How can you apply for a Tourist Visa for India?

Every foreign citizen is required to obtain a visa before entering India. For tourists and visitors, there are two ways to apply for a tourist visa for India: the e-visa and the regular tourist visa. The e-visa is for a shorter period of stay and much easier to apply for while the regular tourist visa can be a pain to get and is more expensive but is also valid for a minimum of six months up to 10 years, depending on your nationality. So it really depends on your travel plans.

We would like to introduce both options to you in this article and answer questions like Who can apply? How much does it cost? What are the requirements?

What is an E-Visa OR Electronic Travel Authorization?

The e-visa format resembles a visa on arrival but is not exactly a visa on arrival. The applicant needs to submit their India visa forms online and pay the necessary fees online. The applicant would be informed online if the electronic tourist visa is granted or not. It is still not exactly a visa on arrival as you still have to apply before you arrive in India. However, it’s a lot less cumbersome than couriering your passports or having to line up outside an Indian Embassy.

Eligibility for an Indian Tourist Visa:

Purpose: Only four possible intentions are considered innocent by the Indian Government. Recreation and sightseeing, Casual visits with friends and family, short duration medical treatment and Casual business visit. Our apologies on not making a category for Self-Discovery.

Passport: The original document should be valid for another six months from arrival. It should have at least two blank pages to fill up with Indian stamps. Those holding Pakistani Passports or of Pakistani origin are unfortunately not allowed this convenience. They must apply directly at India Mission for regular passports. Diplomatic/Official Passport holders, those endorsed on Parent’s/Spouse’s Passport and International Travel Document Holders will all have to also make do with the regular method of obtaining visas.

Details of E-Tourist Visa for India:

For applications to be eligible they must be submitted no later than 4 days and no earlier than 34 days before the date of arrival. So if you’re the kind that likes their itinerary done and dusted well in advance, you might want to consider a traditional tourist visa for India.

You can get a maximum of 2 Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETA) in a year with one of them providing a maximum stay of 30 days.

Carry a copy of ETA at the time of your travel (obviously). After you arrived at one of the designated airports mentioned you will need to proceed to the e-visa counter where they will actually add the tourist visa to your passport. Afterward, you will need to carry on to the immigration counter where they will stamp your passport. This might take quite some time at busy airports like Delhi or Mumbai.

Your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) will usually be processed and issued within 3 business days after your online application if approved.

How to Apply for the India E-Tourist Visa on Arrival | E-Visa

India is truly one of the most memorable destinations to visit when traveling the world. From Jaipur, Delhi, Agra to the holy Varanasi, India offers wonderful and magical sites for the young and old alike. If you like lavish palaces, colorful bazaars, temple carvings, Bollywood movies and off course buildings, such as the Taj Mahal, then you’re in need of the India E-Tourist Visa to make your India travel dreams a reality.

When we first left on our travels at the beginning of 2014, we knew we wanted to visit India but we weren’t sure how to go about getting the required visa for a visit while we were on the road. In the past, taking a trip to India was a bit of a process. There were embassy’s involved, loads of paperwork, long wait times and uncertain results. However today, hundreds of citizens from all over the world can now apply online for their India E-Tourist Visa instead of visiting an Indian embassy in their home country or during their travels.

We happened to be traveling in Thailand when the announcement was made that you could now apply for your visa to India online without having to visit an embassy. It was an overwhelming sigh of relief because we were originally planning to spend several weeks attempting to obtain a visa in Bangkok. With the announcement and new process, came an almost instantaneous visa from the comfort of our hotel room. Traveling to India no longer has to be a headache of paperwork, delays and long lines.

The Process:

For those planning a trip, whether it be for business or leisure, everyone requires a valid passport and a visa to take a flight to India.  Remember that you need to get your Indian E-Tourist Visa Online when planning your trip to enjoy this absolutely awe-inspiring country.

Thankfully, technology has made it much easier to get the India E-Tourist Visa. It’s now linked electronically to your passport so you can apply conveniently from the comfort of your home prior to your trip and leave the spare time to planning and packing. No need to hover over your mailbox for weeks on end, simply apply at least 72 hours before your arrival to India and print the PDF document that will arrive via email.

Your India E-Tourist Visa is valid for one entry and has the duration of 30 days. Make sure that your itinerary is planned accordingly because this is not a visa that can be renewed or extended once you are in the country.

There are essentially two types of Indian Visas for tourists:

To apply for a six-month (or longer) tourist Visa, you need to apply at an Indian mission (see links above for examples of Consulate Generals and High Commissions). You have to apply online, print the form and bring it to your local consulate. There will be many very specific rules, such as the exact dimensions of the photos you need to bring. If you don’t follow the guidelines precisely, and to the letter, they will not accept your application. Likewise, if there are any mistakes, such as a name misspelled.

To get detailed information about the e-Visa, read this page.

To apply for the new e-Visa facility, you can apply online on this page: Indian Visa Online. See below for more details.

