Have you ever been engaged in Cyber crime/ Terrorist activities/ Sabotage/ Espionage/ Genocide/ Political killing/ other act of violence? [ Comment : Select No ]
  • Have you ever by any means or medium, expressed views that justify or glorify terrorist violence or that may encourage others to terrorist acts or other serious criminal acts? [ Comment : Select No ]
  • Have you sought asylum (political or otherwise)in any country? [ Comment : Select No, unless you have sought asylum ]

Check the box for the self-declaration that all the above information is correct.

Then, click on the orange Save and Continue button.

You will be taken to the Upload Photograph page.

07. Upload Photograph

India e-Visa - Upload photograph page

Click on the Choose File button to select the JPG/JPEG file of your photo.

After selecting the file, click on the orange Upload Photo button.

India e-Visa - Upload photograph page

When the photo is uploaded, you will be asked to crop the photo. If necessary, you can crop the photo. If not, simply drag the outer edge of the crop highlight to select the entire photo.

Then, click on the orange Crop and Save button. 

India e-Visa - Upload photograph page

Now, click on the orange Save and Continue button.

You will be taken to the Upload Document page.

08. Upload Document

India e-Visa - Document upload page

Click on the Choose File button to select the PDF of your scanned passport ID page.

Once you select your PDF file, click on the orange Upload Document button.

Then, check the box for “I have verified that all the documents are uploaded as per the requirement”.

Click on the orange Confirm button.

You will be taken to the Confirm Details page.

09. Confirm Details

India e-Visa - Confirm details page

Review all the details you have entered so far. If you need to make any corrections, click on the Modify button.

If everything is looking good, click on the Verified and Continue button.

You will be taken to the Online VISA Fee Payment page.

10. Online VISA Fee Payment

India e-Visa - Fee payment page

On this page, your name and application ID are displayed along with the disclaimer and undertaking.

Select “Yes” for the undertaking and click on the Pay Now button. 

India e-Visa - Fee payment page

You will then be shown the below three available payment gateway options.

Select the payment gateway that you would like to use and click on the Continue button.

NOTE The Axis bank gateway is not reliable. Use Sbi e-pay when paying with a credit or debit card. 

You will be shown a popup notifying you that there may be some payment delays. Click on the Ok button on the popup to continue.

You will be taken to the payment gateway page to enter your credit or debit card details. 

India e-Visa - SBI epay gateway page

On the Sbi e-pay gateway page, the Debit/Credit Card option will be selected by default. 

Enter the following information in the Debit/Credit Card form.

  • Card number [ Comment : Enter your credit/debit card number ]
  • Expiry date/valid thru [ Comment : Enter your credit/debit card expiry date ]
  • CVV/CVC [ Comment : Enter your credit/debit card CVV number ]
  • Name of the cardholder [ Comment : Enter your name as it appears on your credit/debit card ]
  • Use your GSTIN for claiming input tax [ Comment : Leave this check box as is ]

Click on the Pay Now button.

India e-Visa - Axis bank gateway page

On the Axis bank gateway page, enter the following information.

  • CARD NUMBER [ Comment : Enter your credit/debit card number ]
  • CARD NAME [ Comment : Enter your card issuer such as Visa, Master, etc. ]
  • MONTH [ Comment : Enter the month of your credit/debit card expiry ]
  • YEAR [ Comment : Enter the year of your credit/debit card expiry ]
  • CVV CODE [ Comment : Enter your credit/debit card CVV number ]

Click on the Submit button.

India e-Visa - Axis bank gateway page

You will be taken to the Your Final Payment page of Axis bank.

India e-Visa payment success

India e-Visa - Payment success page

If the payment is successful, you will be taken to the Payment Success page.

On this page, your name, application ID and passport number are deployed along with contacts of the e-Visa department for any assistance.

India e-Visa - Fee receipt

Click on the orange Generate Fee Receipt button to download a copy of the fee receipt. 

India e-Visa - Application successfully received email notification

You will also receive an email that your application has been successfully submitted. 

India e-Visa payment failed

India e-Visa - payment failed page

If your payment is failed, you will be taken to the Payment Failed page. 

On this page, the reason for the payment failure, such as the card declined, etc. is displayed. You cannot retry the payment from this page. To retry the payment, follow the below steps.

India e-Visa - Pay visa fee

  • Click on the Verify Payment/Pay e-Visa Fee button

You will be taken to the Pay Visa Processing Fee page.

India e-Visa - Pay visa processing fee

On the Pay Visa Processing Fee page, enter the following details.

  • Application Id [ Comment : Enter your saved 12-digit application Id. If you don’t remember, check your email ]
  • Date of Birth [ Comment : Enter your date of birth as it appears in your passport ]

Click on the orange Check Payment button.

You will be taken to the Payment Report page.

India e-Visa - Failed payment report

On the Payment Report page, you will see your last failed payment attempt and the reason for the failure. 

Click on the orange Pay Visa Processing Fee button. 

You will be taken back to the Online VISA Fee Payment page. From here simply follow the steps outlined in “ 10. Online VISA Fee Payment ” above to try the payment again. 

Check your India e-Visa application status

India e-Visa - Check status

To check the status of your India e-Visa process, follow the below steps.

  • Click on the Check your Visa Status button

You will be taken to the Visa Status Enquiry page.

India e-Visa - Status enquiry form

Enter the following on the Visa Status Enquiry page.

  • Passport No. [ Comment : Enter your passport number ]

Click on the orange Check Status button.

India e-Visa - Processing status

On the next page, your visa status will be displayed. 

If the application status says “successfully received”, then your application is still in process. If the application status says granted, then your e-Visa is approved. 

Receive your approved India e-Visa

India e-Visa - Granted status email notification

When your Indian e-Visa is approved, you will receive an email notifying you that your e-Visa has been granted. 

You can use this email as proof of your e-Visa approval or you can download your approved e-Visa from the India e-Visa Portal. 

India e-Visa - Granted status

To download your approved e-Visa, first follow the steps to check the visa status as outlined above in “ Check your India e-Visa application status “.

On the Visa Status Enquiry page, you will see that your application status is now “Granted”. 

Click on the orange Print Status button to download your approved e-Visa. 

India e-Visa sample picture

Print and carry your approved India e-Visa PDF when you travel. Or download it as a PDF on your phone and present it to the airline staff or India immigration officer on your arrival. 

WRITTEN BY THIRUMAL MOTATI

Thirumal Motati

Thirumal Motati is an expert in tourist visa matters. He has been traveling the world on tourist visas for more than a decade. With his expertise, he has obtained several tourist visas, including the most strenuous ones such as the US, UK, Canada, and Schengen, some of which were granted multiple times. He has also set foot inside US consulates on numerous occasions. Mr. Motati has uncovered the secrets to successful visa applications. His guidance has enabled countless individuals to obtain their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. His statements have been mentioned in publications like Yahoo, BBC, The Hindu, and Travel Zoo.

PLAN YOUR TRAVEL WITH VISA TRAVELER

I highly recommend using these websites to plan your trip. I use these websites myself to apply for my visas, book my flights and hotels and purchase my travel insurance.

01. Apply for your visa

Get a verifiable flight itinerary for your visa application from DummyTicket247 . DummyTicket247 is a flight search engine to search and book flight itineraries for visas instantly. These flight itineraries are guaranteed to be valid for 2 weeks and work for all visa applications.

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Find the cheapest flight tickets using Skyscanner . Skyscanner includes all budget airlines and you are guaranteed to find the cheapest flight to your destination.

03. Book your hotel

Book your hotel from Booking.com . Booking.com has pretty much every hotel, hostel and guesthouse from every destination.

04. Get your onward ticket

If traveling on a one-way ticket, use BestOnwardTicket to get proof of onward ticket for just $12, valid for 48 hours.

05. Purchase your insurance

Purchase travel medical insurance for your trip from SafetyWing . Insurance from SafetyWing covers COVID-19 and also comes with a visa letter which you can use for your visas.

06. Get your zero-fee ATM card

You can manage money internationally in over 70 currencies using  Wise . With a Wise card, you can store and withdraw cash in 40 currencies with zero ATM fees. 

Need more? Check out my travel resources page  for the best websites to plan your trip.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER We are not affiliated with immigration, embassies or governments of any country. The content in this article is for educational and general informational purposes only, and shall not be understood or construed as, visa, immigration or legal advice. Your use of information provided in this article is solely at your own risk and you expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this article as a substitute for professional visa or immigration advice. Under no circumstance shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damage you may suffer in respect to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the information in this article. Please refer to our full disclaimer for further information.

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please refer to our full disclosure for further information.

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Visa India

Frequently Asked Questions

đŸŽ« what is the difference between an “indian eta”, an e-tourist visa (etv), an india visa on arrival and a traditional india visa.

All travelers arriving in India are legally required to hold a valid visa (except Maldives nationals).

Eligible citizens traveling for tourism, yoga, business, medical or visiting acquaintances have the option to apply for an India visa online which is granted to them electronically. When the Indian government implemented this new electronic process, they called it Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) . As the visa stamp is placed inside the traveler's passport at the airport on arrival in India, the application form is also called 'Visa on Arrival'. This could be confusing for travelers; it is very important to understand that visa must be applied for and approved before traveling to India , under penalty of being refused boarding or disembarkation.

The official name of this process then changed to "e-Tourist Visa (eTV)" and then "e-Visa" in 2017. The online process has not changed, biometric information from the traveler will still be taken at the airport and the stamp affixed inside the passport on arrival in India.

🛬 Can I apply for an India visa upon arrival at the airport?

No, it is not possible to apply for an India visa on arrival at the airport. Eligible citizens have the opportunity to apply an e-visa for India online , before their departure for India, which will allow them to only have their biometric information taken at the airport and the visa stamped inside the passport once there. It is very important to know that the visa application must be submitted in advance, and approved before you can even board a flight to India; the process takes several days and cannot be done upon arrival in India.

Airlines have become accustomed to checking this document upon boarding. to avoid any repatriation at their expense. A visa request "  on hold  » is not authorized for inspection.

✈ Which ports or airports of entry accept e-Visa?

The e-Visa for India is only authorised on arrival at 31 airports and 5 seaports. ( see the map here ). If you arrive from another port or airport of entry, or by land, you will need to apply for a traditional visa, which takes longer to obtain.

🚱 Which exit points from India are eligible for e-Visa?

Airports : Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Calicut, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kannur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, PortBlair , Pune, Srinagar, Surat, Tiruchirapalli, Tirupati, Trivandrum, Varanasi, Vijaiwada, Vishakhapatnam.

Land borders : Attari, Akhaura, Banbasa, Changrabandha, Dalu, Dawki, Dhalaighat, Gauriphanta, Ghojadanga, Haridaspur, Hili, Jaigaon, Jogbani, Kailashahar, Karimgang, Khowal, Lalgolaghat, Mahadipur, Mankachar, Moreh, Muhurighat, Radhikapur, Ragna, Ranigunj, Raxaul , Rupaidiha, Sabroom, Sonouli, Srimantapur, Sutarkandi, Phulbari, Kawarpuchia, Zorinpuri, Zokhawthar.

Ports : Alang, Bedi Bunder, Bhavnagar, Calicut, Chennai, Cochin, ,Cuddalore, Kakinada, Kandla, Kolkata, Mandvi, Mormagoa, Mumbai, Nagapattinum, Nhava Sheva, Paradeep, Porbandar, Port Blair, Tuticorin, Vishakapatnam, New Mangalore, Vizhinjam, Agati and Minicoy Island Lakshdwip UT, Vallarpadam, Mundra, Krishnapatnam, Dhubri, Pandu, Nagaon, Karimganj, Kattupalli.

Railway stations : Munabao Rail Check Post, Attari Rail Check Post, Gede Rail and Road Check Post, Haridaspur Rail Check Post, Chitpur Rail Check Post

đŸ€” Which e-Visa is best suited for my stay?

If you are traveling to receive Ayurvedic treatments, yoga, meditation, massages, etc. > e-Visa Tourism

If you want to work in India or have a job interview > Work visa from the embassy

If you participate in or visit a trade show, follow internal training with the Indian subsidiary, occasionally participate in a show where you are paid as an artist, provide coaching or training, carry out a repair or install equipment as part of 'a maintenance or supply contract > e-Visa Business

If you are participating in an international sporting event, or in a renowned mountain expedition (does not concern treks which are eligible for the Tourism e-Visa), if you have a residence in India, and all candidates in Auroville, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata, or to a Buddhist organization > Entry visa from the embassy

đŸ›© I am in transit at another airport in India, which one should I indicate?

If you come from abroad, you will clear immigration at your first Indian airport, even if it is not your final destination in India . This is what you will need to indicate in the request. Visas are not checked on internal flights and you can even use your e-Visa to travel anywhere in India (even to a non-eligible airport!) once you have entered an eligible airport for the first time .

🛳 Is the e-Visa valid for cruises?

Yes, the India e-Visa can now be issued for arrival at designated seaports . Since the extension of the validity of e-Visas, your cruise can dock at as many ports in India as necessary, as long as the e-Visa is still within its validity period.

⚠ Be careful, some companies, unaware of this practical e-Visa, often require a traditional visa. A good way for them to sell it at a high price 😉

⏰ How long is my e-Visa valid?

For tourism, the e-Tourist visa for India allows multiple entries for stays of 30 or 90 days maximum for 30 days, 1 or 5 years in India. You can stay up to 180 days for a business trip.

🎒 What if I want to take a detour to a neighboring country and then return to India?

The e-Visa allows multiple entries into India during your stay, which allows you to leave India to visit another country (Nepal or Bangladesh for example) and then re-enter it, without any worries. You can leave India by any means, including on foot.

đŸ€·â€â™‚ïž What happens if I have to travel to India several times a year?

The e-Visa allows as many entries as you wish for tourism or business, within 365 days or 5 years following its issue. However, the 30-day e-Visa expires after 1 month.

🚾 Does a child/minor also have to complete an application?

The authorities do not differentiate between adults and minors. A child must therefore have their own e-Visa. The price is the same as for an adult. There is no parental authorization to provide for the e-Visa application, but it may be requested upon boarding by the company (see details below).

đŸ™â€â™‚ïž Who can apply for an Indian visa online?

Citizens of 166 countries, including France, Belgium or Switzerland are eligible for the e-Visa . It is issued by the authorities for international travelers who aim to visit India for tourism, leisure, business, yoga, medical, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, etc.

However, if the applicant, their spouse, parents or grandparents were born in Pakistan (or in a region that would now be identified as Pakistan) or if they have Pakistani nationality, they are not eligible for an eTV for India and they must apply for a traditional visa.

đŸ€” Can I apply for a new e-Visa or extend my visa once there?

You cannot extend or convert an Indian e-Visa and although visa confirmation is generated when the online application is made, the visa itself is issued at immigration only. It is therefore impossible to apply for an e-Visa once in India without providing proof of your prior departure from India. (exit stamp in passport for example).

Contact the FRRO office ( Foreign Registration Office ) nearest in India to let them know about your project.

📑 Can I travel with a passport other than the one indicated on the e-Visa?

e-Visa holders are now authorized to enter India with a passport other than the one entered during the online application and approved on the e-visa. Upon arrival, both passports (old and current) must be presented to immigration.

Some countries, such as France, allow you to have two valid passports.

⏱ Is there a deadline to respect between two visa applications?

No, no time limit must be respected between two e-Visa applications.

🙅 What should I do if I am not eligible for the e-Visa?

Contact the Indian embassies or consulates closest to you to obtain a traditional visa. If your request is urgent, and under certain conditions, these administrations are able to publish it within a few hours. We therefore advise you to get there very early, or even a few hours before the building actually opens.

đŸ€” What are the conditions for applying for a visa online?

To apply online for this visa, you will need scanned copies of each of the following documents. Prepare the necessary documents in advance to avoid delays: – photocopy of passport – high definition ID photo – information about your trip (airport or port of arrival) – dates and places of birth of your family – contacts in India and in your country

đŸ“© What should I do once I receive my e-Visa by email?

Once your visa application is approved, the e-Visa will be sent by email in PDF. You must print a color copy to bring with your passport when you arrive in India. We recommend that you print two copies and keep one with your records. When you arrive in India, you must have your e-Visa with your passport. At the airport (or port) on arrival, your biometric information will be taken and the visa stamp will be placed inside your passport thanks to the numerous e-Visa counters present.

e-Visa holders are now allowed to enter India with a passport other than the one entered during the online application and approved on the e-visa . Upon arrival, both passports (old and current) must be presented to immigration.

💉 What are the mandatory vaccines for India?

Coming from a Western country, no particular vaccination is required . If you have traveled to a sub-Saharan African country in the last 6 months, you will need to present your yellow fever vaccination card.

🧒 Do I need to request an Exit Authorization for my child?

If the minor leaves French territory unaccompanied by his legal guardian, he must have an AST ( authorization to leave the territory ). This document can be requested online , and must be completed by one of the holders of parental authority. During the trip, this form must be accompanied by a copy of the identity document of the legal guardian.

🙅 Can I cancel my order?

Once the application is underway, the application fee is non-refundable.

💰 If my e-Visa application is refused, will my fees be refunded?

Yes, we can reimburse you in full if the government refuses your visa after applying on our site (see refund policy in detail). Please note that we reserve the right to refuse your request in advance if the parameters provided are likely to result in a refused request.

⏰ I forgot to send you my photocopies on time


No refund will be made if you have not provided us with all the information (ID photo, photocopy of passport, etc.) on time despite our reminders.

ⓘ Is my personal information secure on the site?

Yes, when you complete the online application for an Indian visa, your information is secure and directly submitted to the Indian government. Your personal information will only be accessible for the purpose of making a decision on your visa application. No banking data is saved on our servers.

Do you need an e-Visa for transit in India?

You will only need to apply for a tourist e-Visa if you leave the international zone to collect your luggage for example, or if you stay more than 24 hours on Indian territory.

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How to Get an E-visa to India: Read Before You Apply

Indian flag and visa application with passport

India is one of the biggest countries in the world, and there are countless reasons to visit. Whether for tourism or for family purposes, India is a bucket list destination for a big portion of travelers. Before you can visit India, you may need to apply for an Indian E-Visa.

​Particularly, all US citizens need to secure a visa before visiting India. The Indian government has put several options in place for international travelers, with the most popular being the e-tourist visa.

This post will layout how to get an E-Visa to India from the USA.

blue paper with the words visa

What Is a Visa?

A travel visa is essentially a document permitting you entry into a country. Many countries allow visa-free travel, which enables your valid passport to act as your visa. However, in many cases, you need to take extra steps to secure a visa before you can pass through a country’s immigration enforcement.

Visas come in different forms, and it is important to decide what type of visa you need before you depart on your trip. Visas can be issued for tourism, study, business, and other reasons, and it’s crucial that you get the right type of visa to avoid breaking any immigration laws. If you want to make money while in the country, for example, most countries require you to apply for a business visa instead of a tourist visa.

India is no different. The government of India offers visas for business purposes, education purposes, tourism, and more to US passport holders. This post will specifically dive into the India EVisa, which is the most common Indian visa for American citizens.

Ways to Get an Indian Tourist Visa

Most travelers to India are tourists. This is the case with most countries, and the same story is true for India. Because of this, the Indian government makes it very easy to apply for a tourist visa.

There are types of tourist visas available to most foreigners traveling to India. They are the Indian EVisa and the physical, in-passport visa issued by an Indian embassy or consulate. There are pros and cons to each type of tourist visa, but the tourist E-Visa is generally much better than the regular visa issued by an Indian consulate.

Applying for the India E-Visa

The most common type of visa to India is the E-Visa. The E-Visa is an electronic visa that is issued online in advance of your trip. This visa can be purchased from the comfort of your home, and is not very difficult to apply for.

You can apply for the Indian E-Visa using the online application form on the  Indian government’s E-Visa portal . The online application form takes about 20 minutes to complete. Before starting your application, I recommend gathering all of your travel documents and trip details, as you will need to fill in many details during the application.

There are several fields you should be prepared to fill in, including:

  • Personal details, such as date of birth, nationality, name, gender, education history, and address
  • Family details, including the personal information of your parents (if you understand Indian culture, this makes more sense!)
  • Passport details, including expiry date, issue date, passport number, and passport country
  • Trip details, including the expected date of travel to India, expected port of entry (airport or border crossing), duration of stay, and proof of a return ticket home

You will also need to upload a couple of documents. Regardless of your nationality, you will need to upload the photo page of your passport. If you come from certain countries, you will also need to upload your yellow fever vaccination card.

Once you complete and submit the online application form, you need to pay for the visa. Payment of the fee can be made with either a Visa or Mastercard, or with a PayPal account. You can then check your payment status by clicking the verify payment link on the portal.

Indian visa stamp on a passport page

Indian E-Visa Categories

The Indian government issues E-Visas for six different categories:

  • Indian E-Tourist Visa
  • Indian E-Business Visa
  • Indian E-Medical Visa
  • Indian E-Conference Visa
  • Indian E-Medical Attendant Visa
  • Indian E-Emergency X-Misc Visa

Each visa has its own unique application requirements. All of the information can be found on the Indian government’s application portal.

Indian E-Visa Fee for Tourists

The Indian E-Visa fee varies depending on what type of visa you need, how long you need it for, and how many times you intend to enter India. In addition to the visa fees, there are bank transaction charges of about 2.5%. Payment for your electronic entry visa is made online with a valid credit card or PayPal. 

There are four different prices for India E-Tourist Visas:

  • 30-day E-Tourist Visa for a visit during the months from July to March: $25
  • 30-day E-Tourist Visa for a visit during the months from April to June: $10
  • One-year E-Tourist Visa: $40
  • Five-year E-tourist Visa: $80

Indian E-Visa Requirements

To apply for an Indian E-Visa, foreign nationals have to meet a few requirements. Firstly, you need to have a valid passport with at least two blank pages and 6 months of validity past the date of arrival in India. If your current passport doesn’t have over 6 months of validity past your trip to India, be sure to apply for a new passport.

You also need to be from a country or territory to which India issues E-Visas. This isn’t a problem for most travelers, as India issues E-Visas to over 160 nationalities. This list includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and virtually every other country in the world.

For some countries, there are added restrictions. If you are coming from or live in a country affected by yellow fever, you will need to bring your yellow fever vaccination card. In such cases, this is also one of the required uploaded documents during the application process.

You are also obliged to pay the applicable e-visa fees, which vary depending on visa type. I’ve already broken out the tourist visa fees above. For other visa types, there may be different fees and required documents.

Avoid Agencies Offering Indian E-Visas

There are many online visa agencies offering to help you apply for your Indian E-Visa. Personally, I think you should avoid these agencies at all costs.

Applying for an Indian E-Visa is incredibly easy and straightforward. You really shouldn’t need much help throughout the process. By applying directly on the Indian government’s E-Visa portal, you get to avoid any fees or hassle from agencies looking to make a quick buck.

The only place you should apply for an Indian visa is on the  official website . The website looks a little sketchy, but it is safe to use and is the most reliable source online. If you work with an agency, you get very little additional help, as you still need to provide them with all the information that the Indian government asks you on their E-Visa portal.

Applying for a Visa Granted Through an Indian Embassy or Consulate

Aside from the E-Visa, the only way to apply for an Indian visa is at your local Indian consulate or embassy. These places are the international offices of the government of India, and they have the civil authority to grant all types of visas to travelers. Historically, the only way to get a visa was by visiting an embassy or consulate, but that has changed with modern technology.

There are 6 locations in the U.S. where you can apply for an Indian visa. The Indian Embassy is in Washington D.C., and there are consulates in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Houston. Each consular office has its own jurisdiction, and you are required to visit the office that is in charge of your state.

Disadvantages of Applying for an Indian Visa at the Consulate

There are a couple of reasons to apply for an Indian visa at a consulate, but there are many more drawbacks. Firstly, the process takes longer and requires many more documents. When you apply at an embassy, you will need additional documents, you’ll have to correspond back and forth with consular officials, and you may have to pay a higher processing fee.

On top of that, this method usually requires travel. Unless you live in one of the six cities where there are Indian consulates, you will either have to mail your important documents around or travel to one of the six cities. This is all unnecessary when the online Indian visa application is so easy.

Reasons to Apply for an Indian Visa at the Consulate

With that being said, sometimes applying for a regular visa through a consulate is the best or only option. If you need a special visa that doesn’t have a corresponding e-visa type, for example, you will have to go through a consulate. You may also want to visit a consulate if you have a valid visa in an old passport and would like to transfer it to a new passport.

Also, you can apply at the consulate much earlier than you can apply online. As soon as your travel information is booked, you can apply locally for your Indian tourist visa and avoid a hassle right before your trip. The E-Visa can only be purchased within a month of traveling to India.

What Is the Best Way to Get an Indian Visa?

Of the two different ways you can apply for a visa to India, there is a clear best option. As long as you qualify, the E-Visa is the clear best choice. It requires very little time to apply, can be granted to just about every nationality, and only requires a couple of documents. 

On top of that, you don’t have to correspond with any Indian consulate or embassy officials. As long as you have your visa when talking to the immigration officer in any of India’s international airports, you’re set.

The E-Visa is the clear best choice.

The least preferable way to get your visa is at a consulate or embassy in advance. If you need a special type of Indian visa, this is your only option. If all you need is a tourist visa, and you’re from one of the 160+ countries that are eligible for an E-visa, go that route.

Personally, I love planning travel, and I get a high out of applying for visas. I love a pretty sticker in my passport, but it isn’t worth the hassle when the E-Visa is so easy. I think it is already enough of a task to keep track of my family members’ travel documents, and I’d much rather just handle it online a couple of weeks before my trip. 

If you do decide to get an online e-visa to India, make sure to use the  official government website  instead of an agency. The process is easy to do on your own, and agencies add fees that you simply shouldn’t have to pay.

Hopefully this post answered the question any questions you have about how to get an Indian tourist E-Visa. If you have any questions about getting an Indian visa, let us know by dropping a comment below!

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India Tourist eVisa: Common Issues and Solutions

Ah, the allure of India! A land teeming with enchanting sights and rich experiences awaits adventurous souls from all corners of the globe. But wait! Before diving headfirst into this captivating journey, a little thing called the India eVisa demands your attention.

Don't fret, though, because we've got your back! In this blog, we're here to tackle pesky issues that often pop up during the eVisa application process. From deciphering confusing requirements to troubleshooting technical glitches, we can help solve issues on the India eVisa application!

So, get ready to unlock the secrets of the India Tourist Visa and embark on your extraordinary Indian adventure without breaking a sweat. Let's dive right in, shall we?

Taj Mahal Tourist

What is the Indian e-Visa?

