e tourist visa 30 days vs 1 year

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• Home › Consular Services › Visa Services › E - Visa

1. Service of e-Visa involves a completely online application for which no facilitation is required by any intermediary/agent etc. 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 .

It may be noted that Consulate does not process e-visas and any inquiries in this regard will need to be made directly on the e-visa portal.

In case if you stuck somewhere or face any problem please contact e visa help desk i.e.

+91 11 24300666

[email protected]

2. International travelers 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 7 sub-categories viz. e-Tourist Visa (for 30 days/01 year/ 05 years), e-Business Visa, e-Medical Visa, e-Medical Attendant Visa, e-Ayush Visa, e-Ayush 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 mandatory 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.

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.

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.

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Page last updated on: June 07, 2024

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Applying for an E-Visa

Your Essential Guide to Getting an E-Visa for India

Understanding India's New Electronic Visa Scheme (Updated)

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.

Visa Requirements for India

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Permits for North East India and What You Need to Know

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How to Apply Indian eVisa (2024 Complete Guide)

Are you planning your trip to India and need to apply for an Indian Visa?

The process is pretty simple with the introduction of an eVisa .

For this guide, I have documented the exact process of how I got my eVisa to India from the UK (twice!) .

I used these exact steps when I got my eVisa to India under 24 hours (21 hours and 21 minutes to be precise).

And, I used my own guide to apply for the e-visa the second time. 😛

Applying Indian eVisa is a completely online application with no facilitation required by any agencies or agents.

Sending money to India?

If you need to convert your local currency to INR for your trip to India, don’t just use your bank. Follow my guide for the best ways to send money to India to get the best exchange rates. I’ve also covered a few tips towards the end of this post.

If you need to send money the other way around (outward remittance from India), head over to my other article where I have covered the best ways to transfer money from India to the UK .

The eVisa application process is the same wherever you apply from – the main difference is in the fees (more info on that in a sec).

The usual way of submitting your file at your nearest VFS centre is still an option – you can apply regular Visa to India where you need to attend an appointment to drop your documents in person.

Like me, if you are short of time and cannot bother visiting the VFS centre to submit your application, go for an eVisa .

I found the eVisa process better and saved me a 20 mile round trip to the VFS in Hounslow.

If you hold an eligible passport for a country on the eligibility list, you can apply from the comfort of your home and skip the in-person appointment altogether to get the visa online.

Disclaimer : This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not replace professional advice – this is documentation of my experience with getting a successful eVisa to India – twice!

After I got my British Citizenship, I surrendered my Indian passport in the UK but didn’t get a chance to apply for OCI right away (I tend to sometimes procrastinate on such things). I was required to visit India and eVisa came to be the saviour.

I was looking for my options to apply for a visa to India from the UK .

That’s when I came to know that you can apply for an eVisa which is completely an online application.

What does this mean?

You don’t need to fill out any forms by hand, no documents to be prepared to be submitted.

That’s when I thought of documenting the process so the knowledge is not restricted only to me.

Sharing is caring, right?

Before I jump in to guide you on how to quickly obtain an eVisa for India, here are a few things you need to know before applying online.

Who needs to apply for Indian Visa?

Countries that don’t need a visa: nepal, bhutan and maldives.

Nationals of Bhutan and Nepal don’t need a visa to visit India, they can freely enter India without any time limit.

Citizens of Maldives also don’t require a visa to travel to India but they are restricted to a continued stay of 90 days.

Countries that NEED a visa – Rest of the World

All the other countries apart from Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives need to apply for an Indian Visa. Below are the options:

Visa on Arrival: What it says on the tin, India provides an option to get a visa on arrival in India, meaning you don’t need to apply for a visa in advance from your country. You can show your passport at immigration and you can obtain a visa on arrival by filling in a form and paying the visa fee. Visa on arrival is currently available to only residents of Japan and South Korea .

e-Visa, also called electronic visa or ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization): Nationals of almost all of the remaining countries (170 in total) can apply for an eVisa to visit India online, using the official eVisa website (step by step details in this guide).

I also talk about the eVisa eligible countries on the eligibility section below – keep reading.

Regular or paper visa: Citizens of the remaining countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan – are required to apply for the Indian visa using the traditional process. The regular/paper visa process involves visiting the Indian mission or visa application centre in person for biometrics and submitting additional documents.

This guide is focused on the countries that do need a visa and can apply purely electronically – introducing eVisa.

What is an eVisa to India?

eVisa allows you to apply for Indian visa online. Here are a few things you need to know before you go

• Completely Online:  The application for the eVisa is purely online.
• Duration: It took me less than 24 hours to get the eVisa. The official estimate is 72 hours.
• Documentation: You don’t need to submit any documents in person. All documents (including your picture) can be uploaded online.

e-Visa has 5 sub-categories:

• eTourist Visa
• eBusiness Visa
• eMedical Visa
• eMedical attendant Visa
• eConference Visa

eVisa vs Regular Paper Visa – what’s the difference?

Should you apply for an eVisa or Regular Visa to India? Let me provide you with some information to help you with this.

eVisa vs OCI (for Indian Expats)

OCI is a multiple entry multi-purpose life long visa to visit India for any length of stay. With an eVisa, you get limited validity and your single stay also comes with limits.

If you are an Indian ex-pat and visit India more than often (even once a year), OCI is what I would usually recommend due to the hassle of applying for a visa and related costs. If you plan to apply for OCI in the future, you can use eVisa in the interim as I did.

You can check out the OCI benefits here .

SIDENOTE I decided to get an eVisa as it is a quick service to get your visa sooner compared to a regular Visa at Indian High Commission in London (via VFS). As I needed to apply for OCI in the future, I opted to apply for eVisa in the interim due to the quick process. If you are a person of Indian origin but do not plan to apply for OCI in the future, applying for a regular paper Visa might suit you better. Do check your options; I have briefly covered the differences between a regular Visa and eVisa in this post.

Indian eVisa Eligibility

If you hold a foreign passport and your purpose of visiting India is recreation, tourism, short term courses, medical treatment, casual visit to friends/family or business visit, you can apply online for Indian eVisa .

You can see the full list of countries that are eligible to avail eVisa (along with other eligibility criteria) here .

You cannot apply for an eVisa if you hold a Pakistani passport or Diplomatic/Official passport or international travel document. In each of these cases, you will need to apply for a regular paper Visa via VFS.

How far in advance can you apply the eVisa?

How soon can you apply for eVisa depends on the category that you apply under.

• For eTourist visa (30 days) , you can apply from 30 days to a minimum of 4 days before your planned arrival in India.
• For eTourist visa (1 year or 5 years), eBusiness visa, eMedical visa, eMedical attendant visa and eConference visa , you can apply from 120 days to 4 days in advance of your arrival in India.

Indian eVisa processing time

The e-Visa application may take up to 72 hours for processing as per the official guidelines.

From my experience of getting the eVisa granted twice, it took under one day (a little over 21 hours) for the eVisa to arrive via email the first time. On my second attempt, it took a little over 2 days.

That should give you an idea of how long the eVisa process should take for you – it was well under the official guidelines of 72 hours from my two applications.

The quicker turn-around the first time could be based on my timing of the two applications. Below are the details for the exact times.

How long is Indian eVisa valid for?

The period of validity on the eVisa depends on the type of eVisa you’re applying.

You need to make sure you get the right visa for your travel to India and that it’s valid for the purpose and duration of your stay.

Here’s a quick summary on eVisa validity for the different categories of eVisas.

For an eTourist visa (1 or 5 years), the continuous stay allowed is up to 180 days for the nationals of the USA, UK, Canada and Japan. For other nationalities, it is 90 days.

For eBusiness Visa, the continuous duration is 180 days without any registration required with the authorities. If your stay is over 180+ days, you are required to register with FRRO/FRO within two weeks of 180 days spent in India.

For eTourist (30 days), eConference visa, eMedical visa and eMedical attendant visa, the continuous period is valid for the duration of your e-visa.

Indian eVisa Fees

The cost for eVisa ranges from $0 to $100 and how much you need to pay depends on a few factors – the type of eVisa, the duration of trip and nationality (the country you are applying it from).

eVisa Application Process – how does it work?

Here’s what the overall process looks like in summary. I will go through each step in detail below.

• Step #1 . Apply online uploading a photo and passport page copy.
• Step #2 . Pay eVisa fees online using your preferred method.
• Step #3 . Once your application is processed, the e-Visa Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) will be sent to your registered email with visa status “Granted or Rejected”.
• Step #4 . As a final step, all you need to do is print the Granted eVisa (ETA) received on email and carry it with you when travelling to India.

eVisa Documents Required to Upload

Below are the documents required for an online eTourist visa application .

• Passport photo page (personal particulars) with at least 6 months validity from the date of travel
• Return ticket or onward journey ticket

If you’re applying for the e-business or e-medical visa, you’d need the below additional documents.

For eBusiness visa, you need to upload the Business Card for the company you work for or, an invitation letter from the company in India including the company’s information, address and phone number in India.

For eMedical visa, a letter from the hospital in India including the tentative date of admission/treatment in the hospital mentioning the name, nationality and Passport number of the patient/e-Medical Visa applicant.

How to Get Indian e-Visa Online?

Now, let me walk you through the step-by-step process to apply for Indian eVisa from the UK .

Pre-requisites

Here’s what you need when you sit down to apply for eVisa to India online.

• A recent coloured photograph (dimensions 2in X 2in) size less than 1MB – on the upload page the requirement shows for the picture to be 350×350 pixels.
• Copy of Passport page containing personal particulars.

Beware of Fake eVisa websites

There are quite a few websites online that promise to get you the visa for India quickly using their express/premium service but are known to be fake or illegitimate as warned on the official government website as well.

The only official eVisa website is https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html (this guide is based on the official process of obtaining eVisa).

Indian eVisa Online form

I recommend you open a new tab from this step onward so I can guide you through each step.

Go to this link  (opens in a new tab) and click on e-Visa Application tab and you will be taken to the eVisa application registration page.

Step #1. Select nationality and type of Visa

Start the by filling in the information about your nationality and the visa type you want to apply for.

• Fill in the form with your Passport Type, Nationality, Port of Arrival, Date o Birth, Email address to receive the eVisa, and expected date of arrival in India
• Select the Visa category as applicable. Your options are eTourist Visa, eBusiness Visa, eConference Visa, eMedical Visa, eMedical attendant visa – you can select more than one.
• Agree to the TnCs and click “Continue” to proceed to the next step: the Applicant Details Form.

Step #2. Enter Applicant Details

This is the step when you get a Temporary Application ID.

Note it down as you would need it in case you want to access your partially filled form.

It’s important:

If you don’t have the temp application ID, there is no way to access the details you already filled and will have to start the process again.

Fill in the applicant personal details as below and proceed to the next step.

Enter passport details:

Step #3. Enter Applicant Address and family details

In the next step, enter your present address and permanent address details.

If your permanent address is the same as your present address, you can select the option to select the same address for both sections.

Now enter the details of your family.

If you are married, you need to select the Applicant’s married status as “Married” and provide your spouse’s details.

Step #4. Details of Visa Sought

This is where you need to provide the details/purpose of your visit to India.

You also need to provide details of your previous visit to India.

It is mandatory to provide your previous visa details in the application form.

Note : If you’ve always visited India before as an Indian citizen using your Indian passport, you’ve never had an Indian visa.

Since you were an Indian citizen, you’ve technically never  visited  India before, you’ve only been a resident there.

In that case, or if you don’t remember your previous Indian visa details, you can write NA or Not Available or Not Applicable in the application.

References in India and the UK

In this section, you need to provide the name, address and contact details of references in India and in your country of residence (in my case UK).

If you will be staying in a hotel on your visit to India, the details of your accommodation will suffice.

The UK reference can be a friend, colleague, partner or family member with their address and contact number (including country code).

For references, I provided my parents’ details in India and my spouse details in the UK.

