Visa for India

"Visa Rules for India Tourist Visa"

visa for india backpacking-tips-asia.com

"Visa for India" was last updated on Jan 28, 2011
All information below is subject to change

All non-Indian citizens must have a visa for India (except citizens of Nepal and Bhutan).

Note: Nepalese nationals need a visa if entering India from China.

There is now a provision of "Visa on Arrival" (TVOA) in India.

But it only applies to 11 following countries:

Visa on arrival-countries:

Indonesia, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, Finland, Luxembourg and New Zealand.

Visa on arrival means that you can get a 30-days visa when you arrive at the international airport in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai or Kolkata.

"Visa on arrival" is a single entry, and is allowed a maximum of twice in any calendar year.

A gap of two months between each visit is mandatory. TVOAs aren't extendable and can't be converted to any other type of visa.

Fee for visa on arrival: $ 60

If your nationality is not mentioned above, then you must obtain your visa BEFORE you travel to India.

This means that you have to apply for a tourist visa at the Indian embassy in your home country.

In the process of application, you will need this to apply:

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months after the date you leave India

  • Two passport-sized photographs

  • Filled out visa application

Note: Allow some time for the visa application to be processed. The embassy will close during Indian public holidays.

How much is it
for a Indian tourist visa?

The price depends on the period of validity and which country you come from.

The cost varies between countries according to the arrangement between the governments. For a 6-months visa, US citizens must expect to pay $ 70. And British citizens have to pay £ 30.

For Australians: AUD 75 + AUD 18 service charge

Indian visa tourist fees for Australians

The validity of
Indian tourist visa:

Tourist visas can be issued for 6 months (180 days), 5 years and 10 years, with single, double or multiple entries into India. But this depends on your nationality. Like, American citizens can apply for a 10 years tourist visa according to a bilateral agreement.

The 1-year tourist visa is no longer available. Applicants have to choose between a 5-year multiple-entry visa and a 10-year multiple-entry visa.

Period of stay:

You can't stay more than 6 months (180 days) at a time... It doesn`t matter how long the duration of your Tourist visa is.

New visa rules came into force for 6 months multiple-entry visa: Let's say you want to travel to Nepal after you've been in India for 2 months. You stay in Nepal for 3 weeks, and then you want to return to India.

According to the "new" legislation, you have to wait for 2 months before you can re-enter the country.

The same applies if you've stayed in India for 6 whole months -- you can't re-enter the country the next day like many travelers do.

After 6 months, you have to be out of the country for 2 months, before you can apply for another tourist visa.

If you want to or have to re-enter India within 2 months, seek an Indian embassy and ask for permission.

Is it that harsh?

Well, the Indian government has stated that they can be flexible for tourists traveling on a 6-months visa. You may re-enter India if you keep all the documents, a detailed itinerary of your routes and you've visited another country like Sri Lanka.

visa for india india tourist visa indian visa
This is how a Indian tourist visa looks like

Visa run

You can get a visa for India in:

Bangkok, Thailand
46 Prasarnmitr Sukhumvit Soi 23

Phone: (662) 2580300-5

Visa section open: Mon - Fri 09.00 am - noon, closed on Saturdays, Sundays and official holidays

Click onto the link to find out more about the Indian embassy in Bangkok.

Vientiane, Laos
002 Ban Wat-Nak
Thadeua Road, KM 3
Sisattanak District
Vientiane, Lao PDR

Phone: + (856 21) 352 301-4

Consular Timings: 0900-1100 am, Saturday & Sunday closed

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Villa No. 777
Boulevard Monivong
Phnom Penh

Phone: 855-23-212652

To find out more about the Indian embassy in Phnom Penh, click here.

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Extension of your visa for India
-- Can you extend your period of stay?

It's no longer possible to extend a Tourist Visa in India.

To find out more about border crossings in India, go here.

Return to top

Overstay

Remember that it's a criminal offence to overstay your visa for India. If you overstay, you need a really good reason to get away from the fine. I`ve heard that an example of a good reason is: medical emergency. But you have to be registered in a government hospital.

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You're done with Visa for India, where do you want to go next?

Thailand tourist visa?

Laos visa requirements?

Cambodia tourist visa?

Need a Malaysia visa?

Want to know more about the border crossings?

Back to Visa?

Return from Visa for India to Backpacking Tips Asia Homepage.

visa for india



Latest visa news

Jan 24, 2012:

India: Indian immigration expands tourist visa on arrival facility

June 10, 2011:

India: Over 4,000 foreigners got Indian visa on arrival

May 24, 2011:

India: More countries to get visa on arrival in India

Feb 2, 2011:

India: New India Visa Requirements For Tourists and Business Travelers

Jan 28, 2011:

India: Tourist Visa On Arrival Extended to 11 Countries

Jan 13, 2011:

India: "New rules for tourist visa to 'curb misuse'"

Dec 30, 2010:

India: Visa on arrival to tourists from four Southeast Asian nations

Nov 26, 2010:

India: Mandatory HIV testing no longer required for Indian visa

July 25, 2010:

India: Headley fallout: Foreign visitors will be tracked from entry to exit

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