More information about the application procedure
The application procedure for an electronic visa to India is not complicated. Here you will find step-by-step instructions to quickly arrange your visa application and travel to India with a valid visa.
An overview of the aplication procedure
- 1 | Check if you meet all the requirements for the e-visa
- 2 | Collect the required documents
- 3 | Fill in the online application form
- 4 | Pay the cost of the India visa
- 5 | Upload the necessary documents
- 6 | Receive your India visa and print it
- 7 | Make sure you meet the requirements
1 | Check if you meet all the requirements
You can only travel to India if you have a valid visa. The only exception to the visa requirement applies to people with the Indian nationality and a corresponding Indian passport.
This website is aimed at travellers who can use the electronic version of the visa. This e-visa suffices for most business travellers and tourists. However, a number of requirements must be met. For instance, the traveller may stay in India for a maximum of 30, 90 or 180 days. If you do not meet these conditions, you may still be able to travel to India with a physical visa.
Entering India is only allowed with a valid visa. The only exception to this visa requirement applies to people with the Indian nationality and a corresponding Indian passport.
2 | Gather the necessary documents
To submit a visa application for India, it is necessary to have some documents at hand. Only when you have gathered all these documents can you start the actual application process:
- Each traveller's passport
- A digital scan or photo of this passport
- A digital passport photo of each traveller
- A digital scan or photo of the traveller's business card(s) and a letter of invitation (in case of a business trip)
Please note that the passport used for the visa application must still be valid for at least six months on the day of arrival in India.
3 | Fill in the online application form
The application form used to apply for the India visa can be found through the application page of this website. Click on the button below to start filling in the form immediately.
The application form allows a traveller to apply for a visa for themselves, for another person or for several travellers at once. It consists of three parts: contact details of the applicant, details of the trip and details and personal details of all travellers.
In the first part, you only need to fill in your own contact details. It is not a problem if your fellow travellers live at a different address. Even if you are not travelling yourself, you can fill in your own contact details here.
The second part, trip details, should apply to all travellers. This part of the form asks for the purpose of the trip (business or tourism). The airport where the traveller will arrive should also be selected here. If flying to a location not listed, it is not possible to travel with an e-visa. You will then need to apply for a visa at the Embassy of India.
You will also be asked to provide the address of the accommodation in India. This can be a hotel, hostel, as well as the address of a friend, relative or colleague. Finally, an emergency contact in the home country of the traveller(s) is requested, for example a relative at home, a friend or a colleague.
In the third part of the application form, fill in some personal details about the traveller(s). This includes details given on the traveller's passport and details about the traveller's education, religion, employer, parents, any partner and travel history. It also asks whether the traveller has ever been denied entry to India or any other country and whether the traveller has a criminal record.
The “Add a traveller” button can be found at the bottom of the visa application form. This allows multiple travellers to be added to the application.
4 | Pay the cost of the visa
Once you have filled in the application form and checked all the details properly, payment for the visa(s) must be made. Please note that once payment has been made, in most cases it is no longer possible to make changes to the visa application. Therefore, it is very important for the applicant to check all the filled-in details properly again before making the payment.
The total price of the Indian visa can be paid via PayPal, creditcard, Google Pay, Apple Pay or Trustly. By using these payment methods, no transaction fees are charged.
5 | Upload the required documents
After paying for the visa, some documents need to be uploaded. Only after all the required files are uploaded will the application be forwarded to the Immigration Department of India. Which files are necessary depends on the purpose of the trip.
Required documents for tourist trips:
- Passport photo of the traveller with a white background
- Photograph/scan of the front of the plastic page of the traveller's passport
Required documents for business travel:
- Passport photo of the traveller with a white background
- Photograph/scan of the front of the plastic page of the traveller's passport
- Photo/scan of traveller's business card
- A letter of invitation from the organisation being visited in India
Requirements for these files:
- Format: JPEG, PNG or BMP
- File size: less than 4MB per file
Uploaded images should be sharp and clear. The plastic page of the passport should be in full view; make sure no parts are missing. This also applies to the passport photo; the face should be fully, clearly and recognisably in focus. The photo should also be taken in front of a white or light, plain background.
6 | Receive and print your visa India
Once the form is filled in, payment completed and documents uploaded, the visa application is processed. It takes on average 7 days before a visa is approved. Sometimes this can take longer. Therefore, it is necessary to apply for the visa well before leaving for India. The visa will be sent by e-mail. All travellers should print the visa and take it with them to India.
7 | Ensuring you meet the requirements
Even after receiving the visa, travellers should keep in mind some important requirements. Travellers who do not fulfil the conditions will not be allowed into India. Even after entry, conditions must be met; if not, future visa applications may be denied. Read more about this on the conditions page and the validity of the India visa.
If any questions remain unanswered after reading this page about the application process, please check the frequently asked questions about the visa
