Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Destinations > Asia > India
Reload this Page >

Evisa & Visa on arrival for India

Old Nov 28, 14, 3:38 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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)
Print Wikipost

Evisa & Visa on arrival for India

Old Dec 13, 22, 12:45 pm
  #256  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,189
Originally Posted by Contradancer
I am a USA citizen traveling for a very short vacation to DEL. I used Delta's link to TimaticWeb 2 and Timatic says no visa is required.

Is that right? This web site e-Visa (indianvisaonline.gov.in) suggests to me I do need a visa.

Thanks all.
very few nationalities in the world can visit india without a visa. probably less than 5%

pretty clear what united Timatic says
https://www.united.com/en/us/timatic
gnomey is offline  
Old Dec 13, 22, 2:04 pm
  #257  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Chamblee, GA USA
Programs: SkyMiles PM
Posts: 257
Originally Posted by gnomey
very few nationalities in the world can visit india without a visa. probably less than 5%

pretty clear what united Timatic says
https://www.united.com/en/us/timatic
Thank you gnomey . And now Delta Timatic says the same thing. I'm gonna guess I entered bad data somewhere earlier.
Contradancer is offline  
Old Dec 21, 22, 11:58 am
  #258  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,189
is the processing time (72h) the same for 30 days, 1 year, 5 year evisa?

is this 72h based on business days or are weekends included. unclear f it is manual approval or robot

Last edited by gnomey; Dec 22, 22 at 6:38 am
gnomey is offline  
Old Dec 31, 22, 8:52 am
  #259  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Hawaii
Programs: Starbucks Gold :-)
Posts: 720
A warning to all. I had difficulty boarding in MXP (Etihad C/J) today, as my eVisa PDF was digital only. The check-in agent refused to look at my phone, or tablet and demanded a paper copy. They insisted I would not be allowed to board without it - and so I had to email it to my airport hotel and they very gracefully shuttled over with it. They further said this was a requirement for India, but I do not see this anywhere, other than the email telling me to keep the email handy.

Usually I do print paper, but in todays QR code world, I don't bother as much... and when I do go to the effort to print it, nobody looks at it. I realize I'm the only one to blame here.. but has anyone else experienced this? Was this an over-zealous check-in agent, or is this actually the rules? I don't see anything on Timatic regarding a printed copy only.
spaige likes this.
MDTyKe is offline  
Old Dec 31, 22, 8:21 pm
  #260  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SJC
Programs: Does it matter any more?
Posts: 2,076
Originally Posted by gnomey
is the processing time (72h) the same for 30 days, 1 year, 5 year evisa?
Our application for a 1 year visa turned around in 72 h. Applied on a Monday. Got it by Thursday of the week. There were no holidays between Monday-Thursday that week.
legionnaire is offline  
Old Jan 2, 23, 9:10 pm
  #261  
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN**
Posts: 45,836
Originally Posted by MDTyKe
A warning to all. I had difficulty boarding in MXP (Etihad C/J) today, as my eVisa PDF was digital only. The check-in agent refused to look at my phone, or tablet and demanded a paper copy. They insisted I would not be allowed to board without it - and so I had to email it to my airport hotel and they very gracefully shuttled over with it. They further said this was a requirement for India, but I do not see this anywhere, other than the email telling me to keep the email handy.

Usually I do print paper, but in todays QR code world, I don't bother as much... and when I do go to the effort to print it, nobody looks at it. I realize I'm the only one to blame here.. but has anyone else experienced this? Was this an over-zealous check-in agent, or is this actually the rules? I don't see anything on Timatic regarding a printed copy only.

The printed copy requirement was prominently shown on Lufthansa's online checkin and enforced during the document check. The immigration officer also wanted to see a printed copy. Before us there was one lady who showed her phone and tried to get by... it worked on the end but delayed the entire process which didn't lead to amusement with the 100s of foreigners lined up behind her.
oliver2002 is offline  
Old Jan 3, 23, 10:07 am
  #262  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SJC
Programs: Does it matter any more?
Posts: 2,076
EK check-in staff reviewed the OCI of a family member (under 20) departing SFO on EK and issued a boarding pass.

Same staff rejected another family member's (over 20) OCI as it had the old passport number (we have started the process of re-issue but haven't submitted yet). This family member had also applied for and gotten a 1 year e-visa. They were satisfied with the printed copy and issued the BP.

Once in India, the immigration officer (BLR) looked at both OCIs, current passport and let them through. Didn't ask for e-visa or old passport listed on OCI.

Go figure. Net, we are glad we got the e-visa for the 20 yr old pax.

Last edited by legionnaire; Jan 13, 23 at 9:45 am
legionnaire is offline  
Old Jan 4, 23, 9:21 am
  #263  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: EDI
Programs: Flying Blue PFL; IHG Rewards Club Diamond; HHonors Silver
Posts: 407
Originally Posted by IAN-UK
We are talking a UK-specific relaxation.
The UK visa situation was unique.

The country is a major generator of trips to India: yet despite the contribution promised to India's travel and tourism industries the government insisted on maintaing what were in effect stringent restrictions on UK passport holders, while lifting restrictions on other nationalities.

I have no idea what quid pro quo Modi was waiting for, or if he got it. But he was certainly under pressure from the Indian tourism sector, and from the UK government. Maybe the new UK prime minister was uniquely placed to exert specifically focussed pressure: who knows?
I went to the VFS Global Indian Visa centre in Glasgow today but my application for a business visa was rejected as I was missing a document ("Copy of the Registration papers of Company/Companies in India"). I did not remember this requirement when I made my application at the end of November (no interviews were available for the whole of December). However, while checking the UK Indian Consulate website I noticed that the UK is back on the list of countries eligible for an eVisa. Can anyone confirm this?

Update: Yes, eVisas are now possible for UK citizens, just bad timing on my part.

Last edited by Ardecos; Jan 4, 23 at 10:14 am Reason: Update
Ardecos is offline  
Old Jan 12, 23, 10:26 am
  #264  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: UA 1K/MM, CX Silver, LY TL, Marriot G
Posts: 842
Have Tourist E-Visa - need Business E-Visa

Hi, I hold a 5 yr tourist E-Visa and now I need a business E-Visa, because I will be visiting government facilities who will need to do lots of paperwork and of course will ask for my visa.

Does anyone know if I will have problem getting a second overlapping visa? Will they cancel my tourist visa?

thanks
sabbasolo is offline  
Old Jan 12, 23, 2:37 pm
  #265  
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN**
Posts: 45,836
Get a new visa no one will say anything.
oliver2002 is offline  
Old Jan 13, 23, 3:56 am
  #266  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,126
I remember reading a few months ago that all e-Tourist & long duration visas were restored by the Government at some point in 2022. Does anyone have any information regarding this as I can't seem to find the notification anymore.

I have a client who got their 10 year visa in 2016. All visas were suspended in March 2020 so when she tried to travel on her visa in 2021 she was refused boarding in NYC. Now if the old visas have been restored then she won't need to apply for another one.
Keyser is offline  
Old Jan 13, 23, 6:03 am
  #267  
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN**
Posts: 45,836
They were restored in March 2022: https://boi.gov.in/content/restorati...oreign-tourist
Currently valid old Long duration (10) Regular Tourist Visa which remained suspended since March, 2020 shall stand restored for the nationals of USA and Japan. Fresh Long duration (10) Tourist Visa can also be issued to the nationals of USA and Japan.
If you need something to show airline checkin agents, just write an email to the BoI:

  • For all immigration, registration, visa, ECNR etc. related queries Email may be sent on Support Centre's email id support-boi[at]mha[dot]gov[dot]in
  • Phone Numbers of BOI Support Centre 011-26711443 and 011-26713851
oliver2002 is offline  
Old Jan 13, 23, 1:55 pm
  #268  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,126
Originally Posted by oliver2002
They were restored in March 2022: https://boi.gov.in/content/restorati...oreign-tourist

If you need something to show airline checkin agents, just write an email to the BoI:
Thanks.
Keyser is offline  
Old Jan 15, 23, 11:04 pm
  #269  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Radisson Rewards Gold, Best Western Diamond Select
Posts: 1,822
After the first entry on a multiple entry Evisa been made, which line at DEL airport should be used? Evisa or regular tourist visa?
slickvik is offline  
Old Jan 16, 23, 12:47 pm
  #270  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: Former UA1K transitioning to WFBF mentality
Posts: 644
Dear all, I have a 1yr multiple entry e-visa granted Feb 2022. It expires on Feb. 23, 2022 ("date of expiry"). I am planning a trip with my departure date to be either Feb. 22 or 23. Am I allowed to be in India on Feb. 23, the "date of expiry"? I.e., does the e-visa entry permission expire at midnight on Feb. 22 evening, or the following day?
marks88 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread