Foreign visitors who wish to visit India must obtain a visa to enter the country. The only countries that do not require a visa or passport to enter India are citizens of Bhutan and Nepal. In 2014, India launched an electronic visa system that simplified the process of obtaining a visa to visit the country. Currently, citizens of over a hundred countries can easily obtain their e-Visa for India by completing an online form and providing some biographical details.
What is the visa on arrival?
The INDIAN VISA ON ARRIVAL is part of the e-Visa India program. Every traveler that arrives in India with a valid India e-Visa will also receive a visa on arrival in the form of a sticker. The sticker is placed on a page in the passport when going through immigration control. In order to receive the visa on arrival for India sticker, the traveler must show their printed copy of their e-Visa for India along with the passport. Be mindful that there are three main categories of e-Visa for India: the e-Tourist visa, e-Business visa, and the e-Medical visa.
It is important to know that foreign citizens cannot obtain their visa on arrival sticker unless they have already applied for the India e-Visa. All holders of the Indian electronic visa must print a copy of their approved visa, which is sent directly to their email address.
However, it should be noted that citizens of Japan and South Korea can arrive for a visa on arrival (VOA) when entering India through Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata or Mumbai. Japanese and South Koreans can also apply online for their e-Visa, as it can be used at 28 airports and 5 sea ports.
How to apply for the India visa on arrival?
Eligible citizens for the India visa on arrival are in fact eligible for the India e-Visa. To get the electronic visa for India, applicants need to have a passport with a minimum validity of at least six months from the expected date of arrival in India. Besides the passport, applicants need a debit or credit card to pay for the visa fee and an email address where the approved e-Visa is sent to.
All travelers who are able to apply online for their India e-Visa must fill out several details. An India e-Visa applicant must provide the following information on the form:
- Passport details: number, place of issue, date of issue and expiration date
- Port of arrival and expected date of arrival
- Date of birth and place of birth
- Full name as it appears on your passport
- Marital status
- Religion
- Address
At the end of the application it be will necessary to answer a series of security questions. After being submitted, most applications are processed within four days. If approved, the e-Visa will be sent directly to email address the applicant provided on their application.
Upon arrival in India, holders of the e-Visa for India will receive the on INDIAN VISA APPLICATION ONLINE sticker on their passport. The India e-Visa grants a stay of up to 60 days in India, from the date of first entry in the country.
