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• Home › Consular Services › Visa Services › E - Visa

1. Service of e-Visa involves a completely online application for which no facilitation is required by any intermediary/agent etc. Applicants are also advised to be careful of fraudulent websites offering e-visa services for India and only use the Government of India portal which is https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html .

It may be noted that Consulate does not process e-visas and any inquiries in this regard will need to be made directly on the e-visa portal.

In case if you stuck somewhere or face any problem please contact e visa help desk i.e.

+91 11 24300666

[email protected]

2. International travelers whose sole objective for visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends and relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine, business purpose, as attendant to e-Medical visa holder, attending a conference/ seminar/ workshop organized by a Ministry or Department of the Government of India, State Governments or UT Administrations etc. & their subordinate/ attached organizations & PSUs and no other purpose/activity, can apply for e-Visa.

3. e-Visa has 7 sub-categories viz. e-Tourist Visa (for 30 days/01 year/ 05 years), e-Business Visa, e-Medical Visa, e-Medical Attendant Visa, e-Ayush Visa, e-Ayush Attendant visa and e-Conference Visa . A foreigner (other than those applying for e-Conference Visa) will be allowed to club activities permitted under these categories. Foreigners applying for e-Conference visa will be permitted to club the activities permitted under e-Tourist visa only (validity co-terminus with e-Conference Visa only i.e. 30 days). Only two e-Medical Attendant Visas will be granted against one e- Medical Visa.

4. For e-Tourist and e-Business visa, Applicants may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival.

5. For e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visa, Applicants may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival with a window of 120 days. Example: If you are applying on 1st Sept then applicant can select arrival date from 5th Sept to 2nd Jan.

6. Recent front facing photograph with white background and photo page of Passport containing personal details like name, date of birth, nationality, expiry date etc are to be uploaded mandatory by the applicant. Additionally one more document depending upon the e-Visa type would also be required to be uploaded. The application is liable to be rejected if the uploaded documents and photograph are not clear / as per specification.

7. The revised fee structure for e-Tourist visa is as under:-

8. Bank transaction charges of 2.5% will be charged additionally on applicable e-Visa fees. The fee must be paid at least 4 days before the expected date of travel otherwise application will not be processed.

9. e-Visa fee once submitted is non-refundable as the fee is for processing of the application and is not dependent on either Grant or Rejection of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).Applicant should carry a copy of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) along with him/her at the time of travel. Please confirm that your ETA status is shown as 'GRANTED' on this website prior to commencement of your journey.

10. Biometric details of the applicant will be mandatorily captured at Immigration on arrival in India. e-Visa is non-extendable, non-convertible & not valid for visiting Protected/Restricted and Cantonment Areas. If you intend to visit Protected/Restricted/Cantonment areas, you would require prior permission from the Civil Authority.

11. The e-Visa fee payment status updation may take up to 2 hours due to technical reasons/network delays. Before re-applying, the applicants are requested to wait for 2 hours for payment status updating, after final submission of the application form and payment of the fee. In cases, where e-Visa fee has been deducted but status is not updated, the applicants are advised to verify their payment status by clicking on 'Verify Payment/Pay Visa Fee' tab or by clicking on the link Verify Payment.

12. Nationals of Yellow Fever affected countries or travellers arriving from these countries must carry YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION CARD at the time of arrival in India, otherwise they may be quarantined for 6 days upon arrival in India.

13. You must travel on the Passport which you have applied for eVisa. Entry will be allowed into India on the new passport even if ETA has been issued on the old passport, however in such cases a traveler must carry the old passport on which ETA was issued.

14. The documents required for completing the eVisa application is indicated against each type of eVisa. Please keep all these documents ready at hand before beginning to fill your eVisa application. All documents including Business cards, Invitation letters etc. must be in English language, failing which the application would be liable for rejection. The entire process may take 10 to 15 minutes to complete the application and make the payment. Applicants must be fill eVisa application himself/herself and give correct information in each column and take responsibility for the correctness of information provided.

1. E-Visa has been made available by the Government of India to citizens of certain countries, including the United States of America. Details of the scheme are available on the dedicated website created for this purpose: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

2. International travellers whose sole objective for visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends and relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine, business purpose, as attendant to e-Medical visa holder, attending a conference/ seminar/ workshop organized by a Ministry or Department of the Government of India, State Governments or UT Administrations etc. & their subordinate/ attached organizations & PSUs and no other purpose/activity, can apply for e-Visa.

3. e-Visa has 5 sub-categories viz. e-Tourist Visa (for 30 days/01 year/ 05 years), e-Business Visa , e-Medical Visa , e-Medical Attendant Visa and e-Conference Visa . A foreigner (other than those applying for e-Conference Visa) will be allowed to club activities permitted under these categories. Foreigners applying for e-Conference visa will be permitted to club the activities permitted under e-Tourist visa only (validity co-terