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A Quick Guide to Indian E-tourist Visa: Requirements and Application Process

The growing popularity of tourism is a common trend globally, and India is no exception. It is known for its rich diversity with landscape, hills, rivers, cuisine, traditions, festivals, etc. So people naturally take an interest in visiting India as tourists. First, however, they need to procure an Indian visa before planning to travel.

Recently in 2014, India started offering the e-tourist visa facility to tourists. Keep reading this article to find out more about it.

What Is an Indian E-tourist Visa?

The spread of technology is commonly seen in every element of life. Similarly, the Indian government has also developed the facility of electronic visas. Indian e-tourist visa enables visa holders to visit India as tourists. Individuals can travel for the following purposes with this kind of visa.

  • Tourism activities
  • Visiting friends or family
  • Attending a yoga retreat

List of Countries That Offer E-tourist Visa to India

The following countries are eligible for Indian e-Visa:

Albania Belize China
Anguilla Benin China – SAR Hong Kong
Armenia Bolivia China – SAR Macau
Austria Bosnia & Herzegovina Colombia
Andorra Botswana Comoros
Antigua & Barbuda Brazil Cook Islands
Aruba Brunei Costa Rica
Azerbaijan Bulgaria Cote d'lvoire
Angola Burundi Croatia
Argentina Cambodia Cuba
Australia Cameron Union Republic Cyprus
Bahamas Canada Czech republic
Barbados Cape Verde Denmark
Belarus Cayman Island Djibouti
Belgium Chile Dominica
Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia
Fiji Finland France
Gabon Gambia Georgia
Germany Ghana Greece
Grenada Guatemala Guinea
Guyana Haiti Honduras
Hungary Iceland Indonesia
Iran Ireland Israel
Italy Jamaica Japan
Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya
Kiribati Kyrgyzstan Laos
Latvia Lesotho Liberia
Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxemburg
Madagascar Malawi Malaysia
Mali Malta Marshall Islands
Mauritius Mexico Micronesia
Moldova Monaco Mongolia
Montenegro Montserrat Mozambique
Myanmar Namibia Nauru
Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua
Niger Republic Niue Island Norway
Oman Palau Palestine
Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay
Peru Philippines Poland
Portugal Qatar Republic of Korea
Republic of Macedonia Romania Russia
Rwanda Saint Christopher and Nevis Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines Samoa San Marino
Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia
Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore
Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands
South Africa Spain Sri Lanka
Suriname Swaziland Sweden
Switzerland Taiwan Tajikistan
Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste
Tonga Trinidad & Tobago Turks & Caicos Island
Tuvalu UAE Uganda
United kingdom Uruguay USA
Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City-Holy See
Venezuela Vietnam Zambia
Zimbabwe

Who Is Eligible to Apply for an E-tourist Visa for India?

If you plan to get an e-tourist visa, you must meet the following conditions.

  • Only international travellers visiting India for sightseeing, vacation, meeting friends and relatives, business meetings or medical treatment are eligible for this visa.
  • They must have a valid passport with at least six months of validity.
  • Applicants must be able to show an onward journey or return ticket while providing financial stability to support their accommodation.
  • Official or diplomatic passport holders cannot get this visa.
  • Holders of international travel documents cannot apply for this visa.

What Are the Steps to Apply for an Indian E-tourist Visa?

Individuals can apply for an Indian e-tourist visa through the following steps.

Step 1: Visit the official website of Indian Visa online. Click on the "e-tourist visa" option to find all the information on the right panel.

Step 2: Click on the “Apply for e-visa” icon. Enter your details and click on “Continue”.

Step 3: Start filling out the online application form. Next, upload pages of your passport and photographs.

Step 4: Pay the application fees. Click on the final “Submit” button.

What Are the Documents Required to Get an E-Tourist Visa for India?

Applicants must possess the following documents to get an e-tourist visa for India.

  • Passport scanned copy in PDF format
  • Photographs in JPG format

What Is the E-tourist Visa Fee for India?

Individuals need to pay approximately  ₹ 4,656 as Indian e-tourist visa fees for each application. It is exclusive of the interchange of credit and debit card fees which might also be levied upon the individual. Irrespective of the outcomes, this fee remains non-refundable.

What Are the Things to Keep in Mind While Applying for an E-tourist Visa for India?

Individuals applying for this visa should keep the following things in mind before starting the application.

  • One can make an application for this visa only through online mode. Hence make sure that you have access to the internet connection.
  • You must start the application at least four days before your expected arrival in India.
  • The photographs must be front-facing and clear without any shadows.
  • The front page of the passport should contain all your details such as name, nationality, birth date, date of expiration of the passport, etc.
  • It would help if you carried the e-tourist visa while travelling to India.
  • The visa will be valid for about 30 days after landing in India.
  • You will be allowed to use an e-tourist visa about twice a calendar year.

Therefore, as you can see, getting an e-tourist visa for India is much easier and more convenient than getting a regular visa. It allows you to travel in India without any hassles, and getting its approval is much faster. Hence, if you are planning to visit India for a quick emergency reason, you must get an e-tourist visa.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much time does it take to get approval for an e-tourist visa?

The processing time for an e-tourist visa in India is much less than that for a regular visa. In most cases, it takes up to 2-4 business days to complete the processing and approve the visa holders.

Can I extend the validity of my e-tourist visa?

No, as per the regulations, you cannot extend the validity of your e-tourist visa. It will be valid for only 30 days, and your passport must have a six-month validity.