How to Apply Online for an Indian Visa (OR E-Visa)

India is one of the few remaining countries in Asia that I haven’t managed to visit — until this year! That’s why you can imagine how stoked I was when I first found out that I’ll be setting foot in its soil; after all, I’ve heard a LOT of great things about India’s culture, food, people and sights. Back then though, when my itinerary was finalized, I checked the immigration requirements and… I was surprised when I discovered that I had to get an Indian visa first before entering the country.

I say this because I once heard that there was a visa-on-arrival scheme to a lot of nationalities, but apparently, by 2014 they have changed it into an online ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) or E-Tourist Visa application.

What is India’s E-Tourist Visa?

The ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) or “E-Tourist Visa” (now aptly called as “E-Visa”) replaced the special visa-on-arrival policy in India and it is divided into 3 categories, namely:

 

• E-Tourist Visa
• E-Business Visa
• E-Medical Visa

STEP 1: Determine if you are eligible for an Indian E-Visa

I will only be discussing the requirements for an Indian E-Tourist Visa since it’s an experience that I’ve gone through myself. For this, you must first determine if you are eligible by reviewing the following conditions.

 

STEP 2: Prepare the Required Documents and Information for your Application

Before you lodge your Indian visa application online, it’s best to prepare the following beforehand…

Documents (In English)

Scanned bio page of your passport (showing photo and other details)

NOTE: This must be in a .PDF file with a maximum size of 300kb. To learn how to make .PDF files, go here, and if you want to know how to compress .PDF files, read here. Make sure that when compressing, the details on your passport are not blurred and are still readable.

 

Recent digital photo that shows your full face (with white background)

NOTE: The photo must be a .JPEG file with a maximum size of 1MB. Make sure that the height and width of the photo is equal (either way, once you upload it, the website will help you crop the photo).

STEP 3: Process Your Indian Visa Application Online Click Here

How can you apply for a Tourist Visa for India?

Every foreign citizen is required to obtain a visa before entering India. For tourists and visitors, there are two ways to apply for a tourist visa for India: the e-visa and the regular tourist visa. The e-visa is for a shorter period of stay and much easier to apply for while the regular tourist visa can be a pain to get and is more expensive but is also valid for a minimum of six months to 10 years, depending on your nationality. So it really depends on your travel plans.

We would like to introduce both options to you in this article and answer questions like Who can apply? How much does it cost? What are the requirements?

What is an E-Visa OR Electronic Travel Authorization?

The e-visa format resembles a visa on arrival but is not exactly a visa on arrival. The applicant needs to submit their India visa forms online and pay the necessary fees online. The applicant would be informed online if the electronic tourist visa is granted or not. It is still not exactly a visa on arrival as you still have to apply before you arrive in India. However, it’s a lot less cumbersome than couriering your passports or having to line up outside an Indian Embassy.

Eligibility for an Indian Tourist Visa:

Purpose: Only four possible intentions are considered innocent by the Indian Government. Recreation and sightseeing, Casual visits with friends and family, short duration medical treatment and Casual business visit. Our apologies on not making a category for Self-Discovery.

Passport: The original document should be valid for another six months from arrival. It should have at least two blank pages to fill up with Indian stamps. Those holding Pakistani Passports or of Pakistani origin are unfortunately not allowed this convenience. They must apply directly at India Mission for regular passports. Diplomatic/Official Passport holders, those endorsed on Parent’s/Spouse’s Passport and International Travel Document Holders will all have to also make do with the regular method of obtaining visas.

Details of E-Tourist Visa for India:

For applications to be eligible they must be submitted no later than 4 days and no earlier than 34 days before the date of arrival. So if you’re the kind that likes their itinerary done and dusted well in advance, you might want to consider a traditional tourist visa for India.

You can get a maximum of 2 Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETA) in a year with one of them providing a maximum stay of 30 days.

Carry a copy of ETA at the time of your travel (obviously). After you arrived at one of the designated airports mentioned you will need to proceed to the e-visa counter where they will actually add the tourist visa to your passport. Afterwards you will need to carry on to the immigration counter where they will stamp your passport. This might take quite some time at busy airports like Delhi or Mumbai.

 

Your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) will usually be processed and issued within 3 business days after your online application if approved.

 

How to Apply For an Indian Visa from the UK | Starting the Application

Step 1– Click through to the Online Visa Application

Page 1- Visa Application

Select Country – United Kingdom

If you live in Scotland you must select “UK- Edinburgh” as Mission, while filling the online application form.

If you live in:

If you live in any other part of the UK, including the counties mentioned above, you can book appointments at any of the 2 offices in London (Goswell Road and Hounslow), Bristol, Cardiff, and Belfast.

Insert – DOB, Email, Date of Arrival

Select – Tourist Visa and select purpose that best matches your trip.

Page 2- Applicant Details Form

Applicant Details- Complete all fields for the person wishing to obtain a long term Tourist Visa, for Citizenship ID No insert- NA.

