eVisa India

India, a country with such a diverse culture and an immense architectural, gastronomic and religious wealth, in addition to its beautiful landscapes and the hospitality of its people make that place an ideal tourist destination.

Whether you want to enjoy their cultural festivals such as the Chennai Dance & Music Festival or Hornbill Festival among others, or that you want to do health tourism in its places specialized in Ayurvedic and traditional medicine or yoga, or enjoy a unique gastronomic or spiritual experience, or visit its emblematic architectural monuments such as the Taj Mahal, traveling to India could become a magical and unforgettable experience. 

In November 2014, the Government of India changed the tourist visa on arrival scheme required until then to travel and stay in the country, by an online Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) scheme, which would later be renamed, in April 2015, like “e-Tourist Visa”. 

This document, which as of April 2017 began to be called “eVisa”, has been updated so that those who wish to travel to India for a short period for medical, business or leisure purposes can do it without difficulty or cumbersome paperwork. 

 There are currently five categories of eVisa: 

  • e-Tourist Visa
  • e-Bussines Visa
  • e-Conference Visa
  • e-Medical Visa
  • e-Medical Attendant Visa

One hundred and sixty-six countries are eligible for eVisa India. Once you have checked the official website of the Government of India to verify if you are in that group, you can request your eVisa. There is an important detail to know and that is if your parents and grandparents were born or nursery in Pakistan, even if you are a citizen of the eligible countries you must process a normal visa.

How to get an eVisa? 

This application must be made no more than 120 days and no less than 4 days before the day of travel.

To request your eVisa you must enter the official website of the Government of India and follow the steps below: 

  • Apply online by filling out the form with your personal information and the requested travel details. You must upload a photo and the passport page that shows your details. 
  • Pay eVisa fee online using your credit or debit card. 
  • Then you will receive an Application ID. Within three to five days, you will receive an Electronic Travel Authorization via email. The status of your application must show “GRANTED”. 
  • Print ETA and when you arrive at the airport, present it at Immigration Check Post where your biometric data will be captured and your passport will be stamped with your eVisa. 

Requirements to apply for eVisa:

To make the application you must upload a photo and a passport page that must meet certain specifications. You should know that failure to comply with any of the specifications may be grounds for rejection of the application. 

The documents required to apply are the following: 

  • Recent front facing photograph in JPEG format, minimum size 10 KB and maximum size 1 MB, minimum dimension 350 pixels (width) and 350 pixels (height), white background. 
  • The documents uploaded by the applicant (invitation letters, business cards, etc.) must be in the English language, in PDF format, Minimum Size 10KB, and Maximum Size 300 KB. The loaded passport must be the passport page that contains the data provided by the applicant in the Passport details section of the application. 

 We hope this article will be useful for those who have India in their next plans and we encourage you to communicate any questions or concerns regarding the issue of eVisa India.