The * India e-Visa , also known as the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), is an online visa facility introduced by the Government of India to simplify the visa application process for eligible foreign nationals. It was launched alongside the existing regular visa services offered by the Indian government. The e-Visa allows travelers to get a visa electronically without visiting an Indian embassy or consulate like you would if you were applying for a regular paper visa.

The Indian e-Visa is available for various purposes, including tourism, business, medical treatment, and attending conferences or cultural events. It offers different categories, such as e-Tourist Visa , e-Business Visa , e-Medical Visa (sometimes called the e-medical attendant visa), and the conference visa, depending on the purpose of travel.

To apply for an Indian e-Visa, eligible travelers must complete the Indian visa online application form, provide the required documents, and pay the visa fee . The application is processed electronically, and upon approval, the e-Visa is issued and sent via email. This means that you do not need to visit the Indian embassy or consulate.

The e-Visa allows travelers to enter India through designated airports, seaports, and land ports . The duration of stay and validity of the e-Visa depend on the category chosen during the application process. It's important to note that the e-Visa is typically valid for single or multiple entries within a specified period.

The Indian e-Visa has simplified the visa application process , offering convenience and flexibility for eligible travelers planning to visit India for various purposes. However, it's crucial to carefully review the eligibility criteria, required documents, and specific guidelines for each category before applying for the e-Visa.

Note: the e-Visa is unavailable to Diplomatic or Official Passports, Laissez-passer travel document holders, or International Travel Document Holders. Also, every applicant must have a separate ordinary passport to apply.

The Indian eVisa application process

At iVisa, we aim to make getting your Indian visa online simple and hassle-free. Complete your India visa online application in three easy steps:

Step 1 : Start by completing the online application form on our website. Provide general information about yourself and choose the type of visa you want to apply for.

Step 2 : Once you've completed the form, review your information to ensure everything is accurate. Then, select the processing option that best suits your needs.

Step 3 : Pay the service fee using PayPal, Venmo, or a credit/debit card, and upload any required documents, such as a passport photo and a photo scan of your passport.

After completing these three steps, submit your application and wait for your e-visa to arrive in your email inbox within your selected timeframe.

It's important to note that during your travels, you must carry both a printed and electronic copy of your eVisa to present to immigration officers upon arrival so that they can verify your Indian eVisa status.

We recommend downloading the iVisa app to your mobile device for added convenience. This will allow you to keep track of your documents electronically and even track the status of your application.

Common problems and issues with the India e-Visa application

Applying for an India eVisa can be an exciting step towards exploring the wonders of India. However, the eVisa application process has its challenges. Let’s look at some of the main stumbling blocks and how we can help you overcome them.

Technical issues

Technical issues can be a major source of frustration when applying for an India eVisa. Here are some of the most common technical issues applicants experience:

1. Website glitches

Website glitches and system errors can be frustrating while completing the eVisa application. These issues may manifest as error messages, unresponsive pages, or sudden crashes .

First, ensure you use a reliable website, as fake e-visa websites exist. A few such prominent websites claim to provide E-visas services to visa applicants and mislead applicants with images and home pages that mimic the Government of India's eVisa platform. So be super thorough or opt for reliable sites such as ours.

If you’re experiencing issues on our site. try refreshing the page, clearing your browser cache, or using a different browser. If the problem persists, contact our customer service team . They are available 24/7 to provide prompt assistance and guidance.

2. Difficulty accessing or navigating the application portal

Sometimes, travelers may face challenges accessing or navigating the eVisa application portal . This could be due to slow loading times, broken links, or unclear instructions.

Ensure a stable internet connection, try accessing the portal during non-peak hours, and double-check that you follow the steps outlined in the application guidelines.

Or, opt to use our user-friendly platform instead . We provide e-visas services with a simpler process and detailed step-by-step instructions so you understand the requirements and procedures involved in the eVisa application.

3. Slow processing times and delays in receiving confirmation

Processing times can vary depending on the efficiency of the consular services in your area, and delays in receiving confirmation occur frequently. Check the processing time guidelines provided by the eVisa authorities and be patient.

Visa applicants who apply with us should not panic. We monitor the progress of your application and provide updates regarding any potential delays. If you have yet to hear from us and your visa is taking longer than expected, feel free to reach out to us or check your iVisa app to track the progress of your application in real time.

Document submission and validation

Document submission and validation are crucial in the eVisa application process. Here's how to overcome challenges:

1. Complicated document requirements and formats

The document requirements and formats specified for the India eVisa can be complex and confusing. Understanding what documents are required and in which format can be challenging.

When you apply with us, we provide a detailed document checklist to ensure you provide exactly what we need to process your application.

2. Instances of documents being rejected or deemed invalid

Documents may be rejected or deemed invalid during the eVisa application process. This can lead to delays or even a rejection of the application.

Ensure all documents are accurate, complete, and meet the specified requirements. Pay attention to details such as passport information, travel itineraries, and supporting documents. Remember that if you apply for a new Indian Visa Online because you lost your old passport you will be asked to provide a lost passport police report.

If a document is rejected, review the reason provided by the eVisa authorities , rectify any errors or discrepancies, and promptly resubmit the document.

If you apply through us, our team of experts will check all your documents before submitting them to the Indian visa authorities to ensure they meet the requirements. Keep an eye on your email, as this is where we will contact you if we spot any possible issues before submission.

3. Challenges in uploading or attaching supporting documents

Uploading or attaching supporting documents during the eVisa application process can be frustrating. Technical issues or difficulties in locating the correct files may arise.

Ensure you have digital copies of all required supporting documents before starting the application. Double-check the accepted file formats and sizes.

If you encounter difficulties during uploading, check your internet connection, try using a different device or browser, and verify that the document files meet the specified requirements.

Lack of Support and Communication

Proper support and effective communication channels are essential for a smooth India eVisa application process. However, there are instances where travelers face challenges in accessing support and obtaining the necessary information when navigating the e-visa services provided by the government, including:

1. Limited customer service availability and response times

Travelers may encounter limited availability of customer service or experience delays in receiving timely responses to their queries or concerns, mainly when they apply directly on the Indian e-Visa portal.

To avoid this, opt to apply through us. We promise dedicated customer service via email or live chat to assist you promptly throughout the application process. Our responsive team aims to respond to your queries and concerns promptly, ensuring you have the support you need when needed.

2. Insufficient information or guidance provided to applicants

Numerous applicants have complained about insufficient information and the need for guidance during the eVisa application process.

We understand the importance of providing clear and comprehensive guidance to applicants. Thus, we have carefully created a user-friendly platform with detailed step-by-step instructions .

Additionally, our website offers FAQs and helpful articles to address common questions and provide additional information. Our team even launched a downloadable app to help customers track and manage their visa applications on the go.

3. Language barriers & difficulties seeking clarification

Another major complaint about the application process directly through the government e-visa facility is the language barriers that cause challenges in seeking clarification.