Step #5. Additional questions about your past

In the next step, answer all the questions and click “Save and Continue” – the answers to all of these usually will be a No.

• Have you ever been arrested/ prosecuted/ convicted by the Court of Law in any country?
• Have you ever been refused entry / deported by any country including India?
• Have you ever been engaged in Human trafficking/ Drug trafficking/ Child abuse/ Crime against women/ Economic offence / Financial fraud?
• Have you ever been engaged in Cyber crime/ Terrorist activities/ Sabotage/ Espionage/ Genocide/ Political killing/ other act of violence?
• Have you ever by any means or medium, expressed views that justify or glorify terrorist violence or that may encourage others to do terrorist acts or other serious criminal acts?
• Have you sought asylum (political or otherwise) in any country?

Step #6. Upload a digital photo

In the next step, you need to upload a recent photograph for your eVisa.

Photo specifications:

• Clear front facing photograph with white or light-coloured background
• Size – maximum 1 MB in JPEG format
• Dimensions – 350px (height) x 350px (width)

If you are not ready to upload the picture right away, you can log back in to the form using the temporary application ID.

Step #7. Upload documents

We’re almost done.

Here, you need to upload the documents to support your online e-visa application. In my case, I applied for an eTourist + eBusiness visa hence I was asked to upload a copy of my business card as well.

If you’re applying for eTourist alone, you’d see only the request for the “Copy of Passport page containing personal particulars.”

Document specifications:

• Documents must be in the English language
• File size should be between 10KB to 300KB in PDF format

Step #8. Review and Confirm Details

Verify all the information that you’ve provided on the eVisa application form is correct.

If you find any issues or mistakes on the form, now is the chance to modify/edit it.

If you review and confirm the information and click the “Verified and Continue” button and later realise for any information to be incorrect, you’ll need to fill out a new form as you won’t be allowed to modify it later.

Once you’re happy with all the information, click “Verified and Continue” to move to the payment step.

Step #9. Online eVisa Fee Payment

You’ve now reached the final step.

Note down the Application ID that is displayed on top of the page as you’d need this to track the status of your eVisa and print the ETA when your visa gets approved.

Select Yes to agree to the undertaking and click “Pay Now”

You’ll be redirected to the payment gateway where you can make the payment.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully applied for an eVisa for India online .

You should get the below email confirmation with the subject “Status regarding e-Visa application id: I004V5DXXXXX”

All you need to do now is to wait for the approved eVisa.

Travelling with eVisa to India

Once your eVisa is approved, you’ll get an email confirming the status of your application. The approved ETA (eVisa) will come attached to your email in PDF format – download the file and print it.

It is very important that you verify all the information on the granted Visa is correct and matches your passport. If you see any incorrect information, you must notify the e-Visa support centre at [email protected] .

You’ll need to carry a printout of the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) when you travel to India – that’s your eVisa.

When you enter India, the immigration officer will capture your biometric details (photograph and fingerprints). Watch out for the immigration counters that read “e-Visa”.

Visiting India – Bonus Tips

Get travel insurance.

It’s optional but quite essential to have enough travel/medical insurance cover in place when travelling to India. Insurance is one product that you buy with the intent of almost never having to use it.

But it’s always a relief to know that you are covered if things didn’t go as planned.

In many cases, your bank could provide this as a packaged benefit. If not, there are a lot of options to compare.

Buying Indian currency (Indian Rupees)

The Indian rupee is a closed currency which means that you cannot exchange your local currency for Indian Rupees in your country.

The best tip I can give is: avoid buying Indian rupees at the airport as the exchange rates you get at airports are the worst. Here are a few additional tips to avoid getting a bad deal on your currency exchange .

You’ll get a slightly better exchange rate at local exchange brokers when out in the city in India.

But, the overall best way is:

• to carry a debit or credit card that allows spending overseas economically at the best exchange rates at mid-market rate, if you don’t have a bank account in India. There are a lot of options that don’t charge any fees for overseas spending.
• to send it to your Indian bank account using money transfer services that provide the best exchange rates. Check out the list of best ways of sending to India that I had prepared a while ago.

Apply eVisa for India online – Summary

There you have it – the step-by-step process of applying online eVisa for India .

If you’re a resident of an eVisa eligible country, applying a visa for India is a completely hassle-free process with no physical appointment required.

If you’re a person of Indian origin and have just got foreign nationality with no time to apply for an OCI card , eVisa is a great option for you.

You can apply the e-visa from the comfort of your home using your computer with no physical application or in-person visit required.

How did you find this guide – please leave me your feedback in the comments section below.

If you get an eVisa granted successfully, do give us a shoutout on social media!

If you’ve got a couple of minutes, you can also leave us a review on Trustpilot – it would mean the world to me.

These guides take a lot of hours to put together so any effort you make in spreading word about Comparism goes a long way in keeping this project going on.

Don’t forget to share this post with your friends, colleagues and family members on Twitter, Whatsapp, Facebook etc – your support means a lot in carrying on this work.

Please do subscribe to our free newsletter and I’ll make sure you get an update about future posts on Comparism.

Let’s catch up in the comments section below.

FAQs about Indian Online eVisa

Yes, you will get an email confirmation immediately after you submit your application upon making the payment. Check your spam folder if you don’t see the email in your inbox in a few minutes.

No, you don’t need to. Services of eVisa are completely online and free – you are only required to pay the official eVisa fee directly on the Indian government website and no one else. Follow our hassle-free DIY guide to get the eVisa on your own using the official eVisa website. Don’t fall for any trap or speedy/express process promised on the internet.

No, the only cost you need to pay is the eVisa processing fee that varies depending on what type of eVisa you’re applying, where in the world you are applying from, and the duration of your stay (for eTourist Visa).

How far in advance can you apply e-visa depends on the category that you apply under.

For eTourist visa (1 year or 5 years), eBusiness visa, eMedical visa, eMedical attendant visa and eConference visa, you can apply from a maximum of 120 days to minimum of 4 days in advance of your arrival in India. For eTourist visa (30 days), you can apply between 30 days before and 4 days before your planned arrival in India.

Aman is the founder of Comparism. He loves to write how-to guides and via Comparism, envisions bringing to you the top money-saving tips and best ways of moving money internationally without paying hefty fees in hidden charges and poor conversion rates to banks.

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11 Comments

Hello. Evisas are now available to uk citizens, we travel 28th Jan 23 and have booked appointments for paper visa on 27th December 22 but problem is cannot apply for evisa until 28th Dec, is it advisable to cancel appointments or might we be jeopardising chances of getting evisa by doing so ?

Thanks for the update. Firstly, I can already see the United Kingdom back as an option in the application form drop-down for Nationality. So, you can apply for it right away? I didn’t understand the wait until 28 Dec.

Regarding your query, the eVisa is delivered usually within 24-48 hours so you’ll have ample time to cancel your appt and apply for eVisa if you indeed need to wait till 28 Dec as you mentioned.

Thanks for your reply, Dec 28th is the first we can apply for a 30 day evisa as you can only apply 30 days before travel, but we have sussed that if we apply for a year evisa we can apply 120 days before travel, i was just worried we might be declined an evisa if we already have an appointment for paper visa, all very confusing ?????

Okay, got you. That shouldn’t have any impact, I believe. I would decide between getting a paper visa vs an eVisa depending on the number of trips expected and not on the cancellation bit. Here’s what I would do in your situation: if I am planning to make multiple trips and ineligible to apply OCI, I would go for a paper visa. If you are going to India one-off, I’d go with eVisa and cancel my paper visa appointment.

Hope this helps.

Hi Aman, Thanks for your valuable post.Would you be able to confirm if indian passport surrendering is mandatory before i can apply for a tourist visa on my new British passport? Surrendering passport would require 7 to 10 days time , besides getting a separate appointment, so thought of doing it later, need to travel urgently.

Hi Ranjan, Yes, unfortunately, you do need to surrender your Indian passport before being able to apply for a visa or an OCI card.

However, I found the below on the VFS site which to me reads you should be fine to travel now and surrender the Indian PP once you’re back (just make sure you don’t use your Indian passport instead your British PP with an Indian visa). Hope this helps.

– Penalty for retention of Indian passport for more than 3 years after acquiring foreign citizenship is not imposed on applicants who could furnish proof of having obtained visa to visit India on their first foreign passport immediately after acquiring foreign nationality or if they have already obtained OCI / PIO Cards or Visa. However, if there is a gap of more than three years between acquisition of foreign nationality and obtaining OCI / PIO Cards or Visa, then applicable penalty, if any, would have to be paid. – PIOs who had earlier obtained OCI / PIO Cards or Visa without surrendering their Indian passports are required to surrender their last held Indian passport and obtain surrender certificates at the time of renewing their OCI / PIO Cards or for obtaining fresh visa.

Hello Aman and other users,

I started eVisa application process but am stuck on the very first page as there is no UK in the dropdown of ‘Nationality’. It’s crazy and ridiculous. I have tried different words like England, Great Britain etc but to no avail.

Please advise.

Hey Haneef,

Since the Covid restrictions, countries like the UK and Canada were removed from the eVisa eligibility list and haven’t been added back since then. I will add this info to the post. Thanks for updating here.

Thanks for the information. The requirement to upload flight tickets is a bit strange. Shouldn’t the tickets be booked after the e-visa is granted. Planning to go in Dec this year. The e-visas are still on hold at the moment. What if the e-visa gets rejected or the e-visas go back on-hold if at all they resumed in next coupe of months?

Thanks in Advance Regards

Hi Aman, thanks for the detailed guide. Do you know if E visas are currently suspended? The website says not available currently for the region(UK)

regards Nithin

Yes, due to Covid, as I updated on the post also, the new applications are paused at the moment. Cheers!

Visa Traveler

Exploring the world one country at a time

India e-Visa for tourists in 2023: Requirements, eligibility and more

Updated: September 8, 2023

This article is a complete guide to obtaining India e-Visa as a tourist. You can learn everything about India e-Visa types, requirements, eligibility, documents needed, fee and application procedure.

India e-Visa is quite easy to apply. All you need is a photo, a scan of your passport ID page and a credit/debit card. It takes about 15 minutes to fill out the application and the processing takes about 72 hours. 

India e-Visas are issued for tourism, business and medical purposes. 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.

Indian e-Visa is also sometimes unofficially referred to as “India visa online” or “online visa India”.

Table of Contents

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INDIA E-VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR TOURISTS

Who is eligible to apply for India e-Visa?

The following 166 nationalities are eligible to apply for India e-Visa. 

• Afghanistan
• Anguilla (British Territory)
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Cayman Island (British Territory)
• Cook Islands
• Cote d’Ivoire
• Czech Republic
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Liechtenstein
• Marshall Islands
• Montserrat (British Territory)
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• North Macedonia
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Sierra Leone
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Switzerland
• Timor-Leste
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turks and Caicos Islands (British Territory)
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Vatican City

What is the validity of India e-Visa?

India e-Visas are valid for 30 days,1 year or 5 years. You can select the validity that works best for your purpose while filling out the e-Visa application.

To summarize, below are the various validity options available for Indian e-Visa. 

How many days can you stay in India on e-Visa?

On a 30-day e-Visa, you can stay up to 30 days. On a 1-year or 5-year e-Visa, you can stay up to 90 days from the day of arrival. 

Canada, Japan, UK and US nationals holding 1-year or 5-year e-Visas can stay up to 180 days on each visit.

Below is the summary of permitted stay for each of the available Indian e-Visas. 

IMPORTANT Irrespective of nationality, the total stay in India on an e-Visa cannot be more than 180 days in a calendar year.

How many times can you enter India on e-Visa?

30-day e-Visas are double-entry visas. That means you can enter India on a 30-day e-Visa twice. 

1-year and 5-year e-Visas are multiple entries, meaning you can enter India as many times as you want.

Keep in mind that your total stay in India cannot exceed 180 days in a given calendar year. 

Below is the summary of various e-Visas and their permitted entries. 

