Nov 28, 2014, 3:38 am
Last edit by: JDiver
E-Visa / ETA and 30 Day Single Entry Visa on Arrival in India
India new Visa On Arrival
(Actually advance online e-Tourist Visa with actual visa issued on arrival)
https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html
The Indian e-Tourist Visa is available for holders of passports of following countries and territories:
Albania, Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Island, Chile, China, China (Hong Kong SAR), China (Macau SAR), Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'lvoire, Croatia, Cuba, 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, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue Island, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Vanuatu, Vatican City-Holy See, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Eligibility
Citizens of the above-listed countries using ordinary passports from such countries when the sole objective of visiting India is one or more of the following: recreation (of most but not all sorts); sight seeing (in most of India); casual visit to meet friends or relatives (in most of India); short duration medical treatment; or casual visits for most (but not all) business purposes.
The passport should have at least six months' validity on the date of arrival.
International Travellers should have return ticket or onward journey ticket,with sufficient money to spend during his/her stay in India.
The visa is valid for a single entry for a stay of 30 days (from the date of entry) and cannot be extended.
Be sure to fill out your information very accurately! If there's anything off, you may be required to board the next flight out operated by your airline of entry.
Travellers having Pakistani Passport or Pakistani origin may please apply for regular Visa at Indian Mission.
Not available to Diplomatic/Official Passport Holders.
E-TOURIST VISA APPLICATION PROCESS
Step 1
Apply online
Upload Photo and Passport Page
Step 2
Pay visa fee online
Using Credit / Debit card
Step 3
Receive ETA Online
ETA Will be sent to your e-mail
Step 4
Print ETA and carry it for and on the flight to India so you can present it on arrival at the immigration desks.
This being India, it is the real experience on arrival that is critical, especially since this is a brand new operation.
We need datapoints for
- How long it took you to get through immigration?
- Any issues (human, bureaucratic or technological?)
Wikipost instructions: signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost to update; wiki contents may be printed by using the
(lower right wiki corner)
Evisa & Visa on arrival for India
Feb 5, 2016, 11:05 am
#76
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,872
Evisa for me was easy and quick, applied at night and got email in next morning.
When I arrived in afternoon in DEL. The Evisa line was empty and quick.
Ofcourse everything else is different in India, So many touts and tourist scammers. Hated the connaught place. Dirty, over priced restaurants with 40% tax and fees on food. The streets have no signal crossing signs and stop or go signs. The small restaurants for cheap food are way too dirty and unsanitary. I spend few hours in south delhi and liked it . I had7 days stay but left delhi for Nepal after just 3 days. I compared Nepal to Delhi india and Del seems to be dirtier and just way so many touts. Even the hotel employees are like that there.
Wasted 60$ visa fee for 3 people
When I arrived in afternoon in DEL. The Evisa line was empty and quick.
Ofcourse everything else is different in India, So many touts and tourist scammers. Hated the connaught place. Dirty, over priced restaurants with 40% tax and fees on food. The streets have no signal crossing signs and stop or go signs. The small restaurants for cheap food are way too dirty and unsanitary. I spend few hours in south delhi and liked it . I had7 days stay but left delhi for Nepal after just 3 days. I compared Nepal to Delhi india and Del seems to be dirtier and just way so many touts. Even the hotel employees are like that there.
Wasted 60$ visa fee for 3 people
Feb 14, 2016, 7:14 am
#77
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 812
Applying for the e-Tourist Visa wasn't too difficult. After submitting the application and making the payment online, I received an approval e-mail within 36 hours.
I arrived in DEL last week at around 9:30pm on a weekday. There were 2 queues for the e-Tourist Visa counters and I joined the shorter queue (which was a mistake as the longer queue was moving more quickly). There were only 4 people in front of me in the queue, but I waited 45 minutes (!) as it took ages for the immigration officials to process their passport/e-Tourist Visa and take their photo and fingerprints (I think it was due to technical difficulties with their computer systems).
I arrived in DEL last week at around 9:30pm on a weekday. There were 2 queues for the e-Tourist Visa counters and I joined the shorter queue (which was a mistake as the longer queue was moving more quickly). There were only 4 people in front of me in the queue, but I waited 45 minutes (!) as it took ages for the immigration officials to process their passport/e-Tourist Visa and take their photo and fingerprints (I think it was due to technical difficulties with their computer systems).
Feb 24, 2016, 1:14 pm
#78
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: DL SM
Posts: 91
Newbie traveler question with Visas
I have a pretty novice question here:
My wife has to travel to Bangalore, India for business, so we're deciding to make a trip of it. She's always wanted to go to Thailand, so we were planning on flying to Thailand, from India. Rather than flying directly to the US from Thailand, we're going to fly back to India and spend a night before heading home (for her work re-reimbursement, it is much easier to do it this way).
It will look like:
US -> India -> Thailand -> India -> US
So my questions are:
1) Do we need visas for both the initial visit (for her work) and the one day we will spend back in India before our return to the US?
2) Will coming from Thailand have any issues with Visa as opposed to the US?
3) Are there any other issues we could run into? We'll be using separate airlines to avoid the conflict with Nested/Minimum stay issues.
My wife has to travel to Bangalore, India for business, so we're deciding to make a trip of it. She's always wanted to go to Thailand, so we were planning on flying to Thailand, from India. Rather than flying directly to the US from Thailand, we're going to fly back to India and spend a night before heading home (for her work re-reimbursement, it is much easier to do it this way).
It will look like:
US -> India -> Thailand -> India -> US
So my questions are:
1) Do we need visas for both the initial visit (for her work) and the one day we will spend back in India before our return to the US?
2) Will coming from Thailand have any issues with Visa as opposed to the US?
3) Are there any other issues we could run into? We'll be using separate airlines to avoid the conflict with Nested/Minimum stay issues.
Last edited by RuesterGAGT; Feb 24, 2016 at 1:43 pm
Feb 25, 2016, 4:51 am
#79
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: 9W, HH, Taj, Air India
Posts: 32
1. If you enter the country (clear Immigrations), then yes you need a visa. If you are remaining airside in transit for less than 24 hours, then you do not require a visa.
2. Will make no difference.
3. Can't think of any.
2. Will make no difference.
3. Can't think of any.
Feb 28, 2016, 12:06 pm
#80
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 48
RuesterGAGT, also note that if you and/or your wife want to enter India on an e-Tourist Visa, that visa is for single-entry only.
- e-Tourist Visa (eTV) is allowed for a maximum of two visits in a calendar year.
- e-Tourist Visa (eTV) once issued on arrival is Only single entry , non-extendable, non-convertible & not valid for visiting Protected/Restricted and Cantonment Areas.
Mar 4, 2016, 1:50 am
#81
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,967
Hi all,
I submitted the eVisa online application but when it takes me to the payment provider (sbiepay.com) it just times out. I tried various connections but sbiepay.com is just not reachable, the Visa helpdesk has me hanging on hold for hours and no one replies to mail.
Any idea?
Also, is it true that I have to use the visa (i.E. enter India) within 30 days after paying the fee? That's rather odd...
I submitted the eVisa online application but when it takes me to the payment provider (sbiepay.com) it just times out. I tried various connections but sbiepay.com is just not reachable, the Visa helpdesk has me hanging on hold for hours and no one replies to mail.
Any idea?
Also, is it true that I have to use the visa (i.E. enter India) within 30 days after paying the fee? That's rather odd...
Mar 13, 2016, 9:50 am
#82
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 48
Hi all,
I submitted the eVisa online application but when it takes me to the payment provider (sbiepay.com) it just times out. I tried various connections but sbiepay.com is just not reachable, the Visa helpdesk has me hanging on hold for hours and no one replies to mail.
Any idea?
I submitted the eVisa online application but when it takes me to the payment provider (sbiepay.com) it just times out. I tried various connections but sbiepay.com is just not reachable, the Visa helpdesk has me hanging on hold for hours and no one replies to mail.
Any idea?
Also, is it true that I have to use the visa (i.E. enter India) within 30 days after paying the fee? That's rather odd...
After all, the whole point in getting an e-visa is for you to obtain it, and use it, as quickly as possible. Like in my case, I needed to be in India on the 18th and I applied for it on the 13th and got it on the 14th.
Mar 14, 2016, 8:53 am
#83
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 812
On 26 February 2016, 37 countries were added to the list of nationalities eligible to apply for the Indian e-Tourist Visa (see https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa...6thFeb2016.pdf)
I've updated the wiki to include the 37 new additions.
I've updated the wiki to include the 37 new additions.
Mar 15, 2016, 4:58 am
#84
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,967
Yes, after the payment issue was solved the approval came after 24 hours. I'm just a tiny bit worried that Lufthansa will make a stink during boarding since I do not carry a valid visa. We will see...
Mar 15, 2016, 5:34 am
#85
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
The chances of a stink in such cases is with the check-in agents and then again at boarding. Fortunately, at the FRA and MUC boarding gates for India-bound flights, they see lots of people with these evisas. Check-in is where we encounter more of a stink and/or delay about them, more so at some out stations than at others.
Mar 16, 2016, 5:05 am
#86
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,967
The chances of a stink in such cases is with the check-in agents and then again at boarding. Fortunately, at the FRA and MUC boarding gates for India-bound flights, they see lots of people with these evisas. Check-in is where we encounter more of a stink and/or delay about them, more so at some out stations than at others.
Expected worse
Mar 16, 2016, 2:34 pm
#88
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Mar 18, 2016, 1:28 pm
#89
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depending; Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,548
Helped a friend apply last night at 644pm (per their confirmation email), had the "yes" by 5:36am today. Still feels weird to try to check in with just an email.
As a tip: I spent a lot of time getting the photo to be perfectly square and cropped but their website has a nice tool to square off and crop the photo you submit, so you can save a little effort.
As a tip: I spent a lot of time getting the photo to be perfectly square and cropped but their website has a nice tool to square off and crop the photo you submit, so you can save a little effort.
May 21, 2016, 7:38 pm
#90
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: HKG, VCE, CAN
Programs: CX MPO
Posts: 585
On 26 February 2016, 37 countries were added to the list of nationalities eligible to apply for the Indian e-Tourist Visa (see PressNoteExtensionTo37countriesOn26thFeb2016.pdf)
I've updated the wiki to include the 37 new additions.
I've updated the wiki to include the 37 new additions.