Visas for India
Visa Travel International
Important information for India
KEY INFORMATION
APRIL 2026
Effective April 1, 2026, the Embassy of India no longer authorizes intermediaries to submit or collect visa applications in passports.
Applications must be submitted in person at the Embassy by the traveler, who will also be required to provide their fingerprints at that time.
Visa Travel International will continue to assist its clients with preparing their application (see Documents to Provide), scheduling appointments with the Embassy for submitting your application (and providing your fingerprints), and can also, if you wish, pay the consular fees on your behalf.
MARCH 2026
The digital arrival card (eArrival Card) is accessible via the official portal indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival (Visa Travel International can handle this for you if you select this option) or through the “Indian Visa Su-Swagatam” mobile app (available for iOS and Android devices) and will permanently replace paper forms as of March 31, 2026.
This allows travelers going to India for business, tourism, conferences, or any other reason to submit their information before arriving in the country.
Two scenarios are possible:
– If the form is completed more than 72 hours before travel, no QR code is required at immigration control.
– If the form is completed within 72 hours of arrival, the traveler simply needs to present the generated QR code to finalize the process.
Note: This formality does not replace a visa or eVisa but complements existing entry requirements, with the aim of streamlining border controls.
FEBRUARY 2026
For a Visa stamp in your passport (if you are not eligible to eVisa), appointments are available at the Embassy, but given their limited number, they fill up quite quickly. We encourage you to submit your application well in advance and contact us as early as possible, as it will be difficult to secure an appointment close to your trip date (and you need to take into account leadtime to deliver the Visa once appointment done).
Please send us all your documents by email as soon as possible (including the online form; see “Documents to Provide” below) so that we can try to obtain a suitable appointment for you (we will submit your application on your behalf without you needing to come in person). Your passport can be sent to us (physically) a few days before your appointment date.
DECEMBER 2025
Effective immediately, India has significantly increased (doubled!) its Consular Fees for Business eVisas, Medical eVisas, and Conference eVisas.
Indeed, for all nationalities eligible for eVisas and subject to Consular Fees (some countries have a zero-fee agreement, such as Angola, Burundi, and Cambodia), the fees have been doubled and are now, for example, $120, $165, $190, or $240/$242 for a Business eVisa.
For instance, French citizens will now have to pay Consular Fees of $170 (instead of the previous $82).
It is important to note that the fees associated with Visa Travel International (services, forms, emergency processing, etc.) remain unchanged.
SEPTEMBER 2025
eArrival card: From 1 October 2025, the paper form submitted in flight for disembarkation formalities will be replaced by a digital arrival card, called “e-Arrival Card”. This card must be obtained a maximum of 3 days before arrival via the link indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival.
In addition to the issues listed below regarding visas affixed to passports (situation unchanged and still very few (or no) appointments at the Embassy), we are noticing longer processing times for eVisas, likely due to an overload of work and recurring system bugs among the teams at the Indian eVisa processing center.
Please do not hesitate to anticipate your requests, whether for an eVisa or a Visa in passport, and request urgent processing in our team.
Visa Travel International will assist you and process your requests urgently if necessary given your travel date.
Information and conditions of entry into the country
Documents to be provided
FAQ
General information
To travel to India a Visa is generally required with a few exceptions.
Visa Travel International is an agency approved by the indian authorities to be able to assist you in the various procedures and whatever the type of Visa you would need.
To this end, you will find on this page all the information and answers to questions that will be useful to you in order to obtain your Visa.
If this is not the case, please do not hesitate to get back to us so that we can give you all the information you need.
Do you need a Visa for India?
A Visa is required to travel to India.
It should be noted that :
- the expiry date of the passport must be at least six months later than the closing date of the requested Visa. For example a traveler who applies for a Visa for a period of one year will need to have a passport with an expiration date of 18 months.
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for a visa in your passport, you will need to go to the Embassy to submit the application and have your fingerprints taken. Visa Travel International will, of course, assist you with these procedures (preparing the application, scheduling appointments, etc.).
NB: if you opt for the eVisa, you must anticipate a fairly long wait on arrival in India (special eVisas queue) especially if your plane arrives late at night. This will not be the case with the Visa obtained prior to your departure and put into your passport.
NB: eVisa is only accepted at the international airports of Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Calicut, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Manohar-Mopa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kannur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum, Varanasi and Vishakhapatnam, as well as the ports of Cochin, Goa, Mangalore, Mumbai and Chennai.
Conditions of entry in India
To be able to enter the territory of India, the traveler must bring his passport with Visa as well as a return flight ticket.
Please note that some protected areas are not suitable for the eVisa alone: in the North, part of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand; in the North-East, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Mizoram as well as the Andaman-and-Nicobar Islands. These areas require additional clearance to be obtained upon arrival in India.
Obtaining the Visa stamped in the passport (instead of the eVisa) is a solution that does not require additional authorization.