When can you enter India on e-Visa?

You can enter India anytime during the validity of your e-Visa. Depending on your nationality and e-Visa type, you will be given 30-day or 90-day entry (or 180-day entry if you are a Canada, Japan, UK or US national).

Even if you enter India on the last day of your visa validity, you will still be given 30 or 90 days of entry depending on the e-Visa type you hold.

When should you apply for India e-Visa?

For 1-year and 5-year e-Visas, you can apply up to 120 days in advance. For 30-day e-Visas, you can apply up to 30 days in advance. 

The latest you can apply is 4 days. So if you have less than 4 days, your application will not be accepted.

Below is the summary of various e-Visas and the earliest or latest you can apply for those visas. 

Which airports or land borders you can enter India from using e-Visa?

You can enter India on an e-Visa at the following 29 airports and 5 seaports. Details are below.

Airports (29)

• Bhubaneshwar
• Tiruchirapalli
• Visakhapatnam

Seaports (5)

Land border (0).

Currently, e-Visa holders are NOT ALLOWED to enter India via land borders. 

NOTE You cannot enter India via the land border using an e-Visa. But you can exit or depart from India from any airport, seaport or land border. 

IMPORTANT It is NOT MANDATORY to enter India from the airport or seaport that you have mentioned in your e-Visa application. You CAN enter India from any of the above 29 airports or 5 seaports using your e-Visa.

What is the minimum passport validity required for India e-visa?

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your anticipated date of arrival in India. Add 6 months to your expected date of arrival in India to calculate the passport validity required for your e-Visa application.

Here is an example.

• Say today is May 01, 2023
• Your anticipated date of arrival in India is June 01, 2023
• To apply for your e-Visa, your passport must be valid at least until December 01, 2023

What are the documents needed for India e-Visa?

The following documents are needed for India e-Visa.

• Original passport
• 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

What are the India e-Visa photo requirements?

You need one digital photo for your India e-Visa application. The digital photograph must meet the following specifications.

• The photograph must be in JPG/JPEG format only
• The photo must be less than 1MB in size

What is the current India e-Visa fee?

The visa fee for India e-Visa varies depending on the visa type and country. Below is the general fee structure for various tourist e-Visa types.

Irrespective of the tourist e-Visa type, there is no visa fee for 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. The visa fee for these countries is gratis.

What is the current India e-Visa processing time?

The India e-Visa processing time is 72 hours. In most cases, the applications are processed within 48 hours. 

INDIA E-VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

How to apply for India e-Visa?

You can start your application process by filling out the online application on the India e-Visa portal . Make sure to keep all the required documents ready before starting the application.

Filling out the entire online application may take about 15 minutes. You can also save the partially filled application and come back to it at a later point in time. 

If you haven’t, check out the step-by-step guide on applying for India e-Visa for details on how to complete the online application, track the status and receive your approved e-Visa.

RELATED: How to apply for India e-Visa in 2023: A step-by-step guide

Word of caution on India e-Visa fake websites

If you search on the internet, you will see that there are many Indian e-Visa websites posing as “official websites”. There is ONLY one Indian e-Visa OFFICIAL website. The rest are all fake. The OFFICIAL website is below.

India e-Visa OFFICIAL website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/  

How to track India e-Visa application?

You can track your application status on the India e-Visa portal using your Application ID and passport number. 

On the application status page, your application will have one of the below two statuses. 

• SUCCESSFULLY RECEIVED: Your application is still in the process
• GRANTED: Your India e-Visa is approved

How to receive the approved India e-Visa?

When your India e-Visa is approved, you will be notified via email that your e-Visa has been granted. 

You can download your approved e-Visa from the India e-Visa portal using your Application ID and passport number. 

On the application status page, click on the “Print Status” button to download your approved e-Visa. 

You must print and carry your approved Inda e-Visa PDF when you travel. You can also download it as a PDF on your phone and show it to the airline staff or India immigration officer on your arrival. 

Is there a priority service for India e-Visa?

Unfortunately, there is no priority visa processing. The e-Visa process takes up to 72 hours. If you haven’t received your visa result even after 72 hours, you must contact the India e-Visa department at their email or phone listed below. 

How to contact India e-Visa customer service?

In case of questions on your visa status, you can contact the e-Visa department at their email and phone numbers.

EMAIL: [email protected] PHONE: +91 11 24300666

WRITTEN BY 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.

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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.

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.

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Here's how to get a visa to visit India

Dec 20, 2023 • 7 min read

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 © © 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.

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. 

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.

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 Mar 12, 2022 and updated Dec 20, 2023.

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• Home > Press Release -Reduction in E-Tourist Visa Fees

Press Release -Reduction in E-Tourist Visa Fees

Embassy of India

Washington DC

Press Release - Reduction in E-Tourist Visa Fees

          In order to promote tourism, the Government of India has decided to reduce the e-Tourist Visa fees for nationals of several countries, including the United States, as per details given below:-

(i) The fee for one-year e-Tourist Visa has been reduced from US$80 to US$40;

(ii) A 30-day e-Tourist Visa has been introduced with a fee of US$25, which will be applicable during the months from July to March;

(iii) During the April to June period, the fee for a 30-day e-Tourist Visa has been further reduced from US$25 to US$10;

(iv) The fee for a Five-year e-Tourist Visa would be US$80.

The procedure for e-Tourist Visa application remains the same as per details available at  https://indianvisaonline.gov. in/evisa/tvoa.html .

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• Nationality
• Document Required
• Technical Info for e-Visa
• Payment Related
• Authorized Immigration checkposts through which eVisa holders can travel.

Payment Helpdesk

SBI ePay: +91-22-2753-5773 (24 x 7)                Axis Bank : +91 1800-419-0073 (24 x 7)

Toll free Numbers from:

• USA : 1855 205 5577
• Uk : 0808 178 5040
• Singapore : 800 1206 355
• Australia : 1800 153 861
• UAE : 8000 3570 3218
• Saudi Arabia : 800 850 0000
• Qatar : 00 800 100 348
• Bahrain : 800 11 300

Select option no. 6 on IVR to connect to agents.

From rest of the countries none toll free number to India + 91-40-6717-4100 (Paid Number).

• eVisa Helpdesk (Due to maintenance activity IVRS services are unavailable.)
• eVisa Helpdesk

E-VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

Apply online

Upload Photo and Passport Page

Pay eVisa fee online

Using Credit / Debit card / Payment Wallet

Receive ETA Online

Electronic Travel Authorization/ETA Will be sent to your e-mail

Fly To India

Print ETA and present at Immigration Check Post where eVisa will be stamped on passport.

Government of India makes no provision of charging of any emergency fees or additional fees for grant of any emergency / express e-visa. Those travelling to India are also advised to go through instructions available on the website of Bureau of Immigration at https://boi.gov.in .

eVisa is admissable only under the following categories:

E-tourist visa, e-business visa, e-conference visa, e-medical visa, e-medical attendent visa, e-ayush visa, e-ayush attendent visa.

• e-Emergency X-Misc Visa

1. One Month e-Tourist Visa

One Month (30 Days).

Double Entry, non-extendable and non-convertible

2. One year e-Tourist Visa

One year (365 Days) from the date of grant of ETA.

3. Five years e-Tourist Visa

Five years from the date of grant of ETA.

Maximum stay in India during one Calender Year should not exceed 180 days for 1 year and 5 year Tourist Visa.

One year (365 days) from the date of grant of ETA.

Continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days. If the intension is to stay for more then 180 days, shall get registered with FRRO/FRO concerned within two weeks after the expiry of 180 days.

Thirty days (30 days) from the date of arrival into India.

Organizers to upload all details & documentation on the MHA website (conference.mha.gov.in)

Sixty days (60 days) from the date of arrival into India.

If the applicant is unable to complete his e-visa application form, he may save the application and may return to complete the application form by clicking the tab at the bottom of page: After your eVisa applications is submitted, the same shall be scrutinized and if any Document/Image is not appropriate, you may be advised on your given e-mail to re-upload the same. To re-upload use the tab at the bottom of the page. Applicant should normally receive this mail within 24 hours.

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• Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. Of India.
• Ministry of External Affairs, Govt Of India
• Ministry of Tourism, Govt Of India
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• Incredible India, Govt Of India

Eligibility

• International travellers whose sole objective for visiting India is recreation, sight seeing,casual visit to meet friends and relatives, attending a short term yoga programme,Short term courses on local languages, music, dance, arts & crafts, cooking, medicine etc. which should not be a formal or structured course/programme (courses not exceeding 6 months duration and not issued with a qualifying certificate/ diploma etc),Voluntary work of short duration (for a maximum period of one month, which do not involve any monetary payment or consideration of any kind in return), 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 private conferences organized by private persons/companies/organizations.
• Applicant's passport should have at least six months validity at the time of making application for grant of e-Visa.
• International Travellers should have return ticket or onward journey ticket,with sufficient money to spend during his/her stay in India.
• International Travellers having Pakistani Passport or Pakistani origin may please apply for regular Visa at Indian Mission.
• Not available to Diplomatic/Official Passport Holders or Laissez-passer travel document holders.
• Not available to individuals endorsed on Parent's/Spouse's Passport i.e. each individual should have a separate passport.
• Not available to International Travel Document Holders other than Passport.

If you are a national of any following countries, you are eligible for eVisa.

• Afghanistan
• Antigua & Barbuda
• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Cameroon Union Republic
• Cayman Island
• Cook Islands
• Cote d'lvoire
• Czech Republic
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Isle of Man
• Liechtenstein
• Marshall Islands
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Niger Republic
• Niue Island
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Republic of Korea
• Saint Christopher and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
• Saudi Arabia
• Sierra Leone
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Turks & Caicos Island
• United Kingdom
• Vatican City-Holy See
• Zambia and Zimbabwe

Documents Requirement & Visa Categories

• General Instructions
• Advisory for Canadian Nationals
• 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.
• For e-Tourist and e-Business visa, Applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival.
• For e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visa, Applicants of the eligible countries/territories 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
• Sample eVisa application form is available on the tab near the bottom of eVisa main page.
• 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.
• e-Visa fee is country/Territory specific. 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. To know the fee applicable on your Country/Territory please Click here (for e-Tourist Visa) and for other e-Visa Click here .
• 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. Applicants can track the status of their application online by clicking VisaStatus
• 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 please visit here.
• 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.
• 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. Please visit our Ministry Of Health & Family Welfare latest guidelines regarding yellow fever countries here.
• 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

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.

Documents Required: All documents uploaded by the applicant including business cards, invitation letters etc. must be in English language, failing which e-Visa application would be liable for rejection.

The documents required for e-visa are :.

• Scanned Bio Page of the passport showing the Photograph and Details *
• For short term courses, copy of letter from the institute/organization/hospital etc. concerned on its letter-head *
• For voluntary work of short duration, copy of letter from the organization concerned on its letter-head *
• Copy of Letter from the Hospital concerned in India on its letterhead which including the date / tentative date which admission have been suggested .
• Copy of Business Card
• Any letter of invitation if applicable from indian parties which wish you conduct the business (optional).
• Copy of Passport page containing personal particulars *
• Approval of the Government of India in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (Department of Sports)
• Invitation Letter to foreign sports teams and sports persons to visit India by the concerned Sports Federation/Association in India.
• If the applicant had participated in any commercial sports event during his/her previous visit to India, then documents regarding Tax compliance for the said visit are to be furnished
• If the sports event entails visit to Restricted or Protected Areas in India, below mentioned additional documents are also to be submitted (a) Clearance for holding the event from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. (b) Political Clearance for holding the event from the Ministry of external Affairs, Government of India. (c) Requisite clearance from the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
• Invitation of the host institute to the foreign faculty
• Copy of the sanction order under GIAN issued by the National Coordinating Institute viz. IIT Kharagpur
• Copy of the synopsis of the courses to be taken up by the faculty
• Invitation from organizer, which applicant may seek from this organiser.
• Political clearance from Ministry of External Affairs
• Event clearance from Ministry of Home Affairs

The digital photograph to be uploaded along with the Visa application should meet the following requirements:

• Format - JPEG
• Minimum 10 KB
• Maximum 1 MB
• The height and width of the Photo must be equal.
• Photo should present full face, front view, eyes open and without spectacles
• Center head within frame and present full head from top of hair to bottom of chin
• Background should be plain light colored or white background.
• No shadows on the face or on the background.
• Without borders.
• Format -PDF
• Size : Minimum 10 KB ,Maximum 300 KB

The applicant has choice of using two option for payment.

