Frequently Asked Questions

All travelers arriving in India are legally required to hold a valid visa (except Maldives nationals).

Eligible citizens traveling for tourism, yoga, business, medical or visiting acquaintances have the option to apply for an India visa online which is granted to them electronically. When the Indian government implemented this new electronic process, they called it Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). As the visa stamp is placed inside the traveler's passport at the airport on arrival in India, the application form is also called 'Visa on Arrival'. This could be confusing for travelers; it is very important to understand that visa must be applied for and approved before traveling to India, under penalty of being refused boarding or disembarkation.

The official name of this process then changed to "e-Tourist Visa (eTV)" and then "e-Visa" in 2017. The online process has not changed, biometric information from the traveler will still be taken at the airport and the stamp affixed inside the passport on arrival in India.

No, it is not possible to apply for an India visa on arrival at the airport. Eligible citizens have the opportunity to apply an e-visa for India online, before their departure for India, which will allow them to only have their biometric information taken at the airport and the visa stamped inside the passport once there. It is very important to know that the visa application must be submitted in advance, and approved before you can even board a flight to India; the process takes several days and cannot be done upon arrival in India.

Airlines have become accustomed to checking this document upon boarding. to avoid any repatriation at their expense. A visa request " on hold » is not authorized for inspection.

The e-Visa for India is only authorised on arrival at 31 airports and 5 seaports. (see the map here). If you arrive from another port or airport of entry, or by land, you will need to apply for a traditional visa, which takes longer to obtain.

Airports : Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Calicut, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kannur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, PortBlair , Pune, Srinagar, Surat, Tiruchirapalli, Tirupati, Trivandrum, Varanasi, Vijaiwada, Vishakhapatnam.

Land borders : Attari, Akhaura, Banbasa, Changrabandha, Dalu, Dawki, Dhalaighat, Gauriphanta, Ghojadanga, Haridaspur, Hili, Jaigaon, Jogbani, Kailashahar, Karimgang, Khowal, Lalgolaghat, Mahadipur, Mankachar, Moreh, Muhurighat, Radhikapur, Ragna, Ranigunj, Raxaul , Rupaidiha, Sabroom, Sonouli, Srimantapur, Sutarkandi, Phulbari, Kawarpuchia, Zorinpuri, Zokhawthar.

Ports : Alang, Bedi Bunder, Bhavnagar, Calicut, Chennai, Cochin, ,Cuddalore, Kakinada, Kandla, Kolkata, Mandvi, Mormagoa, Mumbai, Nagapattinum, Nhava Sheva, Paradeep, Porbandar, Port Blair, Tuticorin, Vishakapatnam, New Mangalore, Vizhinjam, Agati and Minicoy Island Lakshdwip UT, Vallarpadam, Mundra, Krishnapatnam, Dhubri, Pandu, Nagaon, Karimganj, Kattupalli.

Railway stations : Munabao Rail Check Post, Attari Rail Check Post, Gede Rail and Road Check Post, Haridaspur Rail Check Post, Chitpur Rail Check Post

If you are traveling to receive Ayurvedic treatments, yoga, meditation, massages, etc. > e-Visa Tourism

If you want to work in India or have a job interview > Work visa from the embassy

If you participate in or visit a trade show, follow internal training with the Indian subsidiary, occasionally participate in a show where you are paid as an artist, provide coaching or training, carry out a repair or install equipment as part of 'a maintenance or supply contract > e-Visa Business

If you are participating in an international sporting event, or in a renowned mountain expedition (does not concern treks which are eligible for the Tourism e-Visa), if you have a residence in India, and all candidates in Auroville, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata, or to a Buddhist organization > Entry visa from the embassy

If you are coming from abroad, you will clear immigration at your first Indian airport, even if this is not your final destination in India. So this is the one you will need to indicate on the application. Visas are not checked on internal flights and you will even be able to use your e-Visa to travel anywhere in India (even to a non-eligible airport!) once you have made your first entry at an eligible airport.

Yes, the India e-Visa can now be issued for arrival at designated seaports. Since the extension of the validity of e-Visas, your cruise can dock at as many ports in India as necessary, as long as the e-Visa is still within its validity period.

