Who requires a visa to travel to India?
Almost all foreign nationals arriving into India are required to possess a valid international travel document in the form of a national passport with valid visa from an Indian Mission/Post, or eVisa from the Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs.
For most nationalities, tourist visas are pretty easy to obtain. Citizens of most countries can apply for an e-Visa before traveling via a simple online form. It’s a fairly painless process, and will save you hours compared to applying in person at an embassy or a designated Indian visa office (some embassies no longer issue visas directly).
Types of e-Visa and costs
The e-Visa portal can be used to apply for tourist visas, Conference visas, business visas, and visas for medical treatment. As of July 2022, tourist visas were even being offered gratis for many nationals to offset the Covid pandemic, while fees for business visas and other classes of visa ranged from US$80 to US$100.
Currently, the Indian consulate issues e-Visa to around 160 countries. The passport holders of the countries/nationalities listed below can apply for an eVisa.
https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html
e-Visa is admissible only under the following categories
- E-Conference Visas – The duration of the visa will be 30 days from the arrival into India, with single-entry permission. The delegate would be required to submit the approvals from the Ministry/Government Of India for this.
- E-Tourist Visa – is advised if the delegates are intending to take up a tour post-conference. The e-tourist visas are valid for a minimum of one month to a maximum of 5 years from the date of ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) granting. Depending on the Embassy, the visa issued is either double-entry or multiple-entry (Please note, in this case, you may not be able to show the conference welcome letter.)
Regular e-Visa via Embassy of India can be applied through the following steps:
- Apply online – by uploading the passport pages and photo
- Pay e-Visa Fee online – by using debit/credit card/payment wallets
- Receive ETA – Electronic Travel Authorization/ETA will be sent to your registered email id.
- Fly to India – Print ETA & present it at the immigration check post, where e-Visas will be stamped on the passport
When to apply
An entry visa is essential for all delegates visiting India. While the time taken by the consulate to issue a Conference/Tourist visa is normally 10 days, it also depends on the country/embassy where the delegate applies, as well as the origin and nationality of the delegate.
Please Note - For applications from citizens of Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan, Foreigners of Pakistani Origin, and Stateless Persons, the time taken is 60 days and the visa is valid for one month.
How to apply
Delegates can apply by either visiting the nearest Indian embassy or applying for an e-Visa online, by visiting the website below:
General Guidelines for Visa process
- The applicant’s passport should have at least six months of validity at the time of making an application for a grant of e-Visa.
- The passport should have at least two blank pages in it.
- International Travellers should have a return ticket or onward journey ticket, with sufficient money to spend during their stay in India.
Visa Application Process
Visa application process depends and varies from one country to another and the nationality of the delegate. Given the current situation of COVID -19, the rules and regulations are more stringent & tedious. Hence kindly refer to the official website/nearest Indian Embassy in your country for documents required/process to be followed.
Our Conference Management team is taking the necessary measures and approvals required by the ministries. They will also assist in providing a Letter of Invitation on the Official Congress letterhead (Please note this will only be after the delegate has registered and paid the congress registration fees).
Ministry approvals for Visa process (The same will be uploaded at the earliest).
- Ministry of Home affairs
- Ministry of Family & Health
- Ministry of Current Affairs
- Nodal Ministry
You could also contact our Event Management team for any queries in assisting you with the visa application process.