• SBI-FAQS-Payment Related
• AXIS-FAQS-Payment Related

SBIePay is the Payment Aggregator service of State Bank of India ? India?s Largest Bank and amongst top 50 Banks in the world, which provides bouquet of multiple payment options on a single page for the convenience of the customers.

SBIePay has facilitated the following channels on e-Visa platform:

• Payment Gateway: It seamlessly processes Credit card and Debit Card transactions for all the cards issued internationally by Visa & MasterCard. SBIePay Payment gateway is enabled with BIN identifier which recognises the BIN online when a customer enters the no., which drastically improves the success percentage and reduces customer friction.
• Paypal: SBIePay also facilitates e-Visa customers to make payment through widely popular and accepted Paypal channel.

SBIePay is certified with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) ver 3.2, which is the latest version, and which further reinforces our promise of security and safety. The payment system fully supports 3DSecure - Verified by Visa and MasterCard Secure Code, wherever it is applicable. Further, SBIePay is secured using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption which ensures that payment information that travels over the Internet is always encrypted and cannot be viewed by unauthorised individuals.

Yes, SBIePay has enabled international card issued by MasterCard and VISA both with and without 3D Secure authentication.

The applicant enters necessary details on https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ , and clicks on 'Pay Now'. The applicant is redirected to SBIePay payment page and is presented with payment options of either entering Card details (Payment Gateway) or Paypal .Applicant enters his card details and clicks ?Proceed?. Now, either of the below mentioned 2 scenarios will occur:

• 3 D Secure page of the Card Issuerwill be displayed, where applicant must enter 3D Secure Password/OTP.
• Transaction is processed without 3D Secure page. After successful completion of transaction, the applicant is redirected on to the https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ with a successful receipt of payment.

If an applicant is presented with a 3D Secure page prompting to enter a password/OTP, this means the Card issuing Bank participates in 3D Secure transaction. If the applicant?s transaction is processed without directing to 3D secure page, he/she should contact the card issuing Bank for support.

In an ideal scenario, once the transaction is processed, the applicant shall be presented with a payment successful page along with a reference number.

In some rare scenarios it may happen where the application is not shown Payment successful page post completion of transaction, which may be due to a drop in connectivity leading to non-receipt of success response. If the applicant does not receive any success message even after card account has been charged, a refund shall be initiated after due reconciliation process to the applicants? card account.

In rare case of transaction status unknown to the applicant, which is when the applicant has not received success response due to time out or connectivity issue and the account has been debited, we advise the customer not to attempt another transaction immediately and rather provide their Order no. on the e-Visa site after 30 minutes to check the status of the transaction. If the transaction status is showing ?failed?, then customer may attempt another transaction. Also, the debited amount shall be refunded to the applicants? card account after reconciliation process within seven (7) days of transaction.

The banking charges for:

• Payment Gateway Card transactions (both Debit or Credit Card): 2.5%* of the applicable e-Visa fee.
• Paypal: 3.5%* of the applicable e-Visa fee.

*The charges are inclusive of any applicable taxes.

The breakup of transaction charges will be displayed on the Payment page for applicants? knowledge and to maintain transparency.

At State Bank of India, we are committed to provide best customer services to our customers. Customers can email us at sbiepay[at]sbi[dot]co[dot]in for any queries related to their transaction. Alternatively, SBIePay provides 24*7*365 customer support to all the e-Visa applicants. Applicants can also call us on the below mentioned number(s):

Contact No: +91-22-2753-5773

An applicant can perform multiple times transactions for a single application ID, with a gap of minimum 25 minutes between each transaction. It is advisable that applicant may check the status of the transaction at e-Visa portal before attempting another transaction.

An applicant shall be charged for only once for any successful transaction against an application ID. Any further debits shall be refunded back to the customer after due reconciliation, within seven (7) days of transactions.

Axis Bank is an Internet Payment Gateway Solution allows you to make payments on a 24 X 7 basis from around the world. It accepts all Visa, MasterCard and Maestro cards.

Axis Bank Payment Gateway services facilitates online payments w.r.t. all Credit and Debit Cards issued by MasterCard and VISA.

Axis Bank Payment gateway services is compliant with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) standards. All transactions initiated at Axis Bank Payment Gateway services come with 128 bit security and two factor authentication via MasterCard Secure Code and Verified-by-Visa authentication is enabled.

Axis Bank Payment gateway accepts all international card issued by MasterCard and VISA both with and without 3D secure authentication.

The applicant after filling details on https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ clicks 'Pay Now'. The applicant is redirected to Axis Bank payment gateway page and is presented with payment options like MasterCard and VISA. Cardholder enters his card number, expiry date, Name and CVV value and clicks 'Pay Now'. Incase cardholder Bank is enabled for 3D secure, then a page will appear for the cardholder to entire either his/her OTP/3D secure password. Else transaction would be processed. After successful completion of transaction, the applicant is redirected on to the https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ with a successful receipt of payment.

Incase Bank is participating for 3D Secure transaction during transaction a 3D secure page would appear and cardholders have to enter his/her password /OTP.

The applicant shall be presented with a payment successful page along with reference number. If the applicant does not receive any success message even after card account has been charged, a refund will have to be initiated after due reconciliation to the applicant's card account.

If a transaction has failed but the applicants card account is debited more than once, the amount will have to be refunded to the applicant's card account after reconciliation process within seven (7) days of transaction. In some cases, If the fund still lies with the card issuing Bank, kindly get in touch with your Bank for such case.

The banking charges are subject to maximum of 2.5% plus applicable taxes on the applicable e-Visa fees. These charges are charged to the applicant at the time of making online e visa fee payment.

Axis Bank provides technical support for all payment related transactions at ecom[at]axisbank[dot]com

Our endeavour is to provide you with a seamless experience on our platform. Please ensure following, before initiating the card payment.

• Using a non-expired card
• Have sufficient balance in your account
• Have sufficient credit card limit on the card being used
• Card is not reported as ?lost or stolen?
• Entering the correct OTP. Have access to device for accessing OTP or Static password
• Card supports transactions in INR and USD
• Amount has not exceeded the daily maximum allowed amount by your issuer
• Number of transactions have not exceeded the daily maximum allowed count by your issuer
• Issuer and card not enrolled for 3DS
• Timeout occurred while receiving the OTP from issuer or while entering OTP on the payment page

SBI e-Pay Payment Gateway :-

• SBIePay is the Payment Aggregator service of State Bank of India which provides multiple payment options on a single payment page for the convenience of applicants. SBIePay has enabled Debit and Credit issued by MasterCard and VISA.
• SBIePay facilitates online payments all Credit and Debit Cards issued by MasterCard and VISA.
• SBIePay is certified with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) ver 2.0 certified, which reinforces our promise of security. The payment system fully supports 3DSecure - Verified by Visa and MasterCard Secure Code, wherever it is applicable. Further SBIePay is secured using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption which ensures that payment information never sent over the Internet unencrypted and cannot be viewed by unauthorised individuals.
• SBIePay has enabled international card issued by MasterCard and VISA both with and without 3D Secure authentication.
• The applicant after filling details on https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ and clicks 'Pay Now'. The applicant is redirected to SBIePay payment page and is presented with payment options like MasterCard and VISA. Applicant enters his card details and clicks �??Proceed�?�. Then the applicant may see one of the two options: i. 3 D Secure page of the Card issuing page for inputing 3D Secure password/OTP ii. Transaction is processed without 3D Secure page. After successful completion of transaction, the applicant is redirected on to the https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ with a successful receipt of payment.
• The applicant shall be presented with a payment successful page along with reference number. If the applicant does not receive any success message even after card account has been charged, a refund shall be initiated after due reconciliation to the applicants card account.
• If a transaction has failed but the applicants card account is debited more than once, the amount shall be refunded to the applicants card account after reconciliation process within seven (7) days of transaction.
• The banking charges are 2.5% on the applicable e-Visa fees. These charges are charged to the applicant at the time of making online e-visa fee payment.
• SBIePay provides technical support for all payment related transactions at +91-22-2753-5773 is (24 x 7).
• An applicant can perform maximum of three transactions for a single application ID.
• If the applicant cannot succeed in three attempts, a new application is required to be filled and transaction has to be carried out with new application ID.
• An applicant shall be charged for only once against an application ID. Any double/triple debit shall be refunded after due reconciliation within seven (7) days of transactions.

Ans- The following are the eligibility conditions for availing e-Visa services-   i. Nationals of countries listed on the e-Visa website https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ are eligible to apply for e-Visa Services.   ii. Foreigners whose sole objective for visiting India is     (a) Recreation and sightseeing     (b) Casual visit to meet friends and relatives     (c) Attending short term yoga programme or short term courses on local languages, music, dance, arts & crafts, cooking, medicine etc. which should not be a formal or structured course/programme      (courses not exceeding 6 months duration and not issuing a qualifying certificate/diploma etc. to the participants)     (d) Voluntary work of short duration (for a maximum period of one month, which do not involve any monetary payment or consideration of any kind in return)     (e) Medical treatment, including treatment under Indian systems of medicine     (f) As attendant to e-Medical visa holder     (g) Business purpose     (h) Attending a conference/ seminar/ workshop.   iii. Passport should have at least six months validity at the time of making application for grant of e-Visa and a re-entry permit, if that is required under the law of the country of nationality of the applicant.    The passport should have at least two blank pages for stamping by the Immigration Officer.   iv. The foreigner should have return ticket or onward journey ticket, with sufficient money to spend during his/her stay in India.   v. Foreigners of Pakistani origin or having Pakistani Passport are not eligible for e-Visa. Foreigners who are not Pakistani nationals, but whose parents or grandparents (either paternal or maternal) was born    in, or was permanently resident in Pakistan, are also not eligible for e-Visa. They may apply for regular Visa at Indian Mission.   vi. Not available to Diplomatic/Official Passport Holders or Laissez-passer/ international travel document holders.   vii. Not available to individuals endorsed on Parent's/Spouse's Passport i.e. each individual should have a separate passport.

Ans- For details regarding procedure for applying, please visit our website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/

Ans- No, https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ is only the official website to apply for the e-Visa Services.    Note - Services of e-Visa are completely online and no facilitation is required by any intermediary / travel agents etc. It is advised not to believe or fall in trap of any such unscrupulous elements who claim    speedy/express grant of e-Visa and charge money for it.    Do not share your personal information with any unauthorized website as it may lead to leakage of your personal data. Only visit the official website https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ for e-Visa    service.    For any clarification, you may write us on our email id ' indian-evisa[at]gov[dot]in ' or contact us on +91 11 24300666 .

Ans- No, there is no fee other than the processing fee for e-Visa application and it is non-refundable. Please visit our website to know the fee applicable for your country as it is country-specific.

Ans- (i) For e-Tourist Visa (01 year / 05 years), e-Business Visa, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visa, applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance    of the date of arrival. Such application can be made 120 days in advance from proposed date of travel.    (ii) For e-Tourist Visa (30 days) , applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival. Such application can be made 30 days in advance from    proposed date of travel.

Ans- Yes. Immediately after you submit your e-Visa application and make the payment, you will receive a confirmation of submission of your application on the email id provided by you while filling up your    application form.

Ans- Your e-Visa application may take 72 hours or more for processing. You will be intimated about your Visa status (Granted or Rejected) on your email id provided by you in the e-Visa application.

