India has opened its doors for many international students hence E visa for India is a very old topic now. For any foreigner, there are some easy procedures which need to be followed effectively and efficiently in order to get the permission for entering into this country. This article discusses about some points which will help you in getting the permission of studying in India.You need visa to visit india.There are many types of visa for India like e visa for india, tourist visa for india, business visa for india, student visa for india, family member and dependent visa etc.
E Visa For India Cost
The Indian government has just made a new announcement about the E-visa for India, which is known as e-Tourist Visa. This is part of the government’s effort to promote tourism in the country, by providing easy access for foreign nationals. International tourists will now be able to submit their visa applications online, and track the process online as well. All applicants are required to fill out an online application form and upload their passport images, photographs and signatures with it. The signature will have to be of good quality, so that a clear image can be scanned from it.We at Visa Day help the Indian applicants to apply for Japan visa. We have a very good history of success in getting Japanese Visa Approved for our clients. Our Team helps you guide through complete process with all the necessary documents, filing charges, including total cost involved and time schedule.
The India e-Visa Basics
Before starting my application, I knew almost nothing about the e-Visa for India and how it works. So naturally, to ensure my application was successful, I researched loads of things. Please use the sublinks below to navigate to the section you want to learn more about.
Next, you’ll find the basics of the India e-Visa:
- What Is The E-Visa For India?
- Do I Need A Visa To Visit India?
- Where Must I Apply For The India e-Visa?
- What Are The Different Types Of India e-Visas?
- What Type Of Visa Do I Need To Apply For?
- What Is The India e-Visa Processing time?
- How Long Is The Indian E-Visa Valid For?
- What Is The Indian E Visa Fee?
- When Should I Apply For My Indian e-Visa?
What Is The E-Visa For India?
To enter India, you need a visitor’s entry visa. The India e-Visa is exactly that. It’s an electronic visa that allows travel to India for numerous purposes such as tourism, business, etc. When you travel to India and arrive at the border, authorities will check your India e-Visa before allowing you to enter the country. Therefore, think of your India e-Visa as an entry permit.
Unlike traditional visas, the India e-Visa is completed online, hence the “e,” which stands for electronic.
Applying for a visa online is much easier than applying at the embassy. It eliminates travel time and uncertainty and is relatively easy to do.
Do I Need A Visa To Visit India?
Yes. Most foreign nationals must apply for a visa to travel to India.
No matter how short your trip is, you must get a visa to visit India unless you possess an OCI card. The type of visa depends on the purpose and duration. Please remember that citizens with an NRI/PIO card must apply for their OCI Card before the end of 2022. Suppose you have not renounced your Indian Citizenship. In that case, you must apply for your OCI Card before applying for your Indian E Visa. Please check out our guide on how to get your OCI Card in the USA.
All tourists, including children, must obtain a visa before arrival. The Government of India does not grant visas on arrival.
“Do US citizens need a visa to travel to India”
Yes. All US citizens need a valid passport alongside a valid India eVisa when traveling to India for any travel purposes. In this guide, you’ll discuss the exact steps you need to take when applying for an India e-Visa to travel to India. Alternatively, US citizens can apply for the 10 year India Visa before traveling to India.
Where Must I Apply For The India e-Visa?
You must complete the Indian E Visa online through the official government website. The website does an excellent job of explaining the application process. Even so, you’ll find that sometimes, the website can be troublesome and not load correctly (not always the case). Therefore the easiest way to apply for your Indian e-Visa is through Atlys.
Nonetheless, I will explain the Indian E Visa application process later in this post.
What Are The Different Types Of India e-Visas
Currently, India has 6 different types of e-visas available. The type of e-Visa you need depends on the purpose of your trip.
- e-Tourist Visa
- e-Business Visa
- e-Conference Visa
- e-Medical Visa
- e-Medical Attendant Visa
- e-Emergency X-Misc
Later in the post, I’ll briefly explain the main categories of the India e-Visas.
What Type Of Visa Do I Need To Apply For?
This mainly depends on the duration of your trip. Typically, you need to apply for an India e-Visa. However, suppose you’re visiting for more than 60 days. In that case, you’ll need to apply for a regular consular visa at an Indian mission near you. Furthermore, the type of e-Visa/Visa you apply for needs to align with the purpose of your trip.