Passport Details- Insert the details of the person wishing to obtain a long term Tourist Visa.

Click Save and Continue

Page 3- Applicants Address/Family Details/Marital Status/Occupation/Military Experience

Applicants Address Details – Present Address and Permanent Address, if they are the same tick the box.

Family Details – Father and Mothers Name, Nationality, Place of Birth (Town), Country of Birth.

Marital Status – Single or Married, provide details if married.

Parents/Grandparents Pakistan Nationals or Belong to Pakistan Area– If yes provide information.

Profession/Occupation of Traveller– Present Occupation (select from list), Employer/Business Name, Address, Past Occupation, if any, Military Services (Yes/No- if yes provide details)

When this section of the form is complete, click Save and Continue at the bottom of the form.

Page 4- Details of Visa, Previous Visa Information, and Countries Visited in 10 Years, SAARC Countries, and References

All applicants requiring 4 years or less can make a postal application.

After deciding the duration of your visa, complete the first section of the form.

Places to be Visited – Insert places in India planning to visit into box one and two if required. Of course, if you change plans once in India, it’s not a big deal. At least get the flying into and out of destination on there.

Duration of Visa – Please insert the duration in months- so 1 year would be 12, 1.5 years would be 18 etc.

No of Entries – This means how many times you can re-enter India, as there is no cost difference between single and multiple entries, its best to select multiple unless you know you will only travel to India once whilst the visa is active.

Port of Arrival – Please inserts the Airport/Sea Port city you are planning to enter India, eg Mumbai.

Expected Port of Exit – This is not a mandatory field but if you know, please enter the airport or port you have booked to leave India.

Previous Visa/Current Visa- If you have had or have an Indian Visa please provide the details required.

Other Information – List countries you have visited in last 10 years.

SAARC Countries – If you have visited any of these countries in the past 3 years select Yes and fill in the details- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

Page 5- Upload Passport Photo

Choose File – Select the Choose File button first, then a window will open, find and select your passport photo image file, it must be in JPEG format and be no larger than 1mb in size. The image should 350 pixels (width) and 350 pixels (height). It should be a recent front-facing photograph with white background, do not scan your passport image and use this, it should be a new passport style photo.

The application is liable to be rejected if the uploaded photograph is not clear and as per specification.

Upload Photo – After choosing the file to upload, click the orange Upload Photo Button.  This will take you to the resize screen.

Page 6- Resize and Select Photo

Resize and Select – A preview of the JPEG passport photo you uploaded will appear in the left-hand box, with your mouse select the area of the photo showing your whole face and white background when happy click the orange Save and continue button.

Page 7- Review Passport Photo

If happy with the photo select “Save and continue” if not happy select “Upload Image Again” and if you’re getting frustrated save and Temporarily Exit or use the hassle frees service!

Page 8- Review and Confirm Application

Review the form and make sure all information is completed and accurate, the visa could get rejected if this is not the case. If happy please select Verified and Continue button at the bottom. If you want to make changes select Modify.

Page 9- Confirmation

Now your application has been confirmed!

If you will be carrying out a postal application there is no need to Book an Appointment, unless you are applying for a 5-year visa and biometric data is required.

Click the Print Form (orange button), the completed application will then automatically download a PDF, into your Downloads folder.

Click Book Appointment to proceed to the next step.

If you click Book Appointment you will be taken to this screen: Select the UK Mission you inserted in the application form, then select- Get Appointment.

Guide on how to apply for an Indian Visa for US Citizens

Almost all nationalities, including US citizens, need to apply for a visa before traveling to India which means that applying for an Indian visa is an essential part of planning any trip to India.  As the process of applying for an Indian Visa for US citizens can sometimes be a little confusing and I get a lot of questions about applying for Indian visas and wrote a post for UK citizens and Canadians.

If a trip to India is approaching and time is in short supply, apply online at the Indian Government’s website for an e-Visa. United States citizens must have a valid passport and visa to visit this vast, diverse, ancient country and it takes a minimum of four days for the visa application to process. Once granted, an e-Visa is valid for 60 days after the arrival date.

Indian e-Visa Restrictions:

Only visitors entering India at certain airports or seaports can use an e-Visa. The 24 designated airports include Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Chennai, Mangalore, Amritsar, Jaipur, Kolkata and Hyderabad, and the designated seaports are Goa, Mangalore and Cochin. E-Visa holders can exit India from any authorized Immigration Check Post the validity dates on e-Visas aren’t extendable.

Required Documents:

A passport that’s valid for six months after the arrival date and a digital photograph are the minimum requirements to apply for an Indian e-Visa. You must submit a copy of your passport’s bio page along with a recent, passport-style photograph in JPEG format. Medical visa applicants must also submit a copy of a letter from the relevant Indian hospital, and business visitors need to include a copy of their business cards. On arrival, visitors must be able to show they have a return or onward ticket and enough money for their stay.