Ans- Yes, you may check the status of your e-Visa application by visiting our website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ and clicking on 'Check your Visa Status' Tab provided on the website.

Ans- The validity of e-Visa would be according to the e-Visa service you have requested in the application form as -    For e-Tourist Visa (01 year / 05 years) , the validity would be 365 days / 05 years from the date of grant of ETA with Multiple entries and Maximum stay in India during one Calender Year should not exceed 180 days.    For e-Tourist Visa (30 days) , the validity would be 30 days from the date of your first arrival in India. Double entries will be granted within the e-Visa validity period stamped on your Passport. Your first    arrival must be between the date of issue and expiry of ETA.    For e-Business Visa , the validity would be 365 days from the date of grant of ETA with Multiple entries and continuous stay during each visit which shall not exceed 180 days and no registration would be    required if stay is for a period of less than 180 days. However, if the intention is to stay for more than 180 days, then the foreigner shall get himself/herself registered with the FRRO/FRO concerned     (https://indianfrro.gov.in) within two weeks after the expiry of 180 days of his/her arrival in India.    For e-Conference Visa , the validity would be 30 days from the date of arrival in India with Single entry.    For e-Medical Visa , the validity would be 60 days from the date of first arrival in India and triple entry will be allowed within the e-Visa validity period stamped on your Passport.    For e-Medical Attendant Visa , the validity would be 60 days from the date of first arrival in India and triple entry will be allowed within the e-Visa validity period stamped on your Passport.

Ans- No, e-Visa is non-extendable and non-convertible.

Ans- You may arrive at 31 designated Airports i.e. Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Calicut, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa(Dabolim), Goa(Mopa), Guwahati, Hyderabad,Indore    Jaipur,Kannur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Port Blair, Pune, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum, Varanasi & Visakhapatnam, and 5 designated seaports (i.e. Cochin, Goa, Mangalore,    Chennai and Mumbai seaports). You may depart from any of the Indian Immigration Check Posts (ICPs).

Ans- Your e-Visa application may take upto 72 hours for processing. For more enquiries on your e-Visa application, you can contact us at +91 11 24300666 or e-mail at indian-evisa[at]gov[dot]in    The applicants are advised to beware of unscrupulous elements/ travel agents/ intermediaries in this regard. In cases where applicants have been asked for correct details or additional information    where application is incomplete, the same must be sent immediately. If such information is not provided within 72 hours, the application is liable to be rejected.

Ans- Yes, ensure that your child?s passport is valid at-least for next 06 (six) months from the date of arrival in India.

Ans- e-Visa processing 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)

Ans- No. You have already paid the required processing fee online. The applicants are advised to beware of unscrupulous elements/ travel agents/ intermediaries demanding extra payment.

Ans- This pertains to customs department.

Ans- Make sure you delete the browser history and cookies before trying to make payment. Also try to change the browser if the problem persists.    In case you have already tried more than thrice, then you may have to re-submit the entire application form once again.    Payment Support helpline :-     Axis Bank Technical support. Email address: ecom[at]axisbank[dot]com    Contact No Toll free Numbers from:    USA : 18552055577 UK : 0808178 5040 Singapore : 8001206355 Australia : 1800153861 UAE : 8000 3570 3218 Saudi Arabia : 8008500000 Qatar : 00800 100348 Bahrain : 80011300    For rest of the countries: + 91-40-6717-4100     SBI ePay payment support provides technical support for all payment related transactions at +91-22-2753-5773 (24 x 7).

Ans- Please visit our website https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ and click on 'Verify Payment/ Pay e-Visa fee'.

Ans - You have to upload the business card along with the details of Indian Firm/Company (which you intend to associate yourself with) for business activities. For Sports Related Activity under e-Business Visa, please refer Instructions for applicant page for the list of documents required.

Ans- Business card means 'a card provided to you by the company you are working for' OR you can also upload 'an invitation letter from the company in India including company's information, address and    phone number in India'.

Ans - A Copy of Letter from the Hospital concerned in India on its letterhead which includes the tentative date of admission/treatment in the hospital mentioning the name, nationality and Passport number of    the patient/ e-Medical Visa applicant.

Ans- For e-Conference Visa, following are the required documents:    (i) Invitation from organizer (mandatory)    (ii) Political clearance from Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India (mandatory)    (iii) Event clearance from Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India (optional)

Ans- You may be allowed entry into India on the new passport even if ETA has been issued on the old passport with the condition that you must carry the new Passport and old passport on which ETA was    issued.

Ans- No, You can only enter through the designated airports/seaports which are listed on the e-Visa website.

Ans- You have to put the Previous visa details in the application form as it is mandatory. You can write NA or Not Available or Not Applicable or any other suitable phrase according to you in the application    form if you do not remember your earlier Visa number/details.

Ans- The Visa on Arrival facility is only for the nationals of Japan, South Korea and UAE (only for such UAE nationals who had earlier obtained e-Visa or regular/paper visa for India). For the nationals of all other    countries eligible for e-Visa, the e-visa application have to be filled online and the applicant must wait till the confirmation/Grant of ETA for travelling to India.

Ans- e-Visa processing 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 the Application.

Ans- Entry by cruise ship is allowed with the ETA through 5 designated seaports namely Mumbai, Chennai, Cochin, Goa and Mangalore seaports.

Ans- 'Visible identification mark' generally means moles, birthmarks, permanent scars etc. which are visible and can be shown if askd for by the Indian Immigration Authority.

Ans- All the foreigners arriving in India within 6 days of departure from any yellow fever endemic country are required to possess (in original) a valid yellow fever certificate of vaccination.    List of Yellow fever vaccination countries-     https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Updated%20List%20of%20Yellow%20Fever%20Endemic%20Countries%20by%20WHO_0.pdf

Ans- The applicant must check all the details including Name, Nationality, Passport Number and Date of Birth, photograph/self image etc before final submission of e-Visa application. The applicant would be    responsible for any discrepancy irrespective of grant/rejection of e-Visa application. However, if any discrepancy found on ETA, e-Visa Support Centre may be contacted at indian-evisa[at]gov[dot]in or     +91 11 24300666 for assistance at least 24 hours before the journey date.

Ans- e-Visa is not allowed for employment. You may apply for a Regular Visa.

Ans- e-Visa is not allowed for NGO activities and journalism purposes. However, Voluntary work of short duration (for a maximum period of one month, which do not involve any monetary payment or    consideration of any kind in return) are allowed.

Ans- Only two e-Medical Attendant Visas will be granted against one e-Medical Visa (patient).

Authorized Immigration Checkposts

Entry points.

Persons holding eVisa will be allowed to enter into India only through the designated international airports (31) namely :

• Thiruvananthapuram
• Goa(Dabolim)
• Visakhapatnam
• Bhubaneswar

eVisa facility is also been provided for entry at 5 major Indian seaport for cruise tourists:

• New Mangalore

Exit Points

• Bhubaneshwar
• Tiruchirapalli
• Vishakhapatnam
• Attari Road
• Changrabandha
• Gauriphanta
• Kailashahar
• Lalgolaghat
• Srimantapur
• Kawarpuchia
• Bedi Bunder
• Mormagoa Harbour
• Mumbai Seaport
• Nagapattinum
• Nhava Sheva
• Vishakapatnam
• 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

Technical information for e-visa: 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.

Established 1994

E Tourist Visa

The Indian e-Tourist Visa is an electronic travel authorization designed for visitors wishing to explore India for tourism purposes. This includes activities like sightseeing, visiting friends and family, or participating in short-term yoga programs. It is available to travelers from eligible countries, offering them a convenient gateway to experience the rich cultural heritage of India.

Why Choose Our e-Tourist Visa Service?

Accuracy and Ease: Our service specializes in providing an accurate and streamlined application process. We aim to reduce the complexity and potential errors often encountered with traditional visa applications, ensuring a smooth experience for our clients.

Convenience: Enjoy the comfort of applying from your home with our user-friendly online platform. Designed for ease, our system allows you to complete your visa application efficiently, saving you time and effort.

Dedicated Support: Our team is committed to assisting you throughout your application process. From initial questions to detailed guidance, we are just a click away to ensure that your travel plans are seamless and free from complications.

By using our service, you can focus more on planning your trip.  Apply online  with us today and take the first step towards your journey to India.

Indian e-tourist visa eligibility:

• Passport holder from an eligible country
• Passport with a minimum 2 blank pages and validity of at least six months from the date of arrival in India

 e-Tourist Visa options

The e-tourist visa is valid for either 30 days, 1 year or 5 years depending on the option you choose:

1. 30 day Indian e-tourist Visa

• Visa is valid for 30 days. • Can apply for the visa up to 30 days, but no later than 4 days of your intended arrival date. • 30 days visa period starts from date of arrival. • Visa is valid for 30 days with double entry.

2. 1-year Indian e-tourist Visa

• Visa is valid for 365 days. • Can apply up to 120 days but no later than 4 days of your intended arrival date. • 365-day visa length starts from date visa is granted. • Visa is valid for 365 days with multiple entry.

3. 5 Year Indian e-tourist Visa

• Visa is valid for 5 years. • Can apply up to 120 days but no later than 4 days of your intended arrival in India. • 5-year visa length from date visa is granted. • Visa is valid for 5 years with multiple entry.

    our step-by-step application process.

Apply on our website: Register on our platform by selecting either the online application (English only) or the handwritten application (All Languages)  Please message, call or whatsapp if you need more details for the handwritten and translation services we offer.  making it even easier for you to apply for your Indian e-Visa.

Complete the Application Form: Fill out the online application form (try to be as accurate as possible to avoid delays), if you prefer the handwritten form , try to make sure the writing is readable and in block letters.

Upload Required Documents: Submit clear copies of your passport and a recent photograph. (photo can be taken by phone), and your handwritten application (if you chose this option)

Make Payment: Pay the visa processing fee securely through our website. We offer transparent pricing with no hidden costs, which includes government charges and our expert assistance. (Please be aware that payment for handwritten application will be taken after you register)

Receive Visa Confirmation: Once your application is processed, you’ll receive your e-Tourist Visa via email.

Why Choose Indiavisa?

Expertise: Our team has extensive experience in processing e-Visa applications, ensuring a high success rate.

Efficiency: We understand the value of your time. Our streamlined process is designed to deliver your visa promptly.

Support: Our dedicated customer support team is available to assist you with any queries or concerns throughout the application process.

Satisfaction: Our commitment to excellence has earned us a reputation for reliability and customer satisfaction.

Indian Tourist Visa prices (English Language)

Indian tourist visa prices (non-english languages), indian tourist e-visa faqs, can i extend my e-tourist visa once in india.

A: No, the e-Tourist Visa is non-extendable and non-convertible. Ensure your travel plans align with the visa’s validity and stay duration.

Q: Can I enter India through any port of entry with an e-Tourist Visa? 

A: The e-Tourist Visa is valid for entry through designated airports and seaports. Please check the latest information on authorized ports of entry before your travel.

Q: What should I do if my e-Tourist Visa application is rejected?

A: Our service aims to limit visa rejections, but in the rare event of a rejection, our team will analyze the reasons and guide you on the appropriate steps to reapply or explore alternative options.

Q: How far in advance should I apply for an e-Tourist Visa?

A: It is recommended to apply for an e-Tourist Visa at least 4 days and no more than 120 days before your intended date of travel.

 Need assistance?

We can deal with your visa application no matter which country you live or what language you speak!

We offer a translatory service if needed making our visa application process simple and available to everyone everwhere!

We’re Here to Help Got questions?  Our team is also a  WhatsApp  message or phone call away. Reach out to us anytime.

Our aim is not only to make the process hassle free, but to give you the much-needed peace of mind, allowing you focus on other aspects of your trip.

Get Reply from us

Get your e Visa for India

From $91.00  (usd) includes indian government & tds processing fee, no hidden fees • secure payment • fast processing.

