India e-Visa requirements, eligibility and documents

Essential information about the India eVisa application, eligible travellers, passport rules, required documents, entry conditions and travel preparation.

What is the India e-Visa?

The e-Visa is an electronic visa facility for eligible foreign nationals travelling to India for permitted purposes. The application is completed online and an approved Electronic Travel Authorization, or ETA, is sent electronically. Carry the ETA when travelling and present it at immigration.

Who can apply?

Applicants need an individual passport issued by an eligible country or region, a permitted purpose of travel, the required passport validity and blank pages, a return or onward ticket, and sufficient funds for the stay. Diplomatic or official passports, laissez-passer documents and people included in another person’s passport are not eligible for this route.

Eligible nationalities

Albania, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, Cambodia, Cameroon Union Republic, Cape Verde, Cayman Island, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger Republic, Niue Island, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Island, Tuvalu, Uganda, UAE, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City-Holy See, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Eligibility lists and operational rules can change; the options are maintained in one central product data file.

Special nationality rules

Pakistani passport holders and foreign nationals considered to be of Pakistani origin are not eligible for e-Visa. This includes certain applicants whose parent or grandparent was born in, permanently resident in, or connected to a Pakistan-held area. Canadian nationals with serving or former defence, military, security or police experience may be subject to additional checks.

Permitted travel purposes

e-Tourist purposes include recreation and sightseeing, visiting friends or relatives, short-term yoga, qualifying short courses, permitted unpaid voluntary work and mountaineering where available. Employment, journalism and NGO activities are not permitted under this scheme.

Available e-Tourist Visa types

One Month e-Tourist Visa

Current information describes a 30-day, multiple-entry product.

One Year e-Tourist Visa

Current information describes validity of 365 days from grant of the ETA with multiple entry. Total stay must not exceed 180 days during a calendar year.

Validity, stay and entry conditions shown on the issued ETA control for the individual traveller.

Passport requirements

• At least six months of validity when applying;
• at least two blank pages for immigration stamps;
• details matching the application exactly.

Normally travel with the passport used in the application. If a new passport is issued while an ETA linked to the old passport remains valid, carry both passports where the applicable rule permits.

Required documents

A scanned passport biographical page and a recent applicant photograph are required. A short-term course requires an institution or organisation letter; permitted voluntary work requires an organisation letter; mountaineering requires the applicable clearance. Supporting documents should be in English.

Photo requirements

Use a recent, square JPEG photograph showing the full face from the front, eyes open, without spectacles, against a plain light or white background, with no shadows or border. Use a separate photograph rather than an image cropped from the passport. These specifications are guidance in the VisaViza form and do not block progression.

Application information required

The India eVisa application collects personal and passport details, current and previous names, contact and address information, parents and spouse details where relevant, occupation, previous India travel and visa history, international travel history, references in India and at home, and security or background answers.

When to apply

Current guidance states that applications for the 30-day and one-year e-Tourist Visa may be submitted up to 120 days before travel and at least four days before arrival. This is an application window, not a guaranteed approval time.

Processing information

No fixed approval time is guaranteed. The decision is communicated by email. If a document or image is unsuitable, a replacement may be requested.

Entry points

Current authorised entry points include international airports, designated seaports and listed land checkpoints. Operational lists can change. There is conflicting older and newer information concerning land-border entry, so travellers planning a land arrival should confirm that their intended checkpoint accepts their e-Visa before travelling.

Entry requirements

• Carry a copy of the ETA and confirm its status is GRANTED;
• carry the passport used in the application;
• have return or onward travel and sufficient funds;
• complete immigration examination and biometric capture on arrival;
• carry an original yellow-fever certificate when applicable.

Exit from India

Authorised exit points include airports, land Immigration Check Posts, seaports and rail checkpoints. The exit network is broader than the main airport-entry list.

e-Arrival Card

The e-Arrival Card is a separate arrival-information requirement that may be completed within 72 hours before arrival. It is not a visa.

Travelling with children

Every minor needs a separate India e-Visa application and an individual passport. The child’s passport should be valid for at least six months from arrival.

Important restrictions

The e-Visa is generally non-extendable and non-convertible. It is not valid by itself for Protected, Restricted or Cantonment Areas. Prior permission may be required. Employment, journalism and NGO activities are not permitted.

Important travel information

An approved ETA does not remove immigration checks and does not guarantee entry. Before travel, check the granted status and compare the name, nationality, passport number, date of birth and photograph with the passport.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a diplomatic passport?

No. The e-Visa route is intended for eligible holders of individual ordinary passports.

Does every child need an application?

Yes. Each child needs an individual passport and application.

Can I work in India using an e-Tourist Visa?

No. Employment is not a permitted e-Tourist activity.

Is approval guaranteed?

No. Applications may require more information or be refused, and admission remains subject to immigration checks.