India E-Visa FAQ

India is one of the largest countries worldwide, stretching from the Himalayas Mountains to Kerala tropical. India, the land of various herbs and spices, also extends from the sacred Ganges to the Thar Desert. 

India boasts a rich history tracing back to more than 200 000 years.

More than one billion people inhabit India making about 2000 ethnic communities. These ethnic groups speak more than two hundred languages. 

India is rich in culture, with many tourist attractions sites to explore. Some of the plethoras of the attractions are;

  • The amazing religious buildings
  • Wildlife sanctuary 
  • The ancient ruins
  • The love symbol, Taj Mahal Agra
  • Exotic cities and many more

To enjoy the fantastic attractions that India offers, you need a visa. Read on to learn how to apply and get an India Visa.

What Is An India Visa?

The Indian visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is a digital travel permit. It is also known as an electronic visa or e-visa as one for it applies online.

Anyone traveling to India for tourism, business, or medical reasons needs a visa. Without it, you will not check-in or board a flight to India.

The types of electronic visas include; e-tourist, e-business, and e-medical. Also, there is a physical visa in a sticker form which a consular staff applies on your passport.

Applying for an electronic visa is easy, fast, and inexpensive. It would help if all travelers made use of the online application.

When Should I Apply For The India Visa?

You can apply for an Indian visa a few months before departing. Early visa application keeps you safe from changes in travel dates. However, in case of urgency, you can get the visa in 48 hours, though there is no guarantee on delivery times.

But, as soon as you establish a place to stay when you visit, apply for the India visa. Your accommodation details are essential to fill in the application forms.

How Can I Apply For An India Visa?

Apply and submit your India visa application by following these steps;

  1. Use the link; https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/ to start the application process. Choose the Indian Mission from which you intend to apply for the visa.
  2. Complete the application form with the correct details and submit it. The system generates an application identification which you should keep for future use.
  3. Make an appointment and pay. If you’re not ready to schedule an appointment, print a copy of the submitted form. Later on, when ready, visit the concerned Indian Mission and submit the printout, plus supporting documents.
  4. The system will give you a particular date and time if you schedule an appointment. 
  5. The system also calculates visa and service fees. You can make payments using the e-payment system.

Note;

Electronic payment is unavailable for all Indian Missions overseas. Therefore, submit your application and fees to the mission or an outsourcing agency.

Requirements for Visa Application

  • Each traveler, including underage children, must have a passport.
  • Your passport must show that you possess a EU or Norwegian nationality or any of these nationalities
  • Have a current visa whose validity is more than six months
  • The passport must have two blank pages
  • A recent digital photo

You can arrive at any of the following seaports with an India Visa;

  1. Chennai (Madras)
  2. Mormugao (Goa)
  3. New Mangalore
  4. Kochi (Cochin)
  5. Mumbai (Bombay)

To check the list of airports, you can arrive in with an India visa, click here.

How Long Is An India Visa Valid?

Since 2019, the validity period of e-tourist and e-business visas has been 365 days. Both passes warrant you an unlimited number of trips to India.

However, the 365 days validity doesn’t mean you stay in the country for a whole year. The validity period is 365 days, but the maximum stay period is as follows;

The E-Tourist Visa

An e-tourist visa permits a maximum stay of 180 days for Canada, USA, UK, and Japan passport holders. Citizens of other nationalities can stay for at most 90 consecutive days.

You can only use the e-tourist visa to visit family and friends and, for tourism purposes.

Note;

Due to the pandemic, all tourist visas have a validity of 120 days. They permit a single entry with at most 30 days of stay in India.

The E-Business Visa

An e-business visa gives you unlimited trips to India but a maximum stay period of 180 days. However, you can seek an extension of your stay period at the FRRO office. Do so before you reach the 160th day. 

The E-Medical Visa

An e-medical visa has a validity of 60 days from the arrival date in India. The date you arrive and the date filled on the application form should match.

You can travel to India twice within 60 days. However, your departure date must fall within the 60-days.

How Long Does It Take To Acquire An India Visa?

After successfully applying for an India visa, please wait for an average of four days for it to process. However, some agencies can help expedite the procession time to 48 hours for an urgent visa. Remember that the delivery times are not guaranteed. 

How Do I Check If My Visa Is Valid?

To check the status of your e-visa, visit https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/StatusEnquiry.

You will need to enter your application id, previously sent in the acknowledgment text. The application id comprises 12 characters. You’ll also need your passport number.

How Much Does The India Visa Cost?

Visa application charges are dependant on the type of visa and the agency, and it’s non-refundable. 

The charge for the India visa is 99 EUR.

You can make payments using American Express, PayPal, and Master Card. They are easy and safe methods with no transaction costs.

Can Indian Immigration Reject My Visa Application? 

Immigrations approve almost all visa applications, though they can reject them. For instance, if Immigration anticipates that a traveler has ill intentions.

If Immigration rejects your application, you’ll get a refund of the purchase cost. This kind of leniency arrangement is only applicable once for every traveler.

What Is The Official Website For India Visa? 

To apply for the Indian e-visa, use the official site https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/.

The e-visa services are entirely online. Therefore, don’t fall into the trap of intermediaries claiming to facilitate the process.

Again, do not share your biodata with any unauthorized individual or site. Only use this official site for e-services.

Extra Tips

  • Print your visa and have it along with your passport the whole trip.
  • Are you traveling from a yellow fever risk country? In particular, Africa and South America are high-risk regions. You will need to get vaccinated against yellow fever before departing for India. You must show proof via the inoculation passport, also called ‘yellow book.’
  • Your visa validity can expire right away when you apply, get, and start using a new passport. The reason is, the visa has an inseparable link to a particular passport number. The only remedy, in this case, would be to apply for a new visa.
  • The visa on arrival (VOA) service is only available for Japanese, UAE, and South Korean citizens. For UAE nationals to get the visa on arrival, they must have earlier received an e-visa or paper visa for India. However, you are not eligible for the VOA if your paternal or maternal parents or grandparents were permanent residents or born in Pakistan.
  • The state and Ministry of health regulations regarding Covid-19 change with the severity of the pandemic. Stay updated with India’s laws before traveling.