If you are planning a trip to India and need a visa, you should know when you apply for Indian visa.
Many people have made the mistake of submitting their applications too late, only to find out at the eleventh hour that they have to cancel or postpone their trip because their visas still need to be ready. To know the perfect time to apply for an Indian e tourist visa, you must know the average processing time.
What Is The Processing Time For Indian Visas?
The average processing time is not cast in stone as Indian embassies worldwide handle different volumes of applications; the higher the number of applications, the longer the processing time. However, if you submit your application to the embassy in your country and will not need to appear for an interview, the visa may take about 4-10 days to be ready. If it requires an interview, you may need to wait longer. The processing timeframe depends on the time of the year you submit your application and the number of Indian visa applicants from your country.
If you are from a highly tourist nation with a significant population who prefers India as a number one tourist destination, be prepared to wait an extra week or two. The season in India also matters too.
The months of October: February is considered tourist season in India because, during this period, weather conditions are suitable for outdoor activities, so tourist love to visit during this period. If you choose the summer season to submit your application during the summer months of March -September, the processing time may be less.
How To Apply For An Indian Visa?
There are three ways to apply for an Indian visa, and we explain the methods below.
Embassy/Consulate: You can apply for a visa through the Indian embassy or consulate in your country.
This is the normal application route for all applicants, especially for long-term residency visas.
In fact, there are some visas you cannot get outside the Indian embassy.
Travel Agent/Visa Application Center: Another method is to apply through a visa application center or travel agent. These centers and agents will charge a service fee for their troubles which should not be mistaken for the visa fee that goes to the embassy. For a long term visa, you will still need to visit the embassy to sit for a visa interview, but the agent can help you arrange that.
Online: The other route to take is the online route. This route is only available to selected countries and a few visas like the online tourist or business visa. You cannot apply online for a student, work, or permanent residency visa, as that can only be done via the embassy.
How To Apply For An Online Visa?
If you are from an eligible country, you can apply for an online visa via VisaHQ. The platform is safe and secured; it takes 20 minutes or less to complete the application. All you need are the required documents, and you are good to go. Here is the step to take
Visit VisaHQ
Choose India as your destination
Choose your citizenship
Choose the visa you want
Fill out the visa application form
Attach your documents
Pay the visa fee
Submit for approval
Kindly note that you can only apply for an e tourist or business visa online, not a long-term one. Successful applicants will have other applications mailed to their email, which must be printed out and brought to India to show as proof to the immigration officers on duty.
Online visa processing doesn’t take too much time because there isn’t a need for an interview.
Once the visa is issued, please take note of the date of arrival quoted on it. If the date is below 90 days, your visa may likely have one month – one-year validity
Documents For Indian Visa
The documents you need will depend on the type of visa you apply for. Online tourist and business visas don’t have too many requirements but work and student visas have more. Providing only valid documents is paramount to the success of your application. Here are the basic documents you will need
Visa application form
Valid national passport with three months validity minimum
Visa fee receipt
A recent photograph
Travel Itinerary
Hotel reservation
Flight ticket reservation
Proof of fund
Proof of accommodation
These are basic documents, but additional documents may be required depending on the visa type. For more information on long-term visas, contact the Indian embassy in your country to know more. Now that you know when to apply for Indian visa, you need to decide which visa you want. For an online tourist or business visa, apply via VisaHQ's official application website.