Travellers headed for India would do well to apply for their e-visa India well on time. Those who forget to apply for an Indian visa and cannot present it at the airport are not allowed on the flight.
The last few years it has become increasingly easier to book a trip online. More and more people are therefore choosing to arrange their flight and accommodation themselves. When booking a trip to India, reading up on the visa rules is a must. That’s why it is important to remember that you need a visa for India. All travellers therefore need to apply for an Indian visa before departure.
Indian visa necessary
Travellers headed to India need to possess an Indian visa. Applying for an e-visa India can be easily done and only takes a few minutes. Children also need to possess their own Indian visa. It's never fun to arrive at the airport and realize during check-in you needed to apply for a visa.
Those that do not have an Indian visa cannot check-in and will almost certainly miss their flight. In many cases cases, the application procedure for an Indian visa takes a full day, meaning you will almost assuredly miss the flight. It is therefore recommended to apply for your visa several weeks in advance.
Why an Indian visa is mandatory
It is mandatory to apply for an Indian visa. Twenty to thirty years ago, the government was quick to issue visas. These days it has become increasingly difficult to acquire an Indian visa when you have forgotten to apply.
This is because the procedures for applying have become a lot more strict. The world was shook up by terrorism, making it so governments are eager to know who is entering their countries. For this reason, the visa requirement was implemented. Anyone travelling to India needs to possess a visa. Even in special cases, for instance unique circumstances regarding family or friends.
That means that both tourist and business travellers need to possess an Indian visa. This doesn’t just apply to adults but also to children and even babies. Even when the children are included in the passport of one of the parents, they still need their own visa.
Before, applying for a visa was very complicated. For that reason, tourism in India stagnated. Since 2015, applying for an Indian visa can be easily done online. There are three different types of visa: the eTourist Indian visa, the eMedical Indian visa and the eBusiness Indian visa.
Requirements e-visa India
The tourist and business visa are valid for 365 days. The e-visa for medical purposes is valid for 60 days. Further requirements regarding the e-visa India include having a passport that is valid for at least six more months after arrival in India, a clear scan or photo of the passport needs to be made, and you can only arrive at a select few airports. There are certain regions with different restrictions.
The three types of e-visa have different requirements and different lengths of stay. With a tourist visa, you can stay in India for 90 consecutive days (180 days for British, American, Canadian and Japanese nationals), and 180 days with the business visa. An eBusiness Indian visa does not permit you to work for an employer in India.
E-visa India application
Applying for an e-visa India has become very easy since 2015 and can be easily done through this website. This can be done 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Applying takes about fifteen minutes per person. Applying for a visa costs € 59,95 per person and can be easily done through Visa, MasterCard, American Express or PayPal.
Generally, the Indian visa is received by e-mail within two to four workdays. Print the document before departure to India and add it to the hand luggage.
Urgent application e-visa India
Forgot to apply for an e-visa India? It is recommended to apply several weeks in advance. An urgent application takes about a day. In 90 percent of the cases, the urgent application is approved the following day. India processes applications manually, meaning no guarantees can be given regarding delivery times. That’s why it is recommended to apply for a visa well on time. The validity duration of the visa only starts once the traveller arrives in India.
Please note: this news article about the visa for India is more than one year old. It might contain outdated information and advice, and no rights can therefore be derived from this article. Are you going on a trip soon and do you wish to do know what rules currently apply? Read all about the up-to-date information about the visa for India.