Are you planning to visit India? Foreigners are requested to apply for a Visa before entering the country in most cases no matter what they are traveling for. It might be confusing at the beginning, but things are much easier nowadays. You can go to the official website and obtain an Evisa to india on your own without seeking any travel agencies. In this passage, we are going to offer an ultimate guide on Indian Evisa application.

What is Evisa for India

The Indian government launched eVisa in 2014, aiming to boost the process of visa application to visit the country for the purposes of travel, business, or medical treatment. It applies to nationals of more than 100 countries and regions and is acceptable at 29 designated airports and 5 ports in India. The whole process is made online and the approved documents are sent in digital forms.

Types of India Evisa

First of all, let’s learn about the types of Evisa to India which determines what you can do and how long you can stay in the country.

According to the purpose of visiting, the Evisa for India could be classified as:

• e-Tourist Visa

This is an entry permit for sightseeing or tourism-related purposes. It allows the visa holder to stay in India for 30 days at most.

• e-Business Visa

This permit is usually valid for one year. Its holders could stay in India for up to 180 days (either single trips or multiple entries) during which they can conduct business-related activities, such as investing, trading, participating in exhibitions, etc.

• e-Conference Visa: 

This is a single-entry permit that allows its holders to take part in seminars or conferences for up to 30 days.

• e-Medical Visa

This is an entry permit for foreigners to take medical treatment in India. It is valid for 4 months during which its holder could visit India one or three times and not exceed 60-day stay each time. 

• e-Medical Attendant Visa:

This permit is issued to attendants of e-Medical visa holders. Up to 2 attendants can obtain it and they must be the patient’s family members. It is valid for 60 days and is not allowed to be extended.

According to the validity period, the Evisa to India could be classified as:

• One-Year eVisa

It remains valid for 365 days upon the date of issuance, allowing for multiple entries for tourism-related purposes.

• Five-Year eVisa

It remains valid for 5 years upon the date of issuance, allowing for multiple entries. Please note that USA and Japanese citizens with 5-year India eVisa could stay in India for 180 days each time. 

Eligibility for Indian EVisa

As we stated before, Indian Evisa is not suitable for everyone. Before starting an application, you are supposed to know whether you are eligible to apply for it. The terms and conditions are listed as follows.

• You are visiting India for recreation, sightseeing, meeting friends and relatives, short-term/informal courses or programs, voluntary work, medical treatment, business, and conferences organized by either the government or private organizations.
• Your passport must be at least six months before expiration.
• You should have a return ticket or ticket for an onward trip and enough money to support your trip to India.
• You are not holding diplomatic or official passports or laissez-passer travel documents.
• You are not endorsed on your parent’s or spouse’s passports. Each applicant should have independent passports.
• You are nationals of the following countries.

Indian Evisa Application

Now that you have learned about the general information about Indian Evisas, we are going to introduce how to apply for Evisa to India in this section.

Required Documents to Apply for Evisa for India

No matter what kind of Evisa you are going to obtain, you have to prepare these documents and information.

• Scanned copy of the information page of a standard passport (usually the first page). Diplomatic or official passports are not acceptable. Renew the passport before applying for Indian Evisa if it will expire within 6 months.
• Digital passport-style photo

Make sure the information you provide in the last step is consistent with that on your passport and the photo complies with Indian Evisa Photo Requirements.

• Effective email address to receive notice and the Evisa
• Valid credit/debit card for payment
• Onward or return ticket

Process of Indian Evisa Application

After all materials are prepared, you can go further to file an application. It is recommended to do it 4-7 days in advance because it takes 3-4 business days for the authority to process your application. Let’s take Evisa to India from USA as an example, here is a step-by-step instruction.

• Step 1: Choose Nationality and the Visa Type

Go to the India official website. Click the “Apply here for e-Visa” button at the bottom to start the process. In this process, you have to provide information like nationality, types of passport, port of arrival, date of birth, email address, visa service and expected date of arrival.

• Step 2: Provide personal information and passport details.

In this step, you would get a Temporary Application ID which is used to access the information you filed previously. Remember to note it down in case of restarting the process again.

• Step 3: Provide Address and Family Members’ Details

Present address and permanent address are required. If they are the same, check the box after the “Click here for same address”.

Then enter the details of your parents. For married applicants, choose “MARRIED” for marital status and enter your spouse’s information.

• Step 4: Tell the Purpose of Visit to India

As you have chosen visa type in the first step, you have to give more information, such as the place you are going to visit, details of your friends/relatives (if any), etc. Supposing that you have ever been to India, previous visiting information is mandatory to provide.

• Step 5: Answer Extra Questions about Your Past

This step is to investigate whether you have ever been involved in criminal or terrorist acts. The answers are usually NO.

• Step 6: Upload Photo and Passport Page

Make sure the information you provide is consistent with that on passports and the photo complies with Indian Evisa Photo Requirements.

• Step 7: Review and Confirm

Here is a chance to check what you have filled. If there is any mistake, modify it now or it would be locked after submission.

• Step 8: Fulfill payment online

Credit cards, debit cards or Paypal are all supportive. Choose one that is available for you. The cost is subject to your traveling purposes, duration of stay and nationality. For example, e-Travel Visa to India from UAS costs $10 for 30-day duration from Apr. to June., $25 for 30-day duration from Jul. to Mar., $40 for 1-year duration and $80 for 5-year duration.

• Step 9: Receive ETA Online

The Evisa, Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), would be sent to the e-mail that you provide in PDF file, carrying the status “Granted” or “Rejected”. Once approved, print it out and take it with you during your stay in India.

The Indian Evisa application process takes only a few minutes after which the officer would inspect your form and materials. If there are any mistakes or mismatching, you would be informed. Please pay attention to your email inbox for updated notice.

Indian Evisa Photo Requirements

Visa photo assists to confirm your identity at the checkpoint. Its quality must reach passport photo level, but don’t submit a photo taken or scanned from that on your passports. Unqualified photos might lead to rejection of your application. Here are the Indian Visa photo requirements that you should know.

• Dimensions: 350-1000 pixels in width or height and the image ratio should be 1:1.
• Size: 10KB – 1MB
• File format: PDF/JPG/PNG/GIF
• The photo should be colored without any alteration of computer software.
• Background: plain & white.
• There must not be shadows on the face and the background.
• The photo must show the applicant’s head and shoulder.
• Keep your eyes open and mouth closed. If there is a “red eyes“ effect, retake the photo instead of removing it with Photoshop.
• Keep a neutral facial expression in case of distorting facial features.
• Keep the whole face clear and visible. Headgear for religious reasons are allowed, but keep it plain and off the face.
• No hats, glasses, sunglasses or colored contact lens.

FAQs: Indian Evisa Application

Q: How much does it cost to apply for Evisa for India?

A: The Indian Evisa fees range from $0 to $100, which depends on the visa type, duration and where you apply from. For fees of e-Tourist Vis, please check here. For fees of other types of visas, please check here.

Q: Is there any other website to apply for the Evisa except for e-Visa (indianvisaonline.gov.in)?

A: No. That is only the authentic website. Don’t share your private information with any unauthorized agency in case of fraud or information leakage.

Q: When should I file the application?

A: For 30-day e-Tourist visa, you should apply 4 days before the estimated arrival date. For 1-year or 5-year visa, you should apply 120 days before proposed traveling date.

Q: When will I receive my Evisa and how will I be informed?

A: It might take 72 hours to process your application. You are informed of the Visa status (either Granted or Rejected) by email.

Q: How can I check the status of the application?

A: You can follow up the process by logging in to the official website and clicking the “Check your Visa Status” button at the bottom.

Q: Should I apply for a separate e-Visa for my minor kid?

A: Yes. Every individual should have an independent visa and passport. You should apply for an e-Visa for your child no matter how old he/she is?

Q: Is it possible to obtain Visa on Arrival (VoA) upon arriving?

A: Yes, if you are nations of Japan, South Korea and UAE and UAE nationals should have obtained India Evisa or regular/paper visa. If not, you have to apply for a prearranged visa.

Summary

After reading this article, we believe that you have been clear about what Evisa for India is, the eligibility of Evisa to India and how to apply for it. If you are qualified to apply for it, the whole process is quite simple. You can do it online even without stepping out of your home. Compared with conventional offline Indian visa applications, it eliminates the hassle and stress of making appointments, preparing tedious paperwork and queuing up in the office. Just prepare all required materials and get started now.

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