How to Apply for an Indian e-Visa:

Apply for an Indian e-Visa online via the Indian Government’s website. Complete the application form for the correct visa type, whether it’s an e-Tourist visa, e-Medical visa or an e-Business visa, and attach the relevant documents. You must pay a fee before the application is accepted. After you apply, the visa application status becomes available to view on the website. When the visa application has the status “Granted,” print off a copy to take on your trip.

Regular Visa Applications:

The processing time for Indian visas that aren’t e-Visas is variable, but the application website supplies estimation when the application is submitted. Though a non-e-Visa application for travel, business, medical or other visits usually takes longer to process than an e-Visa application, the validity duration of the visa is often longer.

How to apply for an Indian Visa online | Indian E-Tourist Visa

In order to visit India for tourism, business or any other reasons, all foreign nationalities are required to fulfill certain eligibility criteria and furnish valid travel documents such as the passport, visa, etc. While the visa applicant can opt for the regular method of application, an Indian visa can also be requested online. In case of regular visa application, the application form needs to be signed and submitted along with all other supporting documents at the concerned Indian Visa Application Center.

The Application Process Is Categorized Into The Following Steps:

Online Application – The online application process involves filling in the application form, uploading the necessary documents such as the passport and the passport size photograph according to the specifications. Applicants are advised to use the latest Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome or Internet Explorer for best viewing and navigation experience.

Payment of Visa Fee – Once the application is completed successfully, the applicant will be advanced to the payment page where he/she can pay the visa fee based on the visa type. The payment can be made through debit and credit cards. Based on the entry scheme, whether the visa will allow single, double or multiple visits, the visa fee will be calculated accordingly.

Receiving the e-Visa – When the application form is submitted, the applicant will receive a reference/acknowledgement number which can be utilized to track the progress of the application process. If the visa application is approved, the applicant will receive the e-visa through an e-mail which is sent to the registered email ID. The applicants are advised to take a print out of the e-Visa and carry it at all times during the travel. If the visa application is rejected, the visa fee will not refund.

Who Can Apply For An Indian E-Visa?

The foreigners who wish to visit India for recreation, sight-seeing, meeting friends or relatives, medical treatment, and business can apply for an Indian Visa. The visitors need a valid passport with at least six months of validity from the date of arrival in India. Additionally, the passport must have at least two blank pages for immigration Officer’s stamp. The visitors are also required to have sufficient funds to support their travel along with accommodation and daily expenses. Along with the other required documents, confirmed return tickets are also a part of the application procedure. The nationalities from the following country can apply for an e-Visa to India.

Indian E Tourist Visa For Foreign | (+1)6674016132

Every foreign national who wants to enter India must possess the valid international travel documents, including their national passports and a valid visa, which can be obtained from a post abroad or an Indian mission. All of the individuals traveling to India are advised to apply for an Indian visa online, for easier visa inquiry and application.

The visa application form should be completed in full before submission. It should then be delivered directly to the Indian Mission or to the relevant Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC), on the interview date you scheduled, along with necessary complementary documents. You can see all the instructions for filling the form and how the interview can be scheduled at the Instructions for Regular Visa Application.

How to Obtain an Indian Visa

Persons going to India are advised to use the website to make an application for the entry visa. In any case, no handwritten application forms can be accepted in any Indian Mission Post especially if the online Visa application facility has been implemented in your country. If you already applied for the visa online and you would like to know more about the status of the application, you can check the websites visa inquiry tab. Details and more descriptions about your application will be availed in the page.

The Indian Mission needs at least 3 working days upon the receipt of your Visa application through the direct means or the IVAC, to fully process your case and issue you a visa according to your nationality and excluding some special cases as well. The online Indian visa application facility lets people going to India into a person to upload a digital image or photograph before the completion of the regular visa application Website.

Applying for your Indian E visa

Online visa agencies can typically process Indian e-Tourist visas in about 4 business days. Access the form here.

For the photograph, the height and the width must be of equal size. The photo should be the front view, full face with eyes open. The center head must be within the frame and should present the full head from the top hair to the lowest point of the chin. In addition, the background should essentially be of plain color, preferably light colored or white background. There should be no shadows on the background or on the face.

The Visa fee will depend on the type of visa applied such as Indian Goa visa, for as well as the duration of the visa like a 5-year Indian Visa. The fee is divided into different types including basic fee, processing fee, special fee, and other fees from the out-sourcing agency. Once received, the fees are non-refundable even when the application is withdrawn before the visa was granted and if the visa is issued for shorter periods than those applied for.

Note: As soon as you submit your visa application form you will receive a receipt number that allows you to track the progress of the processing of your e-Tourist Visa. It takes a minimum of 4 working days to get e-Tourist Visa approval. As soon as you submit your visa application form you will receive a receipt number that allows you to track the progress of the processing of your e-Tourist Visa. It takes a minimum of 4 working days to get e-Tourist Visa approval.