India Visa Information - Visa on Arrival in India Facility

Visa on arrival in India - India Map Facts and Figures

Main cities in India are:

• New Delhi
• Mumbai
• Chennai
• Kolkota
• Goa
• Bengaluru (Previously Bangalore)

Facts and Figures about India

• Area: about 3.3 million square kilometers — 4% of the world's land area.
• Population: about 1.45 billion people — over 17% of the world's population.
• Coastline length: 7,600 kilometers.
• Major religions: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.
• National currency: Indian Rupee (INR). One rupee = 100 paisa.
• The Indian Union: 28 States and 8 Union Territories.
• Legislature: Parliament consists of the President and two Houses — Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and Lok Sabha (House of the People).
• Commonwealth: India is one of the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations.
• GDP: about US$ 3.9 trillion (2024 estimate) — the fifth-largest economy in the world by nominal GDP.

Who needs a Visa to enter India?

All foreign nationals arriving in India need a visa. The only exception is nationals of Nepal and Bhutan do not need a visa to enter India but must have acceptable proof of identity. Nepal citizens can avail the no visa benefit only if they are entering India from Nepal.

India e-Visa

Since 2014 India has run an e-Visa programme that has largely replaced the older paper visa-on-arrival. Tourists from over 170 countries — including the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, most of the EU, Japan, Singapore and many others — can apply online, upload a photo and passport scan, pay the fee by card, and receive an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) by email. You print the ETA and carry it with your passport; the visa itself is stamped when you land.

Main e-Visa categories:

• e-Tourist Visa — 30-day (double entry), 1-year and 5-year (multiple entry) options.
• e-Business Visa — 1 year, multiple entries.
• e-Medical / e-Medical Attendant Visa — up to 60 days, triple entry.
• e-Conference Visa — valid for the duration of the conference.

Apply at the official portal: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html. Apply at least 4 days before travel (the portal accepts applications up to 120 days in advance). Fees depend on your nationality and the visa duration and range from US$ 0 to about US$ 100.

An e-Visa is currently valid for entry at 29 designated international airports and 5 seaports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Kochi, Goa, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Trivandrum, Varanasi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Port Blair and others. You can exit from any authorised Indian immigration check post.

A small physical Visa on Arrival facility also still exists at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad airports for passport holders of Japan, South Korea and the UAE — but for almost all other tourists the e-Visa is the practical route.

For any itinerary that does not fit the e-Visa categories (long-term tourism, employment, journalism, research, restricted areas, etc.) a regular paper visa from the Indian embassy or consulate in your country is still required.

Visa on arrival in India conditions

• Visa on arrival as per guidelines, may be availed for tourism, medical treatment, casual business or to visit friends/relatives, etc.
• Visa issued under Visa on Arrival has a maximum validity of 30 days with single entry facility.
• Visitors availing the visa on arrival facility will have to fill a simple Visa application Form on arrival
• Visa on arrival fee currently is US $ 60/ or equivalent amount in Indian Rupees at specified official exchange rates, per passenger
• Visa on arrival facility is allowed only up to two times in a calendar year.
• Passport must have a minimum validity of six months.

Person seeking visa must not have previously been denied an entry visa. Please be aware that visa on arrival is solely at the discretion of the authorities, rules and regulations change from time to time. To avoid any complications and to ensure your tour of India is a pleasant one, it may be more appropriate to get a tourist visa before traveling to India.

Getting a tourist visa for India for nationals of most countries is a simple process and usually does not take more than a week. However citizens of some countries such as Pakistan need more time and the fee structure are also different.

General requirements for applying for visas to visit India:

• Original passport valid for at least six months.
• Correct visa fee.
• Two recent passport-size photographs (five in the case of Pakistani nationals).
• Supporting documents, where necessary.
• Duly completed application form (Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals need to apply on special application forms)

Climate in India

India has three main seasons: 1. Rainy season (Monsoon) which is from June to September 2. Summer: April to June 3. Winter: October to March All hill stations in India are choice destinations during the hot summer months from April to June. Confirm hotel reservations if visiting during summer months.