With the Indian Government’s recent introduction of the tourist e-visa service, it now means you can apply for your own visa directly online. In this way there’s never been a better time to plan a trip to India, as getting a tourist visa is no longer the time-consuming mission it used to be.
The application process still demands some patience though (as will many other things when travelling in India) so consider this as being a bit of a warm-up for what’s about to come your way! The online application form isn’t the easiest thing to follow and you’ll be required to crop and edit your digital photos down to the correct size, so some basic computer skills will be useful. The good thing with the e-visa however is that the turn around is much quicker than the old days, meaning you’ll usually receive an approval within four working days of submitting your details. India’s visa and immigration rules are well known for changing frequently and it’s therefore advisable to check up to date information before you travel. If you run a google search of The Indian High Commission in your home country of residence, you should be able to get any updates that might be more accurate than this post. At the time of writing this post (16/08/2017) it is possible to apply for a tourist e-visa online if you’re a passport holder from any of the following countries…
You can apply for a tourist e-visa directly online if you're a resident in any of the following countries...
Albania, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameron Union Republic, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Island, Chile, China, China- SAR Hongkong, China- SAR Macau, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’lvoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, 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, Republic of Macedonia, 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, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Island, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City-Holy See, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
From 1 April 2017, the length of stay on an e-visa was increased from 30 days to 60 days with double entry permitted on a tourist or business e-visa and triple entry permitted on a medical e-visa. The prices of each e-visa vary depending on which country you are applying from, but to give you a rough idea the prices vary between $25 and $75 plus a 2.5% bank charge. For more information and to apply directly please click the button below for the official government of India’s e-visa website…
TOURIST VISA TIPS FROM INDIAN TRAVEL DREAMS...
Beware of fake websites offering quick tourist visa services. Only apply for a tourist e-visa through the official Indian government website that is linked on this page.
India’s Bureau of Immigration has announced that with immediate effect, foreign nationals who arrive at an Indian port holding non-machine readable passports will be denied entry so make sure you have the correct passport before travelling.
Your passport must be machine readable, with 2 blank pages for your visa and valid for a minimum of 180 days at the time of your visa application.
Foreign nationals arriving in India on long term multiple entry visas must register with the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Officer within 14 days of arrival.
If you travel to India from Pakistan, Israel, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Afghanistan or Somalia you may be required to hold a valid polio vaccination certificate. Contact your nearest Indian Embassy or High Commission for further information.
To transit through India you will need a transit visa.
There are plenty of other visa types (student/business/medical/long-term tourist) that you can apply for to visit India. For more information please check out the relevant Indian High Commission website for your home country.