Travelers must carry YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION CARD if arriving from yellow fever affected countries. Please visit the link given below (https://main.mohfw.gov.in/media/disease-alerts/yellow-fever).
It should be noted that, even if the traveler is in possession of all the documents requested to validate his entry into India, the Indian authorities reserve the right to refuse access to their territory without having to justify it.
Understanding the Visa for India
The Visa for India takes note of its issuance for a period ranging from three months to one year following the request.
The Business eVisa (1 year/multiple entries) allows a 180 days maixmum stay.
The Tourism eVisa stay duration and length depend on the request during the application.
Documents to be provided: Visa Business
● A passport valid for at least 6 months after the Visa period your were granted and with at least three blank pages.
● A Visa application form completed online, dated and signed (on page one and two) by the applicant on the website Indian Visa Online (see instructions for filling out the form) as well as the signed declaration. We can fill-in the form for you (click here to get our VTI form to fill-out).
NB: if you encounter problems accessing the online form, try another internet service provider (IE, Chrome, Edge, Safari, etc.)
Attach a copy of your national ID card if you mentioned it in the Visa application form.
Attach the original 2nd passport if you mentioned it in the Visa application form.
To complete the online form take into account the information below (REGULAR Visa APPLICATION)
** No crossing out, rectification or addition is accepted on Visa application forms. As a result, please follow the instructions for filling out the form online.
**Include the passenger’s name as written on the passport (without punctuation, without indicating EPOUSE or EP or USAGE).
For married women, indicate the 2 names in a row without putting ‘EP’ or ‘wife’ / Indicate all the first names of the traveller.
**Please include father’s name and first name of father, mother and husband.
** Mandatory to indicate traveller email address
**Contact details of two references: one in India and one in France (name- address – telephone number).
**Profession: if the applicant is unemployed or retired, the last job must be indicated as well as the contact details of the last employer / For occupations, the Business Person and Worker option will be refused, the exact occupation of the Visa applicant must be included on the Visa application form (select other and indicate the exact occupation).
**For the Visa period: select 3 months minimum for a 1 entry Visa and 6 months or 12 months for a multiple entry Visa.
● Two photographs in accordance with Indian government standards pasted onto the form. These must be square and measure 5 cm x 5 cm.
Warning: photographs made with automatic photo machines deployed on French territory are not compatible and accepted
● A letter of invitation from the visited Indian company, on letterhead and written in English, addressed to the AMBASSADE D’INDE A PARIS mentioning precisely the purpose of the visit as well as the exact start and end dates of the planned stay, signed and stamped. Please specify whether you want a multiple-entry Visa for 1 year (which remains subject to the Consulate).
● A mission letter from your company in France, on letterhead and written in English, addressed to the AMBASSADE D’INDE A PARIS mentioning precisely the purpose of the visit as well as the exact dates of the planned start and end of stay, signed and stamped. Thank you for specifying whether you want a multiple entry Visa for 1 year. remains in all cases subject to the Consulate.
● A photocopy of the simplified balance sheet of the last year of the French company (2 to 5 pages).
For foreign nationals who lived in France for more than 24 months NO EMERGENCY REQUEST AVAILABLE – MINIMUM DELIVERY LEADTIME 15 DAYS
● For the non-french travellers: photocopy of proof of resident status: 3 invoices 2022/2023/2024 of electricity, gas or landline or the last 3 tax notices or the last 3 property taxes. No other documents will be accepted. A copy of the residence card for a non-European person is also required. Please also propose the reference form for foreigners.
For non-resident foreign nationals, resident for less than 24 months or unable to prove their resident status NO DELIVERY LEADTIME
It is mandatory for a foreign national to be resident in France for at least 24 months to qualify for a business Visa application in France. Otherwise, the application must be filed in the applicant’s country of origin. For applicants who do not wish to return to their country of origin, applications may be accepted ‘out of the process’, however processing times would be significantly higher (at least doubled).
● URGENT VISA NOT AVAILABLE (update 2024)
For an emergency Visa application (only for the business Visa) join in addition to the documents listed above this procedure, which only applies to French passport holders, allows you to try to obtain the Visa within 48 hours. The Visa application will then be taken into account only 8 days before the date of entry into the territory of India.
○ 2 letters, addressed to the Indian Embassy signed one by the passenger and the other by the company representative, written in English, explaining the urgency of the trip and re-specifying the dates of the trip.
○ Provide the flight ticket // We remind you that the dates in your file must be identical to the dates of the flight ticket, entry and exit from Indian territory.
In the event of an application for a waiver of the 30-day residence rule, the ’30-day Rule Exemption Request’ form, only for business Visas, completed in English and signed – a document justifying the need for a stay of more than 30 days.
Documents to be provided: Visa Tourism
● A passport valid for at least one year and with at least three blank pages.
