The Government of India has made it even easier for foreigners to enjoy this interesting country as a foreign visitor with the online e-Visa. The e-Tourist visas are for short stay tourist, business, conference and medical reasons only for visits up to 60-days.

Nationals of most countries are eligible for the electronic e-Tourist, e-Business, or e-Medical visa to enter India for the same purposes and duration as the regular tourist visa. The e-Visa does away with the need to consult an Indian Consulate; it is electronic and doesn’t appear in the passport whatsoever. The e-Visa is issued via email in PDF format and must be printed out and carried on the applicant for the duration of the stay in India.

To apply for the tourist visa for India or e-Visas, applicants must hold a passport, valid for 6 months beyond the stay in India. The passport must be signed and have a minimum of two blank passport pages for Immigration stamps on arrival and departure. Canadian, Japanese, and U.S. citizens can apply for a 6-month, 5-year, or 10-year tourist visa. Nationals of countries with biometric enrollment facilities can get a 5-year Tourist visa. However, the Indian Tourist visa is typically granted for 3, 6, or 12 months. Visitors are permitted to remain in India for up to 6 months at a time only, according to the multiple entry allowance.

Application for any tourist visa in india must be made between 4 and 240 days prior to entry into India, for arrival by air or sea through certain designated airports and seaports. The Indian e-Tourist Visa and business Visa permit a double entry, and the e-Medical Visa permits triple entry. The online procedure is the same for every type of visa and Indian Visa Online can assist in the simple 3-step process which involves the online application, payment using any major credit or debit card or PayPal, and the successful receipt of the emailed e-Visa.

Visits longer than 90-180 days, depending on nationality, require applicants to consult the relevant Indian Consulate to apply for a regular visa from their country of origin, which also begins with an online application but requires the applicant to be interviewed. Nationals of certain countries are not required to have an Indian visa; others are not eligible for the online e-Visa and must apply for the regular visa through a Consulate. Nationals of 11 eligible countries may apply for a visa on arrival in India. This Tourist Visa-on-Arrival (TVoA) is granted for those visiting India for recreational purposes, short duration medical treatment or casual business visits only.

For regular visas, visa application centers are utilized by the Indian Consulates in most countries to process applications and submissions. The first step is to apply online, ensuring all the required documentation and information is available. Applicants are required to print out the fully and correctly completed application to be submitted to the Visa Application Centre (VAC) or Indian Consulate or Mission. The information provided must be the same as that shown in the passport to avoid potential rejection.  An appointment is scheduled once payment is made, and all supporting documents must be taken to this interview, including proof of residency, signed the application and recent passport type color photograph, signed additional particulars form, passport, payment receipt, and visa checklist. An automatically generated application ID is supplied after successful application online, to be conveniently used to track progress and communicate with the agency. A regular visa is inserted into the applicant’s passport.

Indian Visa Online is an Indian Visa Agency without affiliation to any organizations or the Government of India.