If you are looking for a place to spend your vacations, India is certainly worthy of your bucket list. The country has everything: from fantastic attractions to thousand-year-old culture to delicious cuisines. All you need to do is imagine a thing, and you'll get it in India.
While traveling to a foreign country, the most important thing you need is a visa. A visa is a travel document allowing you to visit a country whenever you want. In this article, we have compiled a list of Indian visa options available for foreigners.
India Visa Options & Their Processing Time
Besides their unmatchable hospitality, India is known for a lot of things. Their flexible policies for foreign citizens are one of those things. The Indian government provides different types of visas for different purposes.
As no two visas are the same, the processing time and visa fee are different as well. To provide a better perspective, below, we have mentioned some of the most popular Indian visa options for foreigners:
India e-Visa
When it comes to convenience, the Indian e-visa is certainly unbeatable. The best thing about an e-visa is that you don’t have to visit the Indian embassy or mission. You can apply for an e-visa from the comfort of your home.
India provides e-visa for different purposes, including tourism, business, medical treatment, and many more. They offer single-entry e-visa, double-entry e-visa, and even multiple-entry electronic visas.
An Indian electronic visa that allows you to stay in the country for 90 days comes with a validity period of 5 years. You can also get a multiple-entry visa that allows holders to stay in the country for 180 days. Keep in mind that international travel document holders cannot apply for an e-visa.
Processing Time:
On average, the processing time for an Indian e-visa is around 3-5 days. However, you might have to wait a little longer due to the secondary checks and high demand.
Tourist or Business Visa
You can apply for a traditional visa if you are not eligible for an e-visa. India offers 3 types of tourist visas:
Single-entry visa with a validity period of 180 days
Multiple-entry visa with a validity period of 180 days
Multiple-entry visa with a validity period of 2 years
If you want to visit India for business purposes, you can apply for a business visa that stays valid for 5 years.
Processing Times:
You can get an Indian tourist visa within 10-15 days after you submit the visa application form. The average processing time for a business visa is around 10-14 days.
Conference Visa
If you want to enter the country to attend a conference, you can get both an e-visa and a traditional visa. The conference e-visa stays valid for 120 days, while the traditional one comes with a validity period of 90 days. Both of these visa options are single-entry and allow a holder to stay in the country for 30 days.
Processing Time:
The average processing time for an Indian conference e-visa is 3-5 days. Alternatively, you can get a conference visa within 15 business days.
Journalist Visa
All foreign journalists are required to apply for a visa before visiting India. Journalists can get both single-entry and multiple-entry visas. The single-entry visa comes with a validity period of 180 days, while journalists can get a multiple-entry visa that stays valid for 1 year.
Processing Time:
If you are applying for a journalist visa with a validity of 180 days, you will get your travel document within 10-15 days. For a visa with 1 year of validity, you'll need to wait for just 10 days.
Work Visa
India offers two types of work visas; both allow a holder to enter the country multiple times. India work visa options include:
Multiple-entry visa with a validity period of 180 days
Multiple-entry visa with a validity period of 1 year
Processing Time:
Applicants can get a work visa with 180 days of validity within 10 days. In contrast, you'll have to wait for up to 15 days to get your work visa with a validity period of one year.
Student Visa
Students can apply for an Indian study visa. This one is a multiple-entry travel document that stays valid for 5 years. A study visa allows applicants to stay in the country for 1 year.
Processing Time:
On average, applicants can get their study visas within 10 days. However, if you want a study visa with a validity period of 1 year, you might have to wait for 15 business days.
"Keep in mind that the actual processing time differs from applicant to applicant. The Indian Mission requires at least 3 days to process the case. Afterward, it will issue a visa depending upon the nationality!"