U.S. Citizens plus 160 other nationalities are eligible to apply for an Indian eTV. An Indian e-Tourist visa can be obtained by Travel Document Systems on your behalf.

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Tourist Indian e Visas are valid for 30 days, 1 year, or 5 years.   Business Indian e Visas are good for 1 year from the date of issue, are valid for stays of up to 180  days , and provide multiple entries into India. 2 Business day and 6 Business day ( Monday - Friday ) visa processing times are available.

The Indian e Visa is issued for the following travel purposes only

Not sure if your trip applies? Check our FAQ to find out

Can I apply for an e visa to India?

Choose your nationality from your passport to find out if you can apply for an Indian e-Tourist visa.

CHOOSE YOUR NATIONALITY (on your passport)

Yes you can apply for the indian e visa.

Getting your India eTV is as easy as...

Scan all of the documents you need for your application

Complete the online application and submit payment

Receive your e-Visa approval and related documentation via e-mail

Tourist Business Medical Conference

How It Works

The Indian Government issues two types of visas: An e-Visa (electronic visa) and a traditional visa stamped into your passport.

The Indian e Tourist or e Business visa will be processed and issued electronically and sent to you by email. When the traveler arrives in India, they will need to have biometric information taken at the airport and their passport will be stamped with the actual traditional visa.

TravelDocs recommends applying for an India e Visa if you only require a short validity visa of no more than one year. If a multiple entry visa with longer validity terms is required, please apply for the traditionally stamped visa .

Tourist Indian e Visa: Has three different validities and number of possible entries into India to choose from allowing for greater flexibility for tourists. 1. A single/double entry visa valid for 30 days from the date of issue for a stay of up to 30 days. 2. A multiple entry visa valid for 1 year from the date of issue for stays up to 180 days per entry for nationals of United States and Japan, most other nationalities are for stays up to 90 days. 3. A multiple entry visa valid for 5 years from the date of issue for stays up to 180 days per entry for nationals of United States and Japan, most other nationalities are for stays up to 90 days. Indian tourist e Visas are very easy to apply for and do not require sending your physical passport to TravelDocs only a copy as part of this online order form. Business Indian e Visa: is valid for multiple entries, good for 1 year from the date of issue for stays up to 180 days per entry. It is very easy to apply for and do not require sending your physical passport to TravelDocs only a copy as part of this online order form.

Please Note: If you are traveling to India for business an Invitation Letter is now required, Invitation Letter must be on the inviting companies letterhead.

The Medical Indian e Visa: has a validity of 60 days from the date of issue and good for Triple entry.

The Conference Indian e Visa: has a validity of 30 days from the date of issue and good for a single entry only. An e Conference Visa can only be applied for if you are attending a Government Sponsored Conference, privately sponsored or hosted conferences do not qualify for an e-Conference Visa you must apply for a traditional stamped visa. The Indian e Visa can be issued in as little as 2-6 Business Days (Monday - Friday) and is a cost-effective option.

The India online visa application must be submitted no later than 4 days prior to departure for India, and no earlier than 120 days before the date of arrival in India. It is possible to apply for a traditional Indian visa up to several months in advance of your travel date.

The India e Visa, once issued on arrival, is non-extendable, non-convertible, and not valid for visiting Protected/Restricted and Cantonment areas.

A Traditional Stamped Visa is valid for multiple entries into India, good for up to 10 years from the date of issue for a stay up to 180 days, This option requires your physical passport and supporting documents to be sent to TravelDocs for submission to the Indian Embassy for processing. Although more complicated to apply for this option is best if you require more than one entry into India as part of your itinerary and/or you may return to India in the future.

The Indian E-Visa is only valid for Travelers arriving at 28 international airports: and 5 Seaports, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Calicut, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mangalore, Mumbai, Madurai, Nagpur, Pune, Portblair, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum, Vishakhapatnam and Varanasi. The Seaports are Chennai, Cochin, Goa, Mangalore, and Mumbai. If arriving from any other port of entry, you must apply for a traditional stamped Indian visa .

Indian Entry Requirements What you should have when you arrive in India

• Your passport must be valid for at least 6 Months after your arrival date.
• Your passport must at least two blank pages for stamping by the immigration officer.
• You must carry the e-TV Visa printout form, which will be emailed to you as a PDF by TravelDocs.
• You must have a return ticket or onward journey ticket, and sufficient money to spend during your stay in India.
• Foreign nationals arriving from Yellow Fever affected countries must carry their Yellow Fever Vaccination Card, otherwise, you may be quarantined for 6 days upon arrival in India. Check with the Indian Government's Ministry of Health & Family Welfare website for the latest list of Yellow Fever countries .

You need a recent passport-style photograph to accompany your India e Visa application

With no hassle, TravelDocs can process your photo so that it meets the digital photo requirements for your e visa application.

Find out more about our Visa Photo Service

India e Visa Photo Order Form

Photos take 1 business day to process. Please do not submit this form more than once.

Frequently Asked Questions about e Visas for India

Will i definitely get a visa if i apply online if i get a visa, am i guaranteed entry into india.

The decision to grant entry visas for India is entirely at the discretion of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) – Traveldocs cannot guarantee that your visa application will be approved. The granting of a visa does not guarantee entry into India; the final decision is made by immigration officers at the point of entry.

My passport is expiring soon – can I still get a visa?

All travelers need to have a valid passport for at least six (6) months from the date of arrival in India and have at least two (2) blank visa pages for stamping by the immigration officer upon arrival in India. If your passport validity is less than six months and or does not have two blank visa pages, you will have to renew your passport before you can apply for an e Visa.

Do children or infants need a visa?

Yes, all applicants no matter the age will require a visa to enter into India.

What travel purposes does India issue e visas for?

The e-Tourist Visa is for international travelers who's purpose of visiting India is for Tourist, Recreation, Visiting Friends or Relatives, Sight-Seeing and Short Term Yoga program.

The e-Business Visa is for international travelers who's purpose of visiting India is for Business Meetings, Set up Business Venture, Sale, Purchase, Trade, To Recruit Manpower, Attended Exhibitions and Trade Fairs and to deliver Lectures Under the Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN).

The e-Medical Visa is for international travelers who's purpose of visiting India is to seek short-term medical treatment.

The e-Conference Visa The e-Conference Visa can only be applied for if you are attending a Government Sponsored Conference, privately sponsored or hosted conferences do not qualify for an e-Conference Visa, you must apply for a traditional stamped visa.

Is an Indian e visa valid for Employment, NGO / Volunteer activities, Journalism or Conference purposes?

No. The Indian Business e Visa is NOT VALID for Employment, NGO/Volunteer activities, Journalism and Conference purposes in India.

I am of Pakistani origin or have held a Pakistani passport can I apply for an e visa to India?

No, you must apply for a traditional stamped India visa you would not be eligible for a e visa.

I have already have a valid e visa for India, can I apply for a second one?

No. you can only have one Indian visa at a time.

Can I extend my stay while I’m in India?

No. An 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.

What is the Validity of the Indian Tourist e Visa?

The Indian e-Tourist has three validity options available to eligible tourist travelers. A double entry visa valid for 30 days from the date of issue for stays of up to 30 days. A multiple entry visa valid for 1 year from the date of issue for stays up to 180 days per entry. A multiple entry visa valid for 5 years from the date of issue for stays up to 180 days per entry.

Can I visit India's Protected, Restricted, Cantonment areas using an e visa.?

No. An e Visa is 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.

Indian e Conference Visa Eligibility

An e Conference visa can only be applied for if the conference you are attending is hosted or sponsored by the Indian Government. If you are attending a Conference hosted or sponsored by a private entity you must apply for a stamped conference visa.

What is the Validity of the Indian Business e Visa

The Indian Business e Visa is valid for multiple entries into India for up to 1 year for stays of up to 180 days.

What is the validity of the Indian Conference e Visa

The e-Conference visa is valid for a single entry for up to 30 days. A maximum of three Indian conference e Visas can be issued for the same traveler within one calendar year (Jan - Dec).

What is the validity of the Indian Medical e visa.

The Medical e Visa is valid for a single entry for up to 30 days. A maximum of three Indian medical e Visas can be issued for the same traveler within one calendar year (Jan - Dec).

Indian Government Disclaimer Information

• A visa is required prior to entry into India by all nationalities.
• The visa processing fee is nonrefundable.
• The possession of an e-Visa is not the final authority to enter India.
• The e-Tourist, are valid for 30 days, 1 year, or 5 years. 
• e-Business e Visas are valid for 1 year, multiple entries stay up to 180 days.
• The Medical e Visa is valid for 60 days, 3 entries.
• The Conference e Visa is valid for 30 days, 1 entry.
• The e Visa printout must be presented at the port of entry and exit in India.
• It should take at least 2-6 working days to get your e Visa.

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• APPLY INDIAN VISA

Understand important dates on your Indian e-Visa or Online Indian Visa

There are 3 important dates dates you need to be aware of with regards to your Indian e-Visa that you have received electronically by email.

• Date of Issue on e-Visa : This is the date when the Indian Immigration Authority issued the e-Visa or Online Indian Visa.
• Date of expiry on e-Visa : This is the last date by which the Indian e-Visa holder must enter India.
• Last day of stay in India : The last day beyond which you cannot stay in India is not mentioned explicity on your India e-Visa. The last day depends on the type of visa you have and date of entry in India.

What is the meaning of Date of Expiry of ETA on my India e-Visa (or Online Indian Visa)

Date of Expiry of ETA causes quite a bit of confusion for tourists to India.

30 Days e-Tourist Visa

If you have applied for a 30-day Tourist India Visa, it is imperative to enter India before the " Date of expiry of ETA ."

With a 30-day e-Visa, you are allowed to remain in India for a consecutive period of 30 days starting from your entry date. For instance, if the expiry date on your Indian e-Visa is January 8, 2021, you must enter India before that date.

This requirement doesn't dictate that you must leave India on or before January 8; rather, it signifies that your entry into India must occur by that date. For example, if you arrive in India on January 1, 2021, you can stay until January 30, 2021. Likewise, if your entry is on January 5, your permitted stay extends until February 4.

To put it differently, the maximum duration of stay in India is 30 days from the date of entry .

It is highlighted in red bold letters in your Indian e-Visa:

e-Business Visa, 1 Year e-Tourist Visa, 5 Year e-Tourist Visa and e-Medical Visa

For the Business e-Visa for India , 1 Year / 5 Years Tourist e-Visa for India and Medical e-Visa for India , the last date of stay is same as the Date of expiry of ETA mentioned in the Visa. In other words, unlike the 30 day e-Tourist Visa, it does not depend on the date of entry into India. Visitors on aforementioned Indian e-Visas cannot stay beyond this date.

Again, this information is mentioned in red bold letters in the Visa. As as example for an e-Business Visa, it is 365 days or 1 Year.

In summary, for e-Medical Visa, e-Business Visa, 1 Year e-Tourist Visa, 5 Years e-Tourist Visa, the last date of stay in India is same as the ‘Date of expiry of ETA’.

However, for a 30 Day e-Tourist Visa, ‘Date of expiry of ETA’ is not the date of last date of stay in India but it is the last date of entry into India. Last date of stay is 30 day from the date of entry into India.

If you are planning to apply for a Tourist e-Visa (30 day or 1 year or 5 years), ensure that your main reason for travel is recreation or visiting friends or family or yoga programmes. In other words tourist visa is not valid for business trips to India. If your main reason to come to India is commercial in nature, then instead apply for a business visa. Also ensure that you have checked the eligibility for your India e-Visa .

United States citizens , United Kingdom citizens , Canadian citizens and French citizens can apply online for India eVisa .

Please apply for a Indian e-Visa a week in advance of your flight.

Application for India e-Visa

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The New 5 Year Indian E-Tourist visa : Everything you need to know

COVID Update: Issuance of New Tourist Visas are temporarily on hold

Indian e Tourist visa is now for FIVE year?!! Yes, 5 Year Indian E-Tourist visa is the new star!