Indian Visa Information | Indian E Tourist Visa

Visa Procurement:

Please be advised that visa requirements are subject to change and that visa procurement is the responsibility of the traveler and not On the Go Tours. Please also ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months from your planned date of departure from India.

After booking your holiday, please provide us with your passport details as soon as possible so that we can proceed to book trains and flights tickets on your behalf if included in your holiday.

All foreign nationals must obtain a visa for a visit to India, as well as Nepal or Sri Lanka if joining our Highway to Himalayas or Delhi to Colombo tours, or any tailor-made holidays which combine India with these countries.

It is essential that your Indian visa is obtained prior to travel. India does accept some nationalities on a visa-upon-arrival basis; however please check before travel if you are eligible.

India Visa Requirements for UK, AU, NZ, US & Canadian Residents:

UK, Australian, New Zealand, USA and Canadian passport holders can take advantage of India's online visa service (subject to eligibility). Information about the e-Tourist Visa (eTV) process can be found at: Indian E Tourist Visa

The online application should be submitted a minimum of 4 working days and a maximum of 120 days in advance of the proposed date of arrival. Entry to India must be within 120 days of the eTV approval date and the visa is valid for 60 days from arrival.

To apply online you'll need to complete the application form, upload a copy of your passport data page, upload a passport sized photograph (full face, front view, and eyes open, white background with no shadow) and pay the visa cost.

After submitting your application, you will receive a receipt number and within the coming days (the Government of India notes this as 4 days) you will receive authorization.

You will need to print a copy of this document to check-in for your flight and again at immigration when arriving in India. You are also required to carry a copy of the eTV at all times during your stay. These are 60 days, double-entry visas and are valid for entry into 16 designated airports: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum & Varanasi.  

How to Apply for Indian Visa Processing for UK Citizens

Processing times vary for each application; it is typically between 3-5 business days, you will also need to add some time for your passport and visa to be sent back to you. If you are collecting the passport and visa from the center, then this is typically faster.

How to Apply For an Indian Visa from the UK – Starting the Application:

Page 1- Visa Application:

Step 1- Click through to the Online Visa Application

Select Country – United Kingdom

Insert- DOB, Email, Date of Arrival

Select - Tourist Visa and select purpose that best matches your trip.

Page 2- Applicant Details Form:

Applicant Details- Complete all fields for the person wishing to obtain a long-term Tourist Visa, for Citizenship ID No insert- NA.

Passport Details- Insert the details of the person wishing to obtain a long-term Tourist Visa.

Click Save and Continue (orange button)

Page 3- Applicants Address/Family Details/Marital Status/Occupation/Military Experience:

Applicants Address Details – Present Address and Permanent Address, if they are the same tick the box.

Family Details – Father and Mothers Name, Nationality, Place of Birth (Town), Country of Birth.

Marital Status – Single or Married, provide details if married.

Parents/Grandparents Pakistan Nationals or Belong to Pakistan Area– If yes provide information.

Profession/Occupation of Traveler – Present Occupation (select from list), Employer/Business Name, Address, Past Occupation, if any, Military Services (Yes/No- if yes provide details)

When this section of the form is complete, click Save and Continue (orange button) at the bottom of the form.

Page 4- Details of Visa, Previous Visa Information, and Countries Visited in 10 Years, SAARC Countries, and References:

All applicants requiring 4 years or less can make a postal application. After deciding the duration of your visa, complete the first section of the form.

Places to be Visited – Insert places in India planning to visit into box one and two if required. Of course, if you change plans once in India, it’s not a big deal. At least get the flying into and out of destination on there.

Duration of Visa– Please insert the duration in months- so 1 year would be 12, 1.5 years would be 18 etc.

No of Entries– This means how many times you can re-enter India, as there is no cost difference between single and multiple entries, its best to select multiple unless you know you will only travel to India once whilst the visa is active.

Port of Arrival- Please inserts the Airport/Sea Port city you are planning to enter India, eg Mumbai.

Expected Port of Exit- This is not a mandatory field but if you know, please enter the airport or port you have booked to leave India.

LOTUS TEMPLE in Delhi | Indian E Tourist Visa

East of Nehru place, this temple is built in the shape of a lotus flower and is the last of seven Major Bahai's temples built around the world. Completed in1986 it is set among the lush green landscaped gardens. The structure is made up of pure white marble The architect Furiburz Sabha chose the lotus as the symbol common to Hinduism, Buddhism, Bhai TempleJainism, and Islam. Adherents of any faith are free to visit the temple and pray or meditate. Around the blooming petals, there are nine pools of water, which light up, in natural light. It looks spectacular at dusk when it is floodlit. the Lotus Temple is open to all, regardless of religion or any other qualification. The building is composed of 27 free-standing marble-clad "petals" arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. Contact Us:
To Know More Details: https://goo.gl/EvRn18 Email: support@indianetouristvisa.co.in USA +16674016132 UK +442035002730 AUS +61283111552 IND +91 9821868716