⚠ Be careful, some companies, unaware of this practical e-Visa, often require a traditional visa. A good way for them to sell it at a high price 😉

The e-Visa allows multiple entries into India during your stay, which allows you to leave India to visit another country (Nepal or Bangladesh for example) and then re-enter it, without any worries. You can leave India by any means, including on foot.

For tourism, the e-Tourist visa for India allows multiple entries for stays of 30 or 90 days maximum for 30 days, 1 or 5 years in India. You can stay up to 180 days for a business trip.

There is no "release date "This is indicated on e-Visas for India. It indicates a "expiry date "which corresponds to the date by which you must enter India to activate your visa electronics.

If you have taken out a 30-day e-visa, these 30 days will start from the moment you pass through Indian immigration. A 30-day e-Visa can only be issued within the 30 days prior to arrival in India.

The e-Visa allows as many entries as you wish for tourism or business, within 365 days or 5 years following its issue. However, the 30-day e-Visa expires after 1 month.

The authorities do not differentiate between adults and minors. A child must therefore have their own e-Visa. The price is the same as for an adult. There is no parental authorization to provide for the e-Visa application, but it may be requested upon boarding by the company (see details below).

Citizens of 166 countries, including France, Belgium or Switzerland are eligible for the e-Visa. It is issued by the authorities for international travelers who aim to visit India for tourism, leisure, business, yoga, medical, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, etc.

However, if the applicant, their spouse, parents or grandparents were born in Pakistan (or in a region that would now be identified as Pakistan) or if they have Pakistani nationality, they are not eligible for an eTV for India and they must apply for a traditional visa.

You will only need to apply for a tourist e-Visa if you leave the international zone to collect your luggage for example, or if you stay more than 24 hours on Indian territory.

You cannot extend or convert an Indian e-Visa and although visa confirmation is generated when the online application is made, the visa itself is issued at immigration only. It is therefore impossible to apply for an e-Visa once in India without providing proof of your prior departure from India. (exit stamp in passport for example).

Contact the nearest FRRO (Foreign Registration Office) in India to tell them about your project.

E-Visa holders are now allowed to enter India with a passport other than the one entered when applying online and approved on the e-Visa. On arrival, both passports (old and current) will need to be presented to immigration.

Some countries, such as France, allow you to have two valid passports.

No, no time limit must be respected between two e-Visa applications.

Contact the Indian embassies or consulates closest to you to obtain a traditional visa. If your request is urgent, and under certain conditions, these administrations are able to publish it within a few hours. We therefore advise you to get there very early, or even a few hours before the building actually opens.

To apply online for this visa, you will need scanned copies of each of the following documents. Prepare the necessary documents in advance to avoid delays:
– photocopy of passport
– high definition ID photo
– information about your trip (airport or port of arrival)
– dates and places of birth of your family
– contacts in India and in your country

Once your visa application is approved, the e-Visa will be sent by email in PDF. You must print a color copy to bring with your passport when you arrive in India. We recommend that you print two copies and keep one with your records. When you arrive in India, you must have your e-Visa with your passport. At the airport (or port) on arrival, your biometric information will be taken and the visa stamp will be placed inside your passport thanks to the numerous e-Visa counters present.

E-Visa holders are now allowed to enter India with a passport other than the one entered when applying online and approved on the e-Visa. On arrival, both passports (old and current) will need to be presented to immigration.

Coming from a Western country, no particular vaccination is required. If you have traveled to a sub-Saharan African country in the last 6 months, you will need to present your yellow fever vaccination card.

If the minor leaves French territory unaccompanied by his legal guardian, he must have an AST (authorization to leave the territory). This document can be requested online, and must be completed by one of the holders of parental authority. During the trip, this form must be accompanied by a copy of the identity document of the legal guardian.

Once the application is underway, the application fee is non-refundable.

Yes, we can reimburse you in full if the government refuses your visa after applying on our site (see refund policy in detail). Please note that we reserve the right to refuse your request in advance if the parameters provided are likely to result in a refused request.

No refund will be made if you have not provided us with all the information (ID photo, photocopy of passport, etc.) on time despite our reminders.

Yes, when you complete the online application for an Indian visa, your information is secure and directly submitted to the Indian government. Your personal information will only be accessible for the purpose of making a decision on your visa application. No banking data is saved on our servers.