Too good to be true. Right? But it is true!

Yes, you read that right, India is offering E-visa for the tourists for a period of 5 years along with 30 days and 1 year. It’s been upgraded from 30 days to 1 year to 5 years now. This great news was published as on August 2019. This is really a great news for the people who love India and want to experience it for a longer time.

Table of Contents

5 Year Indian E-Tourist visa Details

Here is the good news about Indian e-visa in detail.

The validity of e-Tourist visa has been extended to 5 years from the date of grant of ETA  while you can still avail e-Tourist Visa and e-Business Visa for one year as well. Multiple entries will be permitted on e-Tourist Visa and e-Business visa. On e-Tourist Visa continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 90 days in case of nationals of all countries who are eligible for grant of e-visa except nationals of USA, UK, Canada and Japan. In case of nationals of USA, UK, Canada and Japan continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days.

No more extensions of visas or visiting the embassy for applying a longer visa is needed anymore. Now you can get your permission to visit India in the comfort of your home.  You can apply for 5 year e-tourist visa all by yourself without leaving your home. Here is how you can do it.

Types of e- Tourist Visas available to visit India

• 5 years e-Tourist Visa : Five years from the date of grant of ETA  with Multiple Entries
• 1 year e-Tourist Visa : 365 days from the date of grant of ETA  with Multiple Entries
• 1 month e-Tourist Visa : 30 days from the date of grant of ETA  with Double Entries though non-extendable

Applying for Indian e-Tourist Visa for Five / One year

First step for applying for any e-Visa is to visit the government website for Visa application. Visit the Official website for Indian  e-visa by following this link.

Eligibility : You can check your eligibility from below.

1. 166 countries are eligible to apply for an Indian e-visa. Below given are the complete list of countries/territories

Albania, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon Union Republic, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Island, Chile, China, China- SAR Hongkong, China- SAR Macau, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’lvoire, Croatia, Cuba, 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, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,Kyrgyzstan , Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, 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, Republic of Korea, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, 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 & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Island, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda,Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City-Holy See, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe

2. Passport should have at least six months’ validity from the date of arrival in India.

3. The passport should have at least two blank pages.

4. Should have return ticket or onward journey ticket with sufficient money to spend during your stay in India.

Before starting the application process

Be ready with the required documents and photographs before starting to apply for the e-Visa. All the documents should be in English, otherwise e-visa application will get rejected.

The Required Documents and specifications

♦ Scanned Bio Page of the passport showing the Photograph and Details

• Format -PDF
• Size : Minimum 10 KB ,Maximum 300 KB

♦ Digital photograph

• Format – JPEG
• Size : Minimum 10 KB, Maximum 1 MB
• The height and width of the Photo must be equal. (Min. Width 350px , Min. Height 350px)
• Photo should present full face, front view, eyes open and without spectacles
• Center head within frame and present full head from top of hair to bottom of chin
• Background should be plain light colored or white background.
• No shadows on the face or on the background.
• Without borders.

Filling Out the e-Visa Form

Many people would say filling out Indian e-visa form is a lot of work. Yes, they do ask you a lot of questions. Here is a sample copy of the e-visa form.

This is the first Page of Indian e-visa application form.

• In this page, you have to select your passport type, which in most cases would be the first option “Ordinary Passport”.
• Then select your Nationality.
• Third one is the port of arrival which is elaborated further in the next section.
• Fill out Date of Birth, Email ID and Expected Date of Arrival.
• Visa Service we are focusing here is only the eTOURIST VISA.
• Choose if you want 5 year, 1 year or 1 month e-Tourist Visa

Valid Port of Entry for Indian e Visa

Below mentioned are the complete list of designated Airports and Seaports through which a person with an Indian e-Tourist visa can enter India.

e-Visa is valid for entry through 28 designated Airports (i.e. Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Calicut, Chennai, Chandigarh,Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai,Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Portblair, Pune, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum, Varanasi & Vishakhapatnam) and 5 designated seaports (i.e. Cochin, Goa, Mangalore,Mumbai,Chennai). However, the foreigner can take exit from any of the authorized Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) in India.

If you are planning to enter in India using an e-visa, then you can do that ONLY through the above mentioned Airports or Seaports. In case you are coming to any other ports other than the ones mentioned here, you need to apply for the regular visa.

Second Page of Application Form

Once you finish the first page, it leads to this page. Here you will give your Personal details and Passport details.

Third Page of Application Form

This is the Third Page of Indian e-visa application form. Here you will give your Present and Permanent address as well as Family details and Professional details.

Fourth Page of Application Form

This is the Fourth Page of Indian e-visa application form. Here you will give your Indian Travel Plans and Mention your travel history. Here you can also see the Duration of Visa and Number of entries allowed.

♦ In this form you have to mention the places you are planning to visit. If you are feeling lazy, you can copy paste this list.

Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Goa, Alleppey, Varanasi, Agra.

♦ It also asks you, if you have visited any SAARC countries in the last 3 years. Here is the List of SAARC Countries. Just mention if you have visited any of these countries other than India.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

♦ What should be the reference in India?

Reference in India can be the Address of the Hotel you’ve booked for the first few days. If you have any Indian friends you can use their contact details too.

Fifth Page of Application Form

This is the Fifth Page of Indian e-visa application form. Here you will answer some additional questions and make a self declaration that all the furnished details are true to your knowledge. In most normal cases, all the answers to the above questions will be “No”.

Sixth Page of Application Form

This is the Sixth Page of Indian e-visa application form. Here you will have to upload your Photo as per the correct specifications.

Indian Visa Photo Specification

• Minimum dimensions are Width : 350 px and Height : 350 px. So the dimensions of the photograph should be a Square.
• The height and width of the Photo must be equal.
• Background : White or light colored background.
• Format : JPEG/JPG
• No borders.
• File Size : 10 KB to 1 MB

The application might get rejected for not adhering to the specifications. So please do not try to upload any selfies instead of a proper passport style photograph.

Seventh Page of Application Form

This is the Seventh Page of Indian e-visa application form. Here you will have to upload your Passport Copy in PDF format  which has your photo, DOB, Nationality, Passport Date of issue and expiry etc.

Passport Personal page Scan Specification

• Required Page : The one with your photograph, Personal details like Name, Nationality, DOB, Passport Expiry date
• Format : PDF
• File Size : 10 KB to 300 KB (If you want to compress your PFD, use this site )

Make sure you are uploading a clear scan of the correct page of the correct passport. Do not use the scanned page of an expired passport by mistake.

Eight Page of Application Form

This is the Eight stage of Indian e-visa application form. Here you will have to Verify your details and confirm the same. If you want to make any changes, you can still modify it at this point.

If you think you have filled up this rather long form correctly, you can click ‘Verified and Continue’ button. Now the only step remaining will be the payment part.

Ninth Page of Application Form

This is the Ninth page of Indian e-visa application form. Here you will have to Pay the required amount as Visa Fees. In the below table you can find the cost of Indian e-Tourist visa.

Cost of Various types of Indian e- Tourist Visa

Below mentioned are the costs connected with different types of e-Tourist visas to India.

Indian e-Business, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference Visa Fee from September 2019

Banking charges for e-visa fee.

There are some additional banking charges connected with paying the visa fee online.

• Payment Gateway Card transactions (both Debit or Credit Card): 2.5%* of the applicable e-Visa fee.
• Paypal: 3.5%* of the applicable e-Visa fee.

How to make the e-Visa payment

Once you Click “Yes” to the Undertaking, as mentioned in page 9 of Indian e-visa form, three payment options will appear.

You can pay using any one of these options, namely Sbi e-pay, Paypal or Axis bank. All these options accept International cards. It can processes Credit card and Debit Card transactions for all the cards issued internationally by Visa & MasterCard, both with and without 3D Secure authentication.

Apart from the Visa fees, there is an extra bank fees one has to pay.

• SBI e-pay and Axis bank Payment Gateway Card transactions (both Debit or Credit Card): 2.5% of the applicable e-Visa fee.
• Paypal: 3.5% of the applicable e-Visa fee

Important Notes regarding Payment

• If the number of unsuccessful attempts is more than three, then the application id would be blocked and the applicant would be required to apply afresh by filling the application form again and regenerating a new application id.
• The e-Visa fee payment status update 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 .

Payment Successful

Once the payment has been made successfully, the ‘Payment Success’ window appears.

What if a successful page is not shown after completing the transaction?

In an ideal scenario, once the transaction is processed, the applicant shall be presented with a payment successful page along with a reference number as shown above.

In some rare scenarios it may happen where the application is not shown Payment successful page even after the completion of transaction, which may be due to a drop in connectivity leading to non-receipt of success response. If the applicant does not receive any success message even after card account has been charged, a refund shall be initiated after due reconciliation process to the applicant’s card account.

When Payment is Successful

Congratulations then! Now all you have to do is cross your fingers and wait. Your shiny new Indian e-visa is getting processed. You will soon receive it in your inbox. Usually you will get it in 24 to 72 hour’s time.

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 the website prior to commencement of your journey. Applicants can track the status of their application online by clicking VisaStatus .

When you arrive at one of the 33 designated ports where e-Visa entry is valid, the immigration officer will check your documents and capture the Biometric details and you are ready to explore India.

Regarding YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION CARD

Nationals of Yellow Fever affected countries or travelers 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.

Country requirement: anyone (except infants up to the age of 6 months) arriving by air or sea without a yellow fever vaccination certificate is detained in isolation for up to 6 days if that person (i) arrives within 6 days of departure from an area with risk of yellow fever transmission, or (ii) has been in such an area in transit (except those passengers and members of the crew who, while in transit through an airport situated in an area with risk of yellow fever transmission, remained within the airport premises during the period of their entire stay and the Health Officer agrees to such exemption), or (iii) arrives on a ship that started from or touched at any port in an area with risk of yellow fever transmission up to 30 days before its arrival in India, unless such a ship has been disinsected in accordance with the procedure laid down by WHO, or (iv) arrives on an aircraft that has been in an area with risk of yellow fever transmission and has not been disinsected in accordance with the Indian Aircraft Public Health Rules, 1954, or as recommended by WHO. The following are regarded as countries and areas with risk of yellow fever transmission: Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte dʼIvoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea‐Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo and Uganda. America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad (Trinidad only), Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of). Note: When a case of yellow fever is reported from any country, that country is regarded by the Government of India as a country with risk of yellow fever transmission and is added to the above list.

Other e-Visas

Apart from e-Tourist Visa, one can apply for e-Business Visa, e-Medical Visa, e-Medical Attendant Visa and e-Conference Visa using the same website.

e-business Visa:

• Valid for 365 days from the date of grant of ETA
• Multiple entry
• Continuous stay during each visit should not exceed 180 days for all nationals of all countries who are eligible for grant of e-visa

Required Documents :

• Scanned Bio Page of the passport showing the Photograph and Details
• Copy of Business Card

For e-Business Visa visiting “To deliver lecture/s under Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN)”

• Invitation of the host institute to the foreign faculty
• Copy of the sanction order under GIAN issued by the National Coordinating Institute viz. IIT Kharagpur
• Copy of the synopsis of the courses to be taken up by the faculty

e-Medical Visa/e-Medical Attendant visa:

• Valid for 60 days from the date of first arrival in India
• allows you to enter India three times
• Copy of Letter from the Hospital concerned in India on its letterhead

e-Conference Visa:

• Valid for 30 days from the date of arrival in India
• allows you to enter India one time only
• Invitation from organizer
• Political clearance from MEA
• Event clearance from MHA (optional)
• All e-Visas are non-extendable, non-convertible & not valid for visiting Protected/Restricted and Cantonment Areas.
• Foreign nationals who fall sick during their stay in India can now avail medical treatment without converting their visa into Medical Visa.

Visa on Arrival (VoA) for India

Visa on Arrival (VOA) facility is only for the nationals of Japan, South Korea and UAE (only for such UAE nationals who had earlier obtained e-Visa or regular/paper visa for India).