We offer multilingual support , ensuring effective communication and clarification in your preferred language.

Inconsistencies and ambiguities

Navigating through the Indian e-Visa application process on the government website is challenging and filled with inconsistencies and ambiguities . Conflicting information, unclear guidelines, and discrepancies between instructions and procedures create confusion and uncertainty. Common issues applicants complained about include:

1. Conflicting information on the official website or application form

Travelers may encounter conflicting information on the eVisa portal and application form, leading to confusion about the correct procedures or requirements.

We strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information on our platform, ensuring consistency and clarity. Our dedicated team regularly monitors any changes in requirements or processes to provide the most accurate information. In case of conflicting information, contact our customer service for clarification and guidance based on the latest updates and official sources.

2. Unclear guidelines on specific requirements or eligibility criteria

A lack of clear guidelines about the eligibility criteria makes it challenging to understand what to prepare for the India eVisa application. Avoid the confusion and refer to our ultimate India guide that details everything you need to apply.

3. Discrepancies between application instructions and actual processes

Discrepancies between the instructions in the application form and the actual processes can cause confusion and uncertainty during the eVisa application process.

However, opting for our simplified application process ensures you know exactly what to expect. Our team continuously monitors any changes in the eVisa application procedures to provide reliable guidance.

Processing delays, payment issues, and refunds

Excessive waiting times for eVisa approval, instances of rejected applications without clear explanations, issues with the payment page, and challenges in obtaining refunds for rejected or canceled eVisas can create uncertainty and inconvenience. Here are some common issues and how to deal with them:

1. Excessive waiting times for eVisa approval

Travelers may experience excessive waiting times for eVisa approval, which can cause anxiety and uncertainty about the status of their application.

At iVisa, we understand the importance of timely processing and approval . We continuously monitor the progress of your eVisa application and provide updates regarding any potential delays.

While the processing time is ultimately determined by the eVisa authorities, our team works diligently to expedite the process as much as possible .

Additionally, our customer service is available to address any concerns or provide information regarding the status of your application, ensuring that you stay informed throughout the process.

2. Payment failure or rejection

If your payment of the applicable e-visa fees fails or gets rejected, ensure you have entered the correct payment information, including card details, billing address, and security code.

If the issue persists, contact your bank or payment provider to verify if there are any restrictions on your card or account. Make sure you are using a valid payment method.

If you need help making a payment through our site, contact our customer service team for assistance with alternative payment methods.

3. Instances of rejected applications without clear explanations

Receiving a rejection for your e-Visa application without clear answers can be disheartening and leave you unsure of the reasons behind the decision.

We strive to minimize the chances of rejection by carefully reviewing your application before submission. Our team checks for any errors or discrepancies that may lead to rejection.

If your application is rejected, we can guide you and assist you in understanding the reason behind the decision. We can help you assess the rejection notice, identify any issues, and advise you on the necessary steps to rectify the situation and resubmit your application.

4. Challenges in obtaining refunds for rejected or canceled e-Visas

Getting refunds for rejected or canceled e-Visas can be challenging and time-consuming, causing frustration for travelers. It is nearly impossible to get a refund from the government portal.

However, if you're an iVisa client and your Indian Visa application was denied, you can reapply for a new visa with us . As a professional visa agency, we have experience with visa applications for various countries, including India.

We'll help you review the reason for the denial , guide you on how to reapply, and ensure that your application is complete and accurate.

However, it's essential to note that the Indian consulate or embassy has the final say in the visa application process , and the decision to grant or deny a visa is at their discretion. At iVisa, we can't guarantee that your visa application will be approved, but we can assist you with the process and give you the best chance of success.

Suppose your application is denied due to an error found in your application after our experts have reviewed it. In that case, we'll refund the processing fee you paid us as our experts strive to ensure no mistakes in your applications.

Note: Government fees will not be refunded.

We also offer an iVisa Fee Protection , which allows us to process a new application for no additional processing fee if you cannot make your trip.

Indian Tourism Red Fort

Tips for a smoother e-Visa application process

To ensure a seamless and hassle-free India e-Visa application process, follow these tips:

Apply well in advance to account for potential delays

To avoid complications, apply for your India eVisa well in advance. Processing times can vary, and unexpected delays may occur. Applying early gives you enough time to complete the application, submit the required documents, and receive eVisa approval before your travel dates. We recommend applying at least a few weeks ahead.

Research the application requirements beforehand

Thoroughly research and understand the application requirements before starting your e-Visa application. Familiarize yourself with the necessary documents, eligibility criteria, and any specific guidelines provided by Indian authorities.

As mentioned, we have comprehensive India e-Visa guides and several blogs on our platform explaining the application process, requirements, and tips for a successful application. Use these resources to gain a clear understanding of what's expected.

Double-check document formats and sizes to meet specifications

Ensure your supporting documents adhere to specified formats and sizes . Verify that documents are in the required file formats (PDF, JPEG, or PNG) and meet size limits. We provide document verification services to help you ensure proper formatting and meet requirements. Use these services for peace of mind before submitting your application.

Seek assistance from official support channels if encountering issues

Remember, we are a reputable visa service provider that aims to simplify the e-Visa application process and provide dedicated support alongside our existing visa services.

If you encounter any issues or have specific concerns during your India e-Visa application, don't hesitate to contact our customer service team . They can provide personalized guidance and assistance to ensure a smoother experience.

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  • iVisa is NOT affiliated with any government agency. This app does not provide legal advice and we are not a law firm. None of our customer service representatives are lawyers and they also do not provide legal advice. We are a private, internet-based travel and immigration consultancy provider dedicated to helping individuals travel around the world. You may apply by yourself directly on the various government websites. The source of information: https://boi.gov.in/boi/

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tourist e visa for india

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Entry requirements

This advice reflects the UK Government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in India set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the  High Commission of India in London or another Indian consulate in the UK .

COVID-19 rules

There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering India.

Passport validity requirements

Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry into India.

Your passport must also: - have 2 blank pages for your visa

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.

Visa requirements

Apply for the right type of visa for the purpose of your travel.

You need a visa to travel to India unless you are an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder.

India has a number of visa categories. Make sure you get the right visa for the purpose and duration of your travel.

Penalties for having the wrong visa can include refusal of entry or deportation. This may also include not being allowed to enter India in the future.

For latest information on Indian visas and immigration requirements, see the  e-FRRO online portal (part of the Indian Foreigners Registration Office), the  Bureau of Indian Immigration website  and  Indian Ministry of External Affairs website .

Applying for a visa or e-visa

Find out how to apply for a visa from the Indian Bureau of Immigration Depending on your requirements you may be able to apply for:

  • regular (paper) visa
  • e-visa (make sure to check the website’s ‘FAQs’ for restrictions on airports and seaports of entry)

Check your eligibility and any restrictions before you apply and allow plenty of time for your application to be processed.

