With e-Visa, international travellers to India can easily apply for a Visa online.
If you're a foriegn national travelling to India, then along with the regular paper visa which you can apply online and then submit it to an Indian Visa Application Center or at Indian Mission, you can go for an e-Visa and get it done online without going to any application centre if you are a national of one of the eligible countries to avail e-Visa.
The e-Visa facility for International travellers visiting India is now available to the nationals of 166 countries.
For the regular paper visa, when it is available, you have to either collect it from Indian Visa Application Center or at Indian Mission or receive it by post. An e-Visa can be received by email, which you can conveniently get printed.
This e-Visa facility is available to tourists visiting India from eligible countries, and it is also available to other sorts of travellers to India.
Below are the five categories for which e-Visa facility is available.
- e-Tourist Visa
- e-Business Visa
- e-Medical Visa
- e-Conference Visa
- e-Medical Attendant Visa
The complete list of countries for whom e-visa facility is available on the official website of Indian e-Visa, where visitors can avail e-tourist visa by a simple 4-step process of application.
The e-Visa process involves applying online and uploading your photograph and passport page, paying online for the eVisa fee using your credit or debit card or payment wallet, etc. You will receive your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) online in your e-mail, which you should get printed.
When you travel to India, you have to present this printed copy of your ETA on arrival at the Authorised Immigration Check Post along with your passport. Note that your passport should have at least six months validity at the time of applying of e-Visa, and your passport should have at least two blank pages for Immigration Officer's stamp.
Also listed on their official website of Indian e-Visa are the Authorised Immigration Check-posts which are the designated Airports, Seaports, and Land or Rail Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) through which eVisa holders will be allowed to enter into India or exit from. eVisa holders will be allowed only through the check posts listed in the Authorised Immigration Check-posts list.
The above is just a brief summary as a useful information for your convenience. For complete details and application, you should visit the official website of Indian e-Visa or the authorised portal for Visa Application to India :
indianvisaonline.gov.in and then opt for e-Visa over there.
Note that the Government of India does not authorise any agent or intermediary to charge any fee for facilitation of emergency or express Visa or eVisa. Do not fall for any scams and only use the official websites provided by the Indian Government for the purpose.
Note that as the above information is subject to change from time to time, do not solely rely on this article and always check the official website for Visa Application to India for up to date information on the e-Visa service.
[1] Ministry of Tourism endeavors to position India as a preferred tourism destination in the tourism generating markets to increase India's share in global tourism market - Ministry of Tourism, 20 JUL 2023, on Press Information Bureau, Government of India.
[2] Authorised portal for Visa Application to India - Indian Visa Online, Government of India.