Suppose you plan to visit India for tourism purposes. In that case, you must apply for the India e-Tourist Visa and not the e-Medical or e- Conference Visa.
What Is The India e-Visa Processing time?
The India e-Visa processing time can take anywhere between 1 – 10 business days. Therefore, I recommend starting your application at least 10 days before departure to India. This ensures that you leave enough time for authorities to process your application. Keep in mind that the India e-Visa processing time can be longer. Different factors can delay your India e-Visa processing time. These include:
- Incorrect documents
- An incomplete application form
- A global pandemic
- Visa policy changes
- Problems with the website/e-visa online portal
How Long Is The Indian E-Visa Valid For?
The visa is valid for 4 months from the date of issue for a single entry.
For instance, if you got a visa on December 1, 2021 – you can use it to visit India anytime until April 1, 2022. So this is the range within which you can use this visa.
The visa itself is only valid for 30 days after the day you enter India. So if your trip is extended, you must apply for another visa. Similarly, suppose you’re going for more than 30 days. In that case, we recommend applying for a traditional Indian visa – it takes 15 business days, is more expensive, and can be applied at an Indian consulate near you.
E-visa holders must contact the authorities if they stay for more than 30 days.
What Is The Indian E Visa Fee?
As you might have guessed, you must pay an Indian E visa fee. However, before I explain the Indian E-Visa fee, you must know that the Indian E Visa cost depends on your visa type. Here is a list of the different Indian E Visa costs that you must be aware of:
- For the Indian e-Tourist Visa cost (30 days – double entry): $25
- For the Indian e-Business Visa cost (365 days – multiple entries): $80
- For the Indian e-Medical Visa cost (60 days – triple entry): $80
- For the Indian e-Medical Attendant Visa cost (60 days – triple entry): $80
Keep in mind that the India e-Visa cost may change at any time. The above amounts are the current India e-Visa costs.
When Should I Apply For My Indian e-Visa?
You can apply for the e-Tourist Visa (01 year / 05 years), e-Business Visa, e-Medical, and e-Medical Attendant Visa a minimum of 4 days before the arrival date. Also, you can apply for your e-Visa 120 days before your intended arrival date in India.
For the e-Tourist Visa (30 days), you may apply a minimum of 4 days before the arrival date. For this visa, you can only start the application as early as 30 days before the date you plan to travel.
What Are The Indian E-Visa Required Documents?
Before you start the application, make sure to have these documents ready:
- Scanned bio page of your passport/travel document showing your photograph and passport details:
The passport validity has to be more than 6 months. If your passport expires within 6 months, you will not be allowed to submit your Indian e Visa application.
- A recent digital photo of yourself, taken against a white background:
You can upload the photo in a jpeg format – you can use this free tool to convert your photos to JPEG.
- Address and contact details of your reference in India
- Sufficient funds to cover the India e-Visa cost
How to Get an Indian E-Visa?
You can apply for your e-visa a minimum of 4 days before your intended travel date. But, of course, the earlier you apply, the better.
After you have your documents ready, you can start completing the India E Visa online application form.
The online application process is split into 8 steps:
- Step 1: Create An Account
- Step 2: Applicant Details
- Step 3: Passport Details
- Step 4: Address Details
- Step 5: Family Details
- Step 6: Occupation Details
- Step 7: Visa Type
- Step 8: References
- Step 9: Upload Your Documents
- Step 10: Submission
Step 1: Create An Account
To apply for your Indian e-visa, you must head to the official website and apply there. You’ll be greeted by a simple page showing an infographic. It explains how to apply for your new e-Visa.
Tap on Apply Online and create an online account. You’ve to select what type of visa you require while creating the account. I was going to visit my family, so I selected tourist, the most common use case. The date of arrival doesn’t have to be the exact date – you can provide a rough date with +/- 45 days.
Step 2: Applicant Details
The first step involves entering basic personal information. Some questions, however, can be confusing:
- Visible Identification marks: you can simply put “NA” here.
- Educational Qualification: there are many options, and you can select the one that best matches your qualifications. Evidence is not required, but we recommend being honest.
- Birth or Naturalization: If you were not born in the country you’re applying from, you have been naturalized. For instance, ex-pats (ex-Indian nationals) from India should select the latter.