● A Visa application form completed online, dated and signed (on page one and two) by the applicant from the website Indian Visa Online (see instructions for filling out the form) as well as the signed declaration. We can fill-in the form for you (click here to get our VTI form to fill-out)).
NB: if you encounter problems accessing the online form, try another internet service provider (IE, Chrome, Edge, Safari, etc.)
Attach the Copy of your national ID card if you mentioned it in the Visa application form. Attach the original 2nd passport if you mentioned it in the Visa application form.
To complete the online form take into account the information below (REGULAR Visa APPLICATION).
**No crossing out, rectification or addition is accepted on Visa application forms. As a result, please follow the instructions for filling out the form online.
**Include the passenger’s name as written on the passport (without punctuation, without indicating EPOUSE or EP or USAGE) For married women, indicate the 2 names in a row without putting ‘EP’ or ‘wife’ / Include all the first names of the traveller. Clearly mention the name and first name of the father, mother and husband. 2 references: one in India and one in France (name – address – phone number).
** Mandatory to indicate traveller email address
**Occupation: if the applicant is unemployed or retired, the last job must be indicated as well as the contact information of the last employer/For occupations, the Business Person and Worker option will be refused, the applicant’s exact occupation must be included on the Visa application form. (select other and indicate the exact occupation).
**For the Visa period: select a minimum of 3 months for a 1-entry Visa and 6 months or 12 months for a multiple-entry Visa.
● Two photographs in accordance with Indian government standards pasted on the form. These must be square and measure 5 cm x 5 cm.
Warning: photographs made from automatic machines deployed on French territory are not compatible.
In the event of a 1-year validity request:
● Motivational letter written in English justifying the need for more than 6 months and the details of the various trips planned).
For foreign nationals living in France for more than 24 months MINIMUM DELIVERY LEADTIME OF 15 DAYS.
● Photocopy of proof of resident status: 3 invoices 2022/2023/2024 of electricity, gas or landline or the last 3 tax notices or the last 3 property taxes. No other documents will be accepted. A copy of the residence card for a non-European person is also required. Also propose the reference form for foreigners..
For non-resident foreign nationals, resident for less than 24 months or unable to prove their resident status NO DELIVERY LEADTIME COMMITMENT.
It is mandatory for a foreign national to be resident in France for at least 24 months to qualify for a business Visa application in France. Otherwise, the application must be filed in the applicant’s country of origin. For applicants who do not wish to return to their country of origin, applications may be accepted ‘out of the process’, however processing times would be significantly higher (at least doubled).
Documents to be provided: eVisa Business and Tourism
● The copy of the double passport data page (page with the photo and with signature) in color (pdf format).
Warning: the passport must contain 2 free pages, valid for a minimum of 6 months from your scheduled arrival date in India and excluding an emergency passport.
- The scan of a COLOR photo ID on a white/clear background, recent (less than 6 months), no selfie (jpeg format).
● An information sheet to fill-in and return to us.
- Copy of the e-ticket of your planned trip.
To be added for a Business eVisa:
- A letter of invitation from the Indian company, on letterhead and written in English, specifically mentioning the purpose of the visit as well as the precise start and end dates of the planned stay, signed and stamped.
● A scan of your business card (pdf format).
NB: if you don’t have any, Visa Travel International can make one for you, just ask us!
Documents to be provided: eVisa Conference
● The copy of the double passport data page (page with the photo and with signature) in color (pdf format)
Warning: the passport must contain 2 free pages, valid for a minimum of 6 months from your scheduled arrival date in India and excluding an emergency passport
- The scan of a COLOR photo ID on a white/clear background, recent (less than 6 months), no selfie (jpeg format)
- An information sheet to fill-in and return to us
- Scan of the e-ticket of your planned trip
- Scan of the letter of invitation from the Indian company organising the conference
- A scan of the Political clearance from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs
- A scan of the Event clearance from the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs
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Your Visa for India : Visas fees
NB : The lead times given here are the ones from Consulates and/or Embassies.
Visas Business
Visas Tourism
eVisas
VTI’s advice for your trip to India
Likewise China, the form that India requires you to fill out is long and the questions asked will sometimes seem irrelevant to you for a Visa application.
Therefore we strongly recommand you ‘play the game’ and do not forget to answer all the questions to avoid the risk of seeing your application rejected.
NB: if you opt for the eVisa, you must anticipate a fairly long wait on arrival in India (special eVisas queue) especially if your plane arrives late at night. This will not be the case with the Visa obtained prior to your departure and put into your passport.
Please note that some protected areas are not suitable for the eVisa alone: in the North, part of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand; in the North-East, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Mizoram as well as the Andaman-and-Nicobar Islands. These areas require additional clearance to be obtained upon arrival in India.
Obtaining the Visa stamped in the passport (instead of the eVisa) is a solution that does not require additional authorization.
If you have any issue to access the online application form (Indian Visa Online), try with another internet access provider (Eplorer, Chrome, Edge, Safari,…)!