What is an Indian Visa?
An
Indian visa is a pre-approval from
the Indian government for entry into the country. There are several
types of
Indian visas: Tourist, Business, Work, Student, and even
E-visas also known as ETAs. Visas on arrival are not available in India,
you must apply in advance to your visit to India. Visas are stamped into
your Passport and must be shown upon arrival in the airport and once you
get to India to be admitted.
Indian visas come in two forms; the tourist
and business visas are placed into your passport before you leave the US
and remain there, the Indian E Visa is a printed page that you carry
with you into India and then they stamp it into your passport when you
arrive at the airport in India. This is a good option for fast Indian
visas. All Indian visas are tied to your passport number, so if you
update your passport you will need to carry your old passport with your
Indian visa and your new valid passport (as long as personal information
like your name has not changed).
An Example India Visa Document
How to Get an Indian Visa
To
get an Indian visa you must check that your Passport is valid, have
two blank facing pages or else
Renew Your Passport - then gather the
other required documents for processing. Other documents include your
flight itinerary (ie flight to Mumbai, Delhi, etc), copy of your
driver's license and Indian visa application forms. For business travel,
additional letters are required. India requires more applications than
most countries (such as
Chinese Visas) to obtain a visa, so keep our
list handy when applying for your Indian visa application. We also have
a guide to the Indian visa application that will help you. Indian
tourist visas are generally valid for ten years, whereas Indian business
visas are generally valid for one or five years (you must specifiy which
validity you are applying for).
If you need to get an Indian visa today and you have any questions,
please contact us 24 hours a day at 1-866-487-3279. You can also view
ItsEasy Passport and Visa reviews left by clients just like you.
Indian Tourist Visa
Indian Tourist visas are generally issued for ten years and allow you
to vist for up to 60 days at a time unlike countries that issue shorter
term visas like
Russian Visas. These visas can also be used to visit
people you know in India as well as sight see and travel to the
different states within India. Popular states to travel include Mumbai,
Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Delhi. The Indian visa will allow you to
travel to most states within the country for up to 60 days each trip
(this excludes protected and restricted areas*). The Indian eTourist
visa is a short term Indian tourist visa that allows you to land in
popular airports such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Delhi and
then be stamped into the country for thirty days stay. They are now
double entry and are valid for six months. This is also commonly
referred to as a visa on arrival for India though this terminology is
incorrect. Again, you must obtain this visa before you fly to India.
*Protected and Resetricted areas in India that you CANNOT travel to with an Indian visa:
- Parts of State of Manipur
- Parts of State of Mizoram
- Parts of State of Arunachal Pradesh
- Whole of State of Nagaland
- Whole of State of Sikkim
- Parts of State of Uttaranchal.
- Parts of State of Jammu and Kashmir
- Parts of State of Rajasthan
- Parts of State of Himachal Pradesh
- Whole of Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Part of the state of Sikkim
You can apply for a permit to visit these areas through the Ministry of Home Affairs in India.
You can also obtain a permit from an FFRO (Foreign Regional Registration
Office) and travel with a recognized travel agent to these areas in
groups of two or more.
Indian Business Visa
Indian Business visas are valid for 1 or 5 years for Business Meetings
and Visiting your company in India. Along with general tourist visa
requirements, you will also need an invitation and business cover letter
(see an example
Indian Business Cover Letter
or
Indian Business Invitation
) to confirm the purpose of
your visit to India. These Business and Invitation letters must cover
your purpose, date, duration, and full details of your visit to India.
The
Indian Business visa allows you to travel within India for Business
purposes for up to 60 days at a time. Please note that an Indian
Business visa is not valid for conferences, they have a specific visa
for conferences that must be obtained separately.
Indian eTourist Visa, eVisa or VOA Visa
An Indian E-visa is an electronic visa valid for up to six months. These
are not visas on arrival, you must obtain them before you visit India.
The visa is applied for online and processed by India, usually in 4-6
business days. Once you have your Indian e visa, you will need to print
it and carry it with you and present it on arrival into India, they will
then fingerprint you and stamp a visa approval in your passport thus
beginning your stay of up to 30 days. Most countries like
Saudi Arabia
Visas do not offer electronic visas. If you need an urgent Indian visa,
this option might be best for you.