More information is available from the website of High Commission of India in London .

Applicants of Pakistani origin

If you are of Pakistani origin, a British-Pakistan dual national, or holding a National Identity Card for overseas Pakistanis (NICOP), the visa processing time will be substantially longer than other visa applications. More information is available from the High Commission of India in London .

If you are a British-Pakistan dual national, you must apply for an Indian visa on your Pakistani passport. If you have renounced your Pakistani nationality or cancelled your Pakistani passport, you will need to submit documentary proof of this.

Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders

If you hold a valid Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card, you can use this, along with your valid British passport to visit India. You do not need a visa. If you have a Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card, you will need to convert it to an OCI card. More information is available from the  High Commission of India in London  and the  Indian Bureau of Immigration .

Arrival, registration, and extensions

If you plan to stay in India for more than 180 days and do not hold an OCI card, register within 14 days of arrival with the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) . You could be denied permission to leave if you do not do this. Check if you are required to  register your arrival .

Overstaying in India on a visa is an offence. Make sure you leave the country before your visa expires or get an official extension if needed. More information is available on the Indian Bureau of Immigration website.

If you’re hospitalised

If you or someone you’re travelling with has a short-term Tourist Visa and is hospitalised, you may be able to extend or ‘convert’ to a Medical Visa .

Exit requirements

You will pass through immigration as you depart India. Officials will check when you entered the country. If you do not have an entry stamp, for example if you have a newly issued passport, you will need to apply for special exit visa before you travel. This must be done online and can take between five and fifteen working days for straightforward applications. Factor this into your timeframe to leave India when you are booking flights. For further information see the  e-FRRO online portal (part of the Indian Foreigners Registration Office).

Vaccination requirements (other than COVID-19)

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the vaccinations and vaccination certificates you may need on TravelHealthPro (from the UK’s National Travel Health Network and Centre).

Depending on your circumstances, these may include:

  • yellow fever

The Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare also provides  vaccination guidance and data .

Accommodation

By law, hotels, hostels and other accommodation providers must register the stay of foreign guests with the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) using a “C Form”.  Please ask your accommodation provider to ensure they have done so.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods that can be brought into and taken out of India . You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Satellite phones and listening devices

It is illegal to possess and operate satellite phones in India without a licence. British nationals have been arrested for bringing them into the country without prior permission. You can contact the Indian Department of Telecommunication to request a licence .

You may also need prior permission from the Indian authorities to bring equipment like listening or recording devices, radio transmitters, powerful cameras, or binoculars into India. You can ask the High Commission of India in London for advice.

Taking money into India

There are restrictions on bringing Indian rupees into India.

Visitors, including tourists, must not bring any amount of Indian currency into the country. If you’re resident in India, you can bring up to 25,000 rupees into the country.

If you’re visiting India, you can bring cash, travellers’ cheques (in pounds sterling or another foreign currency) or a bank card with you and exchange or withdraw rupees once in India.

You must declare any amount above 5,000 US dollars in notes, or 10,000 US dollars in notes and travellers’ cheques combined.

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e-Visa has 3 sub-categories i.e., e-Tourist visa, e-Business Visa and e-Medical visa. A foreigner will be permitted to club these categories.

The validity of e-Visa will be 60 days from the date of arrival in India. Double entry is permitted on e-Tourist Visa and e-Business Visa. Triple entry will be permitted on e-Medical Visa.

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Planning a trip to Dubai? Find out whether you need a visa and how to apply.

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Relocate to Dubai

Whether working remotely from Dubai, permanently moving your business, or coming for retirement, there are lots of options for you to enjoy the full benefits of being a Dubai resident.

Work remotely programme

Do you want to mix business with pleasure in Dubai? With a new one-year virtual working programme, you can live and work by the beach.

Residency for investors and entrepreneurs

If you wish to open a business or invest in property in Dubai, you can apply for five and ten-year residency visas, with a possibility to also bring your business partners and family.

Residency for specialist talent

If you are a specialist in fields of science, medicine, sport, culture, or art, Dubai offers growing opportunities and state-of-the-art facilities to grow your talent. Apply for this ten-year visa and reach your potential.

Residency for outstanding students

Dubai's cutting-edge research and facilities attract the brightest minds from around the world. Explore the five and ten-year visas supporting exceptional student talent.

Residency for retirees

Start your next chapter and make the most of your freedom in one of the world’s most connected, dynamic, and safest cities with Dubai's Golden Retirement Visa.

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Dubai's 5-yr multiple-entry tourist visa for Indians: What it means, how it works

The visa is to be issued within a period of 2 working days upon receipt and acceptance of the application.

Dubai airport, Dubai international airport

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  • Traveller must show proof that it has US$4000 or equivalent over the past six months from the visa application;
  • The traveller cannot stay for more than 90 days; extendable upto 180 days.

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  • Compliance with Immigration Laws: Holders of the visa are expected to abide by Dubai's immigration laws and regulations throughout their stay.
  • Study Requirements : The visa may be contingent upon the individual's enrollment in an accredited educational institution in Dubai. Students may need to provide proof of enrollment or maintain a certain level of academic progress to retain the visa.
  • Health Insurance : Visa holders may be required to maintain adequate health insurance coverage for the duration of their stay in Dubai.
  • No Employment Without Permission: Unless explicitly permitted, visa holders are usually prohibited from engaging in any form of employment or business activities in Dubai.
  • .Residency Obligations: Visa holders may need to fulfill certain residency obligations, such as periodic reporting to immigration authorities or obtaining residence permits if staying beyond a certain duration.
  • .Exit and Re-entry Requirements : While the visa allows for multiple entries, there may be restrictions on the maximum duration of each stay and requirements for exiting and re-entering the country.
  • A passport with six-month validity at the time of submission.
  • A passport-size photograph
  • Medical insurance that is valid for the UAE.
  • A bank statement of the last six months with a minimum balance of $4,000 
  • You must also provide a local UAE address, local landline number, and mobile number.
  • A copy of your  round trip flight ticket and proof of residence.
  • You can also submit an invitation letter from friends and family in the UAE.
  • Or provide confirmation of hotel booking or a lease agreement.

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First Published: Feb 23 2024 | 1:45 PM IST

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COMMENTS

  1. E-VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

    1 Apply online Upload Photo and Passport Page 2 Pay eVisa fee online Using Credit / Debit card / Payment Wallet 3 Receive ETA Online Electronic Travel Authorization/ETA Will be sent to your e-mail 4 Fly To India Print ETA and present at Immigration Check Post where eVisa will be stamped on passport. Advisory

  2. India Visa Online

    All foreign nationals entering India are required to possess a valid international travel document in the form of a national passport with a valid visa from an Indian Mission/Post or eVisa (Limited Categories) from Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs.