Visa Run Information for India

Depending on one’s Country, one can stay in India only for 90 days or 180 days continuously. Before reaching this limit, one has to leave India to avoid visa complications. If one wish to come back to stay longer can do so.

Minimum Number of days needed to be outside India

To be able to successfully complete the visa run and to come back to India to stay longer, one has to be outside of India for a complete day, meaning you can’t cross the border and come back to India on the same day. Even one day of staying out of India will do, but mostly travelers do a couple of days of exploring a neighboring country.

*So minimum length of time you have to be out of India after your 90/180 days are up before you can re-enter on the 1 year tourist visa is 1 day

One can use any land border or airports to go outside India and can use any one of these borders to re-enter.

Cheaper Visa run countries from India

If you are in the North of India, Nepal is the most preferred country for a visa run from India. One can cross the border either by land or by flight. But Delhi offers direct flights to many other economical destinations.

If you are somewhere in the South of India, Sri Lanka is another cheaper option. Flights to Colombo from Madurai and Chennai are pretty economical.

If you are at the East side of India, consider Thailand or Malaysia. Try Bhubaneshwar to Kuala Lumpur or Phuket.

If you are in the west side, Mumbai opens up a wide array of economical destinations with direct flight options, which includes Malaysia, Thaiand, UAE etc.

*I have gathered above mentioned information from the experience of various travelers.

Important Links

• Official Website for e-Visa application
• Incredible India Website
• Ministry of Tourism Website
• Backpacker Guide to Kerala

If you think the post was helpful, please do share it. Please do comment any update in regards with Indian e-Visas.

Main content Last Updated on : 02.02.2020

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India visa extension: Complete guide

If you already have a visa for India, but the expiration date is approaching, applying for a visa extension is possible.

For the Indian visa extension process, you must complete an online application on the Indian Government Website or the Bureau of Immigration website .

Extending your India Visa

You have three options for an India Tourist eVisa : 30 days, 1 year, or 5 years validity. The number of entries and length of stay are different for each.

The Indian Medical Visa is valid for 60 days and up to three entries, while the Indian Business Visa allows multiple entries and is valid for up to 1 year.​

For comprehensive information on your India Tourist e-visa validity, check out our blog .

Already in India and want to extend your visa?

If you are already in India and wish to extend your stay, you can contact the FRRO( The Foreigners Registration Office), which decides the policy of extension of visas. This can be done through the e-FRRO, an online FRRO/FRO service delivery mechanism that eliminates the need to visit an FRRO/FRO Office. All foreigners who desire Visa and Immigration services in India, including registration, visa extension, visa conversion, and exit permits, must apply for e-FRRO​1​.

You also have the option to exit India for a few days by traveling to a neighboring country like Sri Lanka or Nepal and then re-applying for a Tourist Visa with us or the Indian Government.

How long does it take to get a visa extension in India?

The visa extension processing time usually takes 7 to 10 days after the form submission and payments are made. The FRRO/FRO visa officers request that foreign nationals apply for the extension at least 60 days before the expiration date.

What happens if I overstay my Indian Visa?

In case of an overstay, it's important to note that the penalties can be severe. For instance, if you have not contacted the Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRRO) and have breached your eVisa stay condition, you are liable to pay a fine of $100 for one week of extra stay and $300 for one year of stay in India at the Indian Airport or Seaport at the time of departure​.

While shorter overstays may not result in legal action, those who have committed additional crimes while in India may be banned from the country for a specific period or indefinitely.

Can the India eVisa be Extended?

The electronic Indian Visa cannot be extended. If you need to stay longer, apply for a new eVisa, which is not extensible, cancellable, transferable, or amendable.

Contact us for more information

If you have any more questions regarding your India Visa extension don't hesitate to contact us via Chat or WhatsApp .

Related Articles

India e-Visa Validity: How Long is it Valid For?

Indian Passport Renewal: Everything You Must Know

India Tourist Visa for South Korean citizens: Apply for the India Visa now

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• Both parents or guardians must approve that we can issue a passport to a child, and go with the child to apply in person.
• If one or both parents or guardians cannot apply with their child, you will need to show us more documents.
• You cannot renew your child's passport using Form DS-82.
• Passports for children under age 16 are only valid for 5 years. 

Steps to Apply

1. fill out form ds-11 and print it.

Use our Form Filler tool  to fill out your child's form on a desktop or laptop computer and then print it. If you are experiencing technical issues with the Form Filler, download a PDF . 

Tips to complete your child's form :

• Do not sign your child's form until asked to do so by a passport acceptance agent or employee. 
• You can apply for a passport book , a passport card , or both documents.
• You may ask for a larger passport book with more visa pages, at no extra cost, by checking the 'large book' box at the top of the DS-11.

2. Get Evidence of U.S. Citizenship (and a photocopy)

Your evidence must be an original or replacement copy. The document must have the official seal or stamp of the office which issued it. You must submit one of the following documents for your child:

• Issued by the city, county, or state of birth
• Lists applicant's full name, date of birth, and place of birth
• Lists the parent(s)' full names
• Has the date filed with registrar's office (must be within one year of birth)
• Has the registrar's signature
• Has the seal or stamp of the city, county, or state which issued it
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
• Certificate of Citizenship
• Please note you must also provide a document, such as a birth certificate, that lists the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the child. Full validity means the document is or was valid for 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under 16. 

If you cannot submit one of these documents, go to our  Citizenship Evidence page  for more information.

Paper only : You cannot submit digital evidence of U.S. citizenship such as a mobile or electronic birth certificate. You must submit physical evidence of U.S. citizenship and a photocopy of the document. 

Returning your child's document : We will return your child's document in a separate mailing up to 8 weeks after you receive the new passport.

Tips for making a photocopy :

• Black and white (no color)
• Use 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper
• Use a single side of the paper

If you do not submit a photocopy, you must submit a second copy of your citizenship evidence. We will keep this copy for our records.

3. Show Your Relationship to Your Child

You must submit a document that lists the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the child. Examples include:

• U.S. birth certificate (also evidence of U.S. citizenship)
• Foreign birth certificate
• Adoption decree
• Divorce or custody decree
• A court order

Some documents, like a U.S. birth certificate, show  both  U.S. citizenship and parental relationship. These documents must be originals or certified copies (not photocopies).

You and your child may have different last names, as long as the document showing your relationship to your child lists your full name.

If your name is different than the one on the document showing your relationship to your child, submit proof of your legal name change.

4. Get a Photo ID (and a photocopy)

Both parents or guardians must bring a physical, photo ID and a photocopy of it. If your photo ID is from a different state than the state in which you are applying, bring a second photo ID. 

You must show at least  one  of these photo IDs:

• Valid or expired, undamaged U.S. passport book or passport card 
• In-state, fully valid driver's license or enhanced driver's license with photo
• Certificate of Naturalization 
• Certificate of Citizenship 
• Government employee ID (city, county, state, or federal)
• U.S. military or military dependent ID
• Current (valid) foreign passport
• Matricula Consular (Mexican Consular ID) used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
• U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) used by a parent of a U.S. citizen child applicant
• Trusted Traveler IDs (including valid Global Entry, FAST, SENTRI, and NEXUS cards)
• Enhanced Tribal Cards and Native American tribal photo IDs
• In-state, fully-valid learner's permit with photo
• In-state, fully-valid non-driver ID with photo
• Temporary driver's license with photo

If you do not have one of these photo IDs, go to our  Identification page  for more information.

5. Show More Documents (if both parents or guardians cannot apply)

• Both parents or guardians must approve that we can issue a passport to a child, and go with the child to apply in person.
• If one or both parents or guardians cannot apply in person with their child, you will need to show more documents.

Important : Submit  Form DS-3053  and other notarized statements within three months of signing them.

6. Provide a Photo

You must provide one photo with your child's application. Go to our  Passport Photo page  for photo requirements and to see examples of photos. 

• Do not attach or staple your child's photo to the form. The acceptance agent or passport employee will review the photo and staple it to your form.
• Some  passport acceptance facilities
• A company which offers photo services
• Home. Ask your friend or family member to take your child's photo. Print it on glossy or matte photo quality paper. 

7. Calculate Fees

When applying using Form DS-11, you will pay two separate fees - an application fee and an execution (acceptance) fee. You will pay the application fee to the U.S. Department of State, and the execution (acceptance) fee to the facility which takes your application. 

• Add $60 to your application fee if you want  expedited service .
• Add $19.53 to your application fee if you want us to ship your completed passport in 1-2 days after we issue it.  

Child Applicants :

For more information on how to pay and a full list of fees, go to our  Passport Fees  page.

*How to fill out your check and pay the application fee to the U.S. Department of State. Please note you must pay a separate execution (acceptance) fee. 

Families may write one check or money order to the U.S. Department of State if they are applying at the same time. The check or money order must include the name and date of birth of each applicant.

8. Find Location to Apply

In the United States:

• Traveling in more than 3 weeks?  Go to a  passport acceptance facility  such as a post office, library, or local government office. Check with the facility to see if you need to make an appointment. 
• Traveling in less than 3 weeks?   Make an appointment  to apply at a passport agency or center.

In another country:

• Contact your  U.S. embassy or consulate .

9. Track Your Application Status

You can  subscribe to email updates  about your application status, and  learn more about each status update .

It may take 2 weeks from the day you apply until your child's application status is “In Process.” 

Frequently Asked Questions

How will you send my child's passport and supporting documents.

You will get multiple mailings. The number of mailings depends on what document(s) you asked for.

Passport Book : You may get your new passport and citizenship documents in two mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after getting your passport before you get a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We will return the passport book using a trackable delivery service.

Passport Card : You may get your new passport card and your citizenship documents in two mailings. You may wait 8 weeks after getting your passport before you get a second mailing with your citizenship documents. We only send the passport card via First Class Mail. We do not send cards using 1-2 day delivery services.

Both a Passport Book and Card : You may get three separate mailings:

• New passport book
• New passport card
• Citizenship documents

Contacting Us : If you have been waiting more than 8 weeks for your documents, call us at  1-877-487-2778  to report that you have not received your documents. 

If you want us to reimburse you for a lost supporting document, you must contact us within 90 days of the date which we mailed your passport. You will also need to provide a receipt to show the cost of replacing the document. 

Can I pay for faster delivery and return shipping?

Yes. You may choose one or both of the following shipment options:

• Delivering application to us : Pay for Priority Mail Express for faster shipping. The price for this service varies depending on the area of the country.
• Returning the passport to you : Pay $19.53 for 1-2 day delivery. This means you will receive your passport   1-2 days after we send it. Include this fee with your check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State. Do not submit a return envelope to us with postage pre-paid. 

You may receive your passport and supporting documents in separate mailings. If you are renewing a passport card, we will send it to you via First Class Mail. We do not use 1-2 day delivery services if you only applied for a passport card.

What countries require Form DS-3053 "Statement of Consent" to be notarized at an embassy or consulate?

In certain countries, a DS-3053 must be notarized at a  U.S. embassy or consulate  and cannot be notarized by a local notary public. Currently, these countries include:

Special Passport Fairs

Find a Special Passport Fair  near you!

We're holding special passport fairs all across the United States to help you get your passport more easily. New events are added to our site every week.

Most events are for first-time applicants and children, (who use Form DS-11). If you can use Form DS-82, you can renew by mail at your convenience!

Processing Times

Routine:  6-8 weeks*

Expedited: 2-3 weeks and an extra $60*

*Consider the total time it will take to get a passport when you are booking travel.  Processing times only include the time your application is at a passport agency or center.

• It may take up to 2 weeks for applications to arrive at a passport agency or center. It may take up to 2 weeks for you to receive a completed passport after we print it. 
• Processing times + mailing times = total time to get a passport

Urgent Travel:  See our Get my Passport Fast page. 

How to Apply for your Child's Passport

Watch this video to learn how to apply in person for your child's U.S. passport!

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