Please note that only certain airports allow you to enter with an Evisa,
popular airports include Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. You
can travel within several Indian states with the e visa and can exit
from any authorized immigration check post. However you must enter India
through one of the following airports: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra,
Bengaluru, Calicut, Chennai, Chandigarh,Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya,
Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mangalore, Mumbai,
Nagpur, Pune, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum & Varanasi and 3 designated
seaports (i.e. Cochin, Goa, Mangalore). You can only have TWO Indian e
visas per calendar year.
Other Types of Indian Visas
Indian Conference visas are vald for thirty days and must be applied for
before you visit India. These visas have specific requirements based on
if you are invited by an Indian Government sanctioned conference or a
private conference. Along with the basic tourist visa requirements you
will need a business cover letter to confirm the purpose of your visit
to India. The letter must cover your purpose, date, duration, and full
details of your visit to India; it also needs to state whether you are
speaking at the conference or attending. This is Business Letter is
unique and different compared to letters for countries like
Brazil
visas
.
How Long to Get an Indian Visa
Indian visa processing varies by
state and the visa type as the consulates are jurisdictional. Typical
processing times for Indian visas are anywhere from 15-20 business days.
It is recommended that you apply for your visa at least one month in
advance of your visit to India. Indian e-visas are much quicker, they
take about 4-6 business days for processing as they are limited to up to
six months and only two entries are allowed per year. The electronic
option favors those who need to obtain an Indian visa quickly provided
that they are going as a tourist or for light business (such as meetings
within your company or gaining new client information).
Requirements for Indian Visas
Basic India Visa Requirements
Passport
Applicant must submit their current, signed passport. Visas are stamped
into a passport, therefore the original passport is required.
The passport must have two (2) blank visa pages and be valid for at
least six (6) months at the time of application and through the duration
of the trip upon arrival (although six months past the date of exit from
India is highly advised to avoid issues upon entry).
If you do not have a passport, please review the different
US Passport
Service options.
Photo Requirement
Applicant must submit two (2) identical, color,
passport style photographs. The photos must be recent and generally
should not be the same used for the passport itself.
Note: The Indian Embassy will not accept visa photos if the applicant is
wearing glasses.
Proof of Travel
Applicant must submit a computer-generated itinerary
from a travel agency or online booking tool (such as an e-confirmation
or online booking) showing departure from the US and arrival/departure
for the destination.
Note: if traveling via private charter the charter's manifest should
suffice.
Proof of Residency
Applicant must submit a legible color copy of their
driver's license or state issued ID.
If the applicant does not have a state issued ID or has recently moved
and not updated their ID, applicant must also provide a recent utility
bill (sewer, water, electric)
Applicants Under 18yrs
If the applicant is less than 18 years old,
applicant must submit completed, signed and NOTORIZED authorization
form. Although not clearly indicated, BOTH parents (or one parent with
supporting custody documentation) must sign the form.
Supplemental Form
Applicant must submit one completed, two page form.
Print the documents (single sided).
Visa Application Guide
We provide an "Application Guide". It is very
important that the instructions are followed. Failure to follow the
instructions exactly may result in rejection of the application.
It is highly recommended applicant print the Application Guide and
reference it while completing the visa application.
Visa Application
Applicant must complete an online application. After
completing the online application, applicant must print and sign BOTH
pages (the first page is signed up the small rectangular box towards the
upper right, the second page is signed on the signature line. Note
additional requirements for signatures for minors listed in the
application guide above).
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR INDIA BUSINESS VISAS
Business Cover Letter
Applicant must submit a Business Cover Letter (BCL) from a US company. The BCL must be an original, signed document on company letterhead indicating the date, duration and purpose of travel, list a contact and address at the host company, and observe moral and financial responsibility for the applicant. Please review the example below.
Note: Business Cover Letter must clearly state duration of visa request. This request must match both the letter of Invitation and the request made on the application itself. For example, "We are requesting a five-year multiple entry business visa for John Smith".
Invitation Letter
Applicant must submit a Letter of Invitation from the inviting party or organization. The letter should introduce the applicant, detail the purpose of the trip, provide dates of the visit and be signed by a company officer with contact details included. Scanned/printed copies are generally acceptable.
Note: Letter of Invitation must clearly state duration of the visa request. This request must match both the Business Cover Letter and the request made on the application itself. For example, "We are requesting a five-year multiple entry business visa for John Smith".
Certificate of Incorporation
Applicant must submit a clear copy of the inviting company's "Certificate of Incorporation".
A certificate of incorporation is a legal document relating to the formation of a company or corporation. It is a license to form a corporation issued by state government.