  3. e-Visa

    Service of e-Visa involves a completely online application for which no facilitation is required by any intermediary / agent etc. Applicants are, therefore, advised to be cautious and for any clarification, please contact [email protected] Welcome to Embassy of India, Washington D C, USA

  4. Welcome to Embassy of India, Washington D C, USA

    The Government of India has decided, with immediate effect, to restore valid long duration (10 years) regular (paper) tourist visas for the nationals of USA. Fresh issue of regular (paper) long-duration (10 years) tourist visas has also been restored for nationals of USA. E-Tourist visas under the three options (one month, one year and five ...

  5. Welcome to Consulate General of India, New York (USA)

    1. E-Visa has been made available by the Government of India to citizens of certain countries, including the United States of America. Details of the scheme are available on the dedicated website created for this purpose: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html 2.

  6. How To Apply & Get An Indian e-Visa Online

    The Indian e-Visa is for visitors coming to India on a short term trip for sightseeing, visiting friends or relatives, short term medical treatment or casual business related things. The 5 eVisa types are as follows: e-Tourist, e-Business, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant, or e-Conference.

  7. Indian E-Visa Information: What to Know and How to Apply

    Latest News as of September 2019 . Three types of e-Tourist visas are now available with validity of one-month, one-year and five-years. The one-month e-Tourist Visa permits two entries. The one-year and five-year e-Tourist visas allow multiple entries but are subject to limitations on length of continuous stay. The fee for the one-year e-Tourist Visa has been reduced, while the fee for the ...

  8. Consulate General of India, San Francisco, California : E-Visa

    US$ 10.00. One year e-Tourist Visa. US$ 40.00. Five year e-Tourist Visa. US$ 80.00. 8. Bank transaction charges of 2.5% will be charged additionally on applicable e-Visa fees. The fee must be paid at least 4 days before the expected date of travel otherwise application will not be processed.

  9. Here's how to get a visa to visit India

    Tourist e-Visas are available with a validity of 30 days, one year or five years, with the one- and five-year visas allowing for multiple entries for a maximum stay of 180 days on each visit. For one- and five-year tourist visas, applications are accepted up to 120 days in advance of travel.

  10. India Visa Online

    1 Apply Online Fill and Submit Visa Application Form Securely. 2 Submit Documents Submit your application with required documents at Indian Visa Application Center or at Indian Mission. 3 Receive Passport, visa Collect your passport/visa from Indian Mission/Visa Application Center or by post.

  11. How to Get Your India E Tourist Visa

    Once again, nationals of 156 countries are eligible to apply for tourism e-visas to India of up to 5 years (or 10 years for USA & Japan nationals), although unfortunately passport holders of the UK & Canada are still not eligible for E-visas to India for other reasons. The Toor ji ka Baori in Jodhpur, India

  12. India e-Visa for tourists in 2023: Requirements, eligibility and more

    The e-Visa for tourism is called e-Tourist Visa. In this article, we will focus on e-Tourist Visa and we will refer to it as simply India e-Visa. Currently, about 166 nationalities are eligible to apply for India e-Visa online. Indian e-Visa can be double-entry or multiple-entry and can be valid from 30 days to 5 years.

  13. India International Travel Information

    Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution and Travel Advisories.

  14. How to Apply for a Tourist Visa for India in 2024? A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

    Step 1: Indian E-Visa Application Form: Step 2: Completing the form: Step 3: Paying for the Visa: 1) The Official E-Visa website This is the official India e-Visa website to get your India visa on for all nationalities, and this blog post is going to show you how to go through the online India visa application. 2) An India Visa Specialist

  15. How to apply for India e-Visa: A step-by-step guide (with screenshots)

    01. Start 02. e-Visa application 03. Applicant Details Form (part 1) 04. Applicant Details Form (part 2) 05. Visa Details Form 06. Additional Question Details 07. Upload Photograph 08. Upload Document 09. Confirm Details 10. Online VISA Fee Payment Check your India e-Visa application status Receive your approved India e-Visa ***

  16. Frequently asked questions

    Frequently Asked Questions đŸŽ« What is the difference between an "Indian ETA", an e-Tourist Visa (eTV), an India Visa on Arrival and a traditional India visa? 🛬 Can I apply for an India visa upon arrival at the airport?  Which ports or airports of entry accept e-Visa? 🚱 Which exit points from India are eligible for e-Visa?

  17. India E-Visa Fees and Costs in 2024

    India E-Visa Visa Extension and Overstay Charges. In exceptional circumstances, tourist visas can be extended. The extension fee for an Indian e-Tourist visa usually matches the original visa fee. As of 2024, for most countries, this means an extension fee of $100 for an e-Tourist visa. Overstaying your e-Visa can lead to fines of $30 per day ...

  18. How to Get an E-visa to India: Read Before You Apply

    Payment for your electronic entry visa is made online with a valid credit card or PayPal. There are four different prices for India E-Tourist Visas: 30-day E-Tourist Visa for a visit during the months from July to March: $25. 30-day E-Tourist Visa for a visit during the months from April to June: $10.

  19. India Tourist eVisa: Common Issues and Solutions

    The *India e-Visa, also known as the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), is an online visa facility introduced by the Government of India to simplify the visa application process for eligible foreign nationals. It was launched alongside the existing regular visa services offered by the Indian government.

  20. High Commission of India, London, United Kingdom : e-Tourist Visa

    e-Tourist Visa Home â€ș Consular â€ș VISA Information â€ș e-Tourist Visa Grant of e-Visa on a passport different from the passport mentioned on Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) GForeigners having e-Visa are travelling to India on a passport different from the passport mentioned on Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) issued to them.

  21. Entry requirements

    You need a visa to travel to India unless you are an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder. India has a number of visa categories. Make sure you get the right visa for the...

  22. Consulate General of India

    Consulate General of India was opened on 01st september 2006 in Melbourne to extend consular services and to augment cultural and economic relations between India and state of Victoria and Tasmania. ... e-Visa has 3 sub-categories i.e., e-Tourist visa, e-Business Visa and e-Medical visa. A foreigner will be permitted to club these categories.

  23. Dubai Visa Guide

    Our complete guide on how to apply for a Dubai tourist visa online. Find your country visa requirements and transit & stopover visa options with Visit Dubai.

  24. Consulate General of India, Toronto, Canada : e-Visa

    Consular. Visa Services - (Canadian Passport holders) Business Visa. General Information - VISA. Guidelines for International Arrivals by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. General Information. How to apply. Attestation of Power of Attorney / Will.

  25. Dubai's 5-yr multiple-entry tourist visa for Indians: What it means

    Dubai has rolled out a five-year multiple-entry visa to enhance the ease of travel between India and the Gulf region. Travellers under this visa category can visit the UAE multiple times over five years, with a maximum stay of 180 days per year. This allows for a total of 900 days in the UAE ...