Step 3: Passport Details
After filling out your personal information, you must complete the section that requires your passport details. Here you will enter your passport number, date of issuance, and expiry date. During this step, you must also fill in where you got your passport.
Step 4: Address Details
This is your home address, not where you’ll stay in India. India will not ask for an address proof – you should put it wherever you live. If you’re a nomad, you can put your most recent address.
Step 5: Family Details
India requires details about your parents. While you’re not required to submit proof of their identity, you must provide their names and citizenship status. This is easy but make sure you provide the correct legal names of your parents.
Step 6: Occupation Details
This section can be confusing, and I spent a reasonable amount of time figuring out which category I fall under – they didn’t have digital nomad as an option. I recommend choosing your occupation as OTHERS. If self-employed, put your business address. If unemployed, select that and put ‘NA’ in other fields.
Students are required to put in the name of their educational institute.
Step 7: Visa Type
All Indian e-visas only allow you to be in India for a maximum period of 30 days. Usually, you can overstay it by a day or two but not more than that. However, suppose you have to visit India for a period longer than that. In that case, we recommend getting a traditional visa stamp from an Indian embassy near you.
You can provide the hotel’s address for those living in a hotel. Still, it is not mandatory and does not affect visa chances.
As a digital nomad, I’ve visited 50+ countries in the last 10 years, but I chose to ignore that field. In my experience, it doesn’t affect your approval chances.
Finally, I didn’t know what SAARC countries were: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It is worth noting that if you’ve been to Pakistan (or you are of Pakistani origin), your e-visa will likely be denied. Instead, you’ll be asked to apply at an Indian consulate in person. Then, it will likely face extended visa processing times and scrutiny.
Step 8: References
This is someone you know in India and someone you know in your home country. If you don’t know anyone in India, provide your hotel or Airbnb details.
Step 9: Upload Your Documents
India requires 2 documents: your passport and your recent photo.
Photo
Take a photo against a white background. Transfer it to your computer and convert it to JPEG. Many people face problems with the Indian eVisa system here – it’s best to use Atlys to get around this.
The photo has to be 350×350 px and not more than 1MB.
Finally, you have to upload a photo of your passport bio page. Note that your thumb or anything else should not be in the picture. My visa was initially rejected, and I was asked to upload a clearer picture, after which it got approved. The passport has to be of a specific size and in PDF format. Because of so many requirements, I recommend using Atlys instead.
Step 10: Submission
After completing all the steps, review your information and submit the application. Please don’t make the mistakes I made!
1. Triple-check your email:
Your Application ID is emailed to you after submission. This is different from the temporary application ID email you got when you started your application. The Application ID is required to retrieve and download your visa. I misspelled my email and then applied again with the correct email. However, my visa got rejected because the authorities had approved the first version already, but I had no way of accessing it. I sent 10+ emails and called 15 times before they finally resolved the issue for me.
2. Ensure that your passport number is correct:
Your visa is invalid if your passport number does not match your current passport.
After you submit your application, you will see your Application ID – save it. You must also receive an email confirming receipt within 6 hours of submission. It looks as follows:
How to Contact Indian E-Visa Helpline?
This was a pain. I’d advise doing the above steps right to avoid this. But if you need to contact: email (indiatvoa@gov.in) usually works better. Their phone line (+91-11-24300666) doesn’t work mostly, but I found that they’ve available operators between 1 pm and 3 pm IST.
Have your Passport number, Application ID, Date of Birth, and Full Name ready before contacting.
How Long Does The Indian E-Visa Decision Take?
It takes between 1 and 7 business days to decide on your visa. You might also get an email requesting clearer documents (like I did) or further information. The approval email looks like this:
Important: This is not the ETA or e-Visa. You will not be allowed entry based on this email. To retrieve your actual e-visa, you must visit the official portal and select Check Visa Status.
After inputting your details, select Print Status to print your e-visa.
What Happens When I Arrive In India?
Once your e-visa for India has been approved, the first thing you need to do is ensure you download a copy thereof. Remember, without the e visa for India, border authorities will not allow you to enter the country.
