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Visa India

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In India, visas fall under the Bureau of Immigration, within the Ministry of Home Affairs. The official India Visa Online portal, consulted on 2026-09-17, distinguishes two routes: the electronic visa (e-Visa), processed online by the Bureau of Immigration, and the regular visa in the passport, completed online then filed with an Indian mission or a visa application center. The portal publishes the categories, the documents to upload, the filing instructions and the stated processing times.

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.

Machine-assisted draft, reviewed by a person on 23 September 2026. Only the authority cited is authoritative.

Published on 23 September 2026 · Reviewed by vg_admin on 23 September 2026 · Sources consulted on 17 September 2026

At a glance

Authority
Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
Submission channel
India Visa Online portal: entirely online filing for the e-Visa; online form then filing of the paper file with an Indian mission or an Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) for the regular visa
Electronic visa
Yes — the portal handles e-Visa applications and issues an electronic travel authorization (ETA) sent by email
Portal language
English (version consulted)
Arrival card
The portal mentions an electronic arrival card ("e-Arrival card") to be completed online within the 72 hours preceding arrival

Do you need a visa?

Choose a nationality to see the recorded entry rule. No answer is shown until reviewed data exists.

Documented visa types

"e-Tourist Visa" (e-T1 V and e-T2 V)
According to the portal: one-month (30-day), six-month, one-year and five-year variants from the grant of the ETA, with multiple entries; the cumulative stay must not exceed 180 days per calendar year. Official page (new tab)
"e-Business Visa" (e-B1 V, e-B5 V and e-B6 V)
According to the portal: one year from the grant of the ETA, multiple entries, with each continuous stay not exceeding 180 days; a thirty-day variant from arrival is also listed. Official page (new tab)
"e-Medical Visa" (e-M1 V, e-M3 V) and "e-Medical Attendant Visa" (e-M2 V, e-M4 V)
According to the portal: one year from arrival in India, for medical treatment and for the person accompanying the patient. Official page (new tab)
"e-Student Visa" (e-S V) and "e-Family Visa" (e-SX V)
According to the portal: one year from the grant of the ETA for both. Official page (new tab)
"e-Transit Visa" (e-TR V) and "e-Miscellaneous Visa" (e-X1 V)
According to the portal: 30 days from first arrival in India for the e-Transit Visa, and three months from first entry for the e-Miscellaneous Visa. Official page (new tab)
Regular visa in the passport ("Regular/Paper visa")
The "Visa Categories" page lists twelve categories, among them tourism, business, employment, study, medical, journalist, transit, family and miscellaneous. Durations and conditions: not stated on the page consulted. Official page (new tab)

Where and how to apply

The India Visa Online portal distinguishes two routes. For the e-Visa, issued by the Bureau of Immigration, the application is made entirely online: the applicant uploads a photograph and the photo page of the passport, pays the fee online, receives an electronic travel authorization (ETA) by email, then prints it and presents it at the immigration check post, where the visa is stamped.

For the regular visa in the passport, the portal states that the applicant should select the competent Indian mission, complete and submit the online form, then print the submitted form, sign it and file it with the supporting documents and the passport at the relevant Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) or directly with the Indian mission, on the appointment date set.

The portal specifies that once the online form has been submitted, no modification is possible. Where the service is offered, the appointment booking and the payment can be made online; otherwise, the applicant prints the submitted form and attends the Indian mission.

Steps in the procedure

  1. Choose the applicable route on the portal: e-Visa issued by the Bureau of Immigration, or regular visa filed with an Indian mission.
  2. For the e-Visa: file the application online, uploading the photograph and the photo page of the passport.
  3. For the e-Visa: pay the fee online by credit card, debit card or payment wallet; the portal states that the fee must be paid at least four days before the intended travel date, failing which the application is not processed.
  4. For the e-Visa: receive the ETA by email, print it and present it at the immigration check post, where the visa is stamped.
  5. For the regular visa: select the competent Indian mission and complete the online form; an application identifier is generated automatically on submission.
  6. For the regular visa: choose, where the service is available, the date and time of the appointment and pay online, or print the submitted form.
  7. For the regular visa: file the printed and signed form, the supporting documents and the passport with the IVAC or the Indian mission, on the appointment date.
  8. Collect the passport and the visa from the Indian mission or the visa application center, or receive them by post.

Documents mentioned by the authority

The exact list depends on the visa type and on the situation; only the official page is authoritative.

Stated fees and processing times

The amounts are not carried over here. According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, e-Visa fees are specific to each country or territory and a bank charge of 3% is added to the applicable fee; the portal specifies that this fee is non-refundable, the sum covering the processing of the application. The applicable schedule must be consulted on the official fees page.

According to the "Visa Fee" page consulted on 2026-09-17, the fees depend on the type of visa applied for and on its duration, and break down into a basic fee, a special fee and the external service provider's processing fee. The same page states that the amounts displayed during online registration are indicative, that the final amount is set at the time of filing, and invites applicants to contact the embassy, the visa application center or their websites for the applicable fees and the means of payment.

According to the "Visa Processing Time" page consulted on 2026-09-17, on receipt of the application by the Indian Visa Application Center or directly, the Indian mission needs a minimum of three working days to examine the file and issue a visa, apart from particular cases. For the e-Visa, the portal states that the application should be filed online a minimum of four days before the date of arrival, with a 120-day window for the medical categories.

After the decision

The authority decides on issuance. For the e-Visa, the portal states that the electronic travel authorization is sent by email once the application is approved; it must be printed and presented at the immigration check post, where the visa is stamped.

For the regular visa, the portal states that the passport and the visa are collected from the Indian mission or the visa application center, or sent by post. The portal provides an application status page.

The portal also mentions an electronic arrival card to be completed online within the 72 hours preceding arrival. Avenues of appeal in the event of refusal are not stated on the pages consulted.

Published procedures

No reviewed and published procedure for India to date. We prefer an empty page to an invented requirement.

Explore procedures

Frequently asked questions

Is a visa required to travel to India?

It depends on nationality and on the purpose of travel; the rule reviewed by VisaGuideline is shown with the nationality selector on this page. Always check with the authority.

Where is the application filed?

On the India Visa Online portal. The e-Visa is applied for entirely online. The regular visa is completed online, then the printed and signed form, the supporting documents and the passport are filed with an Indian Visa Application Center or directly with the Indian mission.

Is there an electronic visa?

Yes. The portal handles e-Visa applications for the Bureau of Immigration and issues an electronic travel authorization sent by email, to be printed and presented at the immigration check post.

What are the fees?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, e-Visa fees are specific to each country or territory and a bank charge of 3% is added. The "Visa Fee" page states that the fees depend on the visa type and its duration, and refers applicants to the embassy or the visa application center for the applicable amount.

What processing time does the authority announce?

According to the "Visa Processing Time" page consulted on 2026-09-17, the Indian mission needs a minimum of three working days, from receipt of the application, to examine the file and issue a visa, apart from particular cases.

When should an e-Visa application be filed?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, the online application is filed a minimum of four days before the date of arrival, with a 120-day window for the medical categories. The fee must be paid at least four days before the intended travel date, failing which the application is not processed.

Consulted sources

Official pages read to write this guide, with the date they were read. A page may have changed since: check it before taking any step.

What this guide does not know yet

Points the official source does not specify and which this guide therefore left blank. Ask the competent authority about them before filing an application.

Prepare my case

This method is the same for every destination. It does not list any document as an official requirement: only the authority’s source is authoritative.

  1. Describe your situation

    Nationality, residence, purpose and dates. The checker tells covered routes apart from situations that are still unknown.

  2. Check at the source

    Open the destination’s official source and compare it with your situation before starting a procedure.

  3. Track what is left to do

    Your space keeps your answers and your declared checklist. A complete checklist does not announce a favorable decision.

Check my route Open my case

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.