Indian Visa Requirements for Visitors (2020-21)

A Tourist Inflows to India press note, published by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, stated that Foreign Tourist Arrival (FTA) in India saw growth of 16.5% in January 2017, as compared  over January 2016, a significant rise from the growth of 6.8% seen in January 2016, as compared to January 2015.

India has been increasing attracting tourists from the world over and the more attention it gets, the more curiosity it generates among those who are still to visit! Chances are, sooner or later, you’re going to come here, looking for answers, but not without a visa!

Read on to see what is required of you to get an Indian Visa.

What do I need for an Indian Visa?

Passport –

• Your original, signed passport, and a copy of the page that contains your personal information.
• The passport must be valid for six months beyond the validity of the visa requested for.
• It should also contain a minimum of two blank pages, excluding the amendments and endorsement pages.
• An altered, frayed, torn or tearing passport will not be accepted.

Photograph –

• A passport-size photograph, taken against an all-white backdrop and not older than 3 months needs to be submitted.
• The dimensions of this photograph should be 2 inches by 2 inches square.
• Your ears should be visible in the photograph, hence any concealing head gear should not be worn (unless it is a religious requirement).

Visa Application Form –

• A Regular Visa Application form is required to be filled online.
• A signed hard copy of this form should then be produced at the Indian Visa Application Center on the date of the visa interview.
• The form must be single-side printed, a double-side printed form will be rejected.
• If traveling for business, recreational or medical purposes, the visa and can applied for, paid for and received electronically. Visit the Government of India’s e-Visa website to understand the process.
• You can read the more instructions about the forms here.

Fees Payment

• The visa fee can vary from basic fee to special fee or a processing fee charged by your out-sourcing agent.
• At the end of the online application process, an indicative amount is displayed. This may be different from what is charged finally.
• Once paid, this fee will not be refunded, even in case of the withdrawal of the visa application.

Exceptions

• Applicants of Bangladeshi, Nigerian, Pakistani or Sri Lankan nationality require their visa application to be approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of India.
• The issuance of their visa may take a longer processing time.
• You can read the instructions for Pakistani nationals applying for a visa for a better understanding.
• Citizens of SAARC countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) should also read the instructions provided by the Bureau of Immigration, India, before beginning with the application process.

Now that we’ve walked you through the entire process, it shouldn’t take you long to get an Indian visa. So, make it quick and get on a flight to come and see what the world is raving about.