Once you arrive in India, you must follow the general entry protocols. Generally, you’ll find a lane within the airport dedicated to “foreign arrivals”. Here, you’ll approach border authorities, who will ask you to present your valid passport and your e-visa for India. After authorities check your travel documents, your passport will be stamped, and you’ll be allowed to enter the country.
Just as a heads up. Border authorities have the right to ask for additional documents should they feel it’s necessary. Typically, they want to see documents that prove the purpose of your trip and if you have sufficient funds to support yourself. As such, I recommend you have the following documents in hand upon arrival (alongside your e-visa for India):
- Hotel reservations
- An invitation letter (if applicable)
- A flight itinerary
- Recent bank statements that prove you have sufficient funds.
Quick note: I highly recommend having an additional copy of your India eVisa just in case. Rather be safe than sorry.
What Are The Other Types of Indian E-Visas?
The Indian e-Business Visa
The e-Business Visa will allow you to travel to India for business purposes. As with the tourist e-Visa, you can apply for your Indian e-Business Visa a minimum of 4 days before your intended departure date to India.
For the Indian e-Business Visa, you’ll need to submit the following documents:
- Scanned Bio Page of your passport showing your photograph and your passport details
- Copy of Business Card
- Any letter of invitation, if applicable, from Indian parties who have invited you to conduct business in India (optional)
Your next question is probably “What classifies as a business card?”. According to the official website, a business card means a card provided to you by the company you are working for. Suppose you can’t provide a business card for whatever reason. In that case, you can upload an invitation letter from the inviting company in India. The information that must be included in the invitation letter includes:
- The inviting company’s information
- The inviting company’s address
- The company’s Indian phone number
You can apply for an Indian e-Business visa if the reason for your trip includes the following:
- For of trade. This includes sales and purchases of goods.
- To attend business meetings
- To start a new business venture
- To conduct tours
- To recruit new employees
- To participate in exhibitions or business/trade fairs
- To deliver a lecture(s) under Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN)
The Indian e-Medical Visa
The Indian e-Medical Visa is only granted to those seeking or needing medical treatment in India. Note that family members who plan to support your medical procedures in India won’t be able to apply for an e-Medical Visa to travel alongside you. Instead, they’ll need to apply for a different type of Indian e-Visa (the Indian e-Medical Attendant Visa).
You’ll need to provide the following documents when you apply for your Indian e-Medical Visa:
- Scanned Bio Page of your passport showing your photograph and your passport details
- A letter from the Hospital in India. The letter must include the date on which admission has been suggested.
With your e-Medical Visa, you’ll be allowed to enter India a maximum of 3 times. Your visa will be valid for 60 days. Note that you can only enter India 3 times within 60 days.
The Indian e-Medical Attendant Visa
The e-Medical Attendant Visa will allow you to enter India to support a friend or family member during medical treatment or medical procedures. To apply for this visa, you must be a blood relative of the person who applied for an Indian e-Medical Visa.
There is only one document you need to submit with your application:
- Scanned Bio Page of your passport showing your photograph and your passport details
You Can Now Travel To India!
You’re now an expert in the India e visa. Once you’ve successfully applied, you can travel to India to enjoy all the country offers. After reading through this in-depth guide, you should understand the India e visa processing time, cost, and application process well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get Visa on Arrival(VoA) at Indian Airports/Seaport?
Only nationals of Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates (only for UAE nationals who had previously secured an e-Visa or regular/paper visa for India) are eligible for Visa on Arrival. The application must be completed online for nationals from other countries who qualify for an e-Visa. The applicant must wait for confirmation/issuance of an ETA before traveling to India.
How long is the Indian e-medical visa valid for?
Your Indian e-Medical Visa will be valid for 60 days, and you’ll be able to enter India 3 times within that period.
What Countries Are Eligible For An Indian e-Visa?
Foreign Nationals of the following list of countries meet the eligibility criteria to apply for an Indian e-Visa:
Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon Union Republic, Cape Verde, Cayman Island, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’lvoire Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, 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, Republic of Korea, 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, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Island, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Vanuatu, Vatican City-Holy See, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe
What Indian Airports May I Enter With My Indian e-Visa?
With your e-Visa, you’re allowed to enter India only through the designated international airports, namely:
Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Bagdogra, Calicut, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Trichy, Trivandrum, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam
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