In addition to the existing visa services, the government of India has recently made electronic visas or e-visas available. Hence, the process of traveling to India as a foreign citizen has become more straightforward than ever, as you can complete the application from the comfort of your home without going to the nearest embassy or consulate.
Still, the application process requires you to submit a few documents before you can obtain your e-visa. Once you have completed the application form, you will be notified via email of the approval or denial of your e-visa.
Learn about the requirements and how the process to obtain an e-visa for India works.
What is an India e-Visa?
An e-visa is a digital document that you can obtain by completing an application form via the internet, allowing you to avoid bureaucratic processes and waiting for a long time for the approval of your travel document.
When it comes to India, the country made electronic visas available in 2014. It simplified the whole process and made it easier for foreign citizens to visit the country every year. Statistics say that only in 2020, about 6.33 million people visited the country, including international tourists and foreign nationals.
Still, please note that the existing visa services are still available. International travel document holders now have this option to make visiting India easier than before.
India e-Visa requirements
You must apply and obtain an e-Visa before you enter the country. You are expected to fill out an application form and pay for the applicable e-Visa fees, as well as submit the required documents. Generally speaking, the e-visa application for India does not take longer than one hour to complete, making it quite easy and straightforward.
That said, the requirements for your tourist e-visa include the following:
Passport: Please include a copy of the information and photo pages on your current legitimate passport. It should also have at least two remaining blank pages during your arrival in India.
Passport-type photograph: Make sure that the picture you use is not older than six months. The photograph you choose must be full color.
Email: You must provide a valid email address, as the system will notify you of the approval or denial of your India e-visa through this method.
Means of payment: As mentioned, you are required to pay for the e-visa fee. You can process it with a credit or a debit card.
Some of the requirements may also differ depending on the visa type you are trying to obtain. For instance, a tourist e-visa also requires you to submit a copy of a yellow fever vaccination card if you have recently traveled to any of the yellow fever-affected countries.
You can visit VisaHQ and check the requirements based on the reason for your visit to India.
Personal information requirements
The personal information requirements may include basic information, like your full name (as it appears on your new passport), the date and place of birth, and current contact info. You will also be required to answer questions regarding your marital status, profession, the purpose of your stay in India, and religion, among many other questions.
The application form is easy to fill. You may be required to answer certain security questions with a “yes” or a “no,” depending on your case.
In addition, you will also be required to specify your expected port of entry. There are 28 designated ports at the moment. You can exit through any Immigration Check post in India, however.
What countries can apply for an India e-Visa?
The government of India now allows citizens of 169 countries to apply for an e-tourist visa. Since the process is quite easy and accessible through any device, foreign visitors interested in visiting India soon can apply for a new visa anytime.
However, some countries cannot apply for an India e-Visa and must do so via other means. Nations like Canada, the UK, Macau, China, or Indonesia cannot apply for an e-Visa at the moment. You can check the full list of countries applying for an e-Visa to learn if you can obtain an e-Visa at the moment.
Processing time for an India e-visa
The processing time for India e-visas is relatively quick. It usually takes between 3 and 5 business days. You can now apply for a double-entry visa, which grants you 30 days of stay in the country, or a multiple-entry visa, which allows you to stay for up to 90 days and is valid for one year.
The India e-visa process is relatively quick. After you fill out the form, upload the documents and pay for the e-visa fees, you only have to wait for a few days until the system notifies you via email of the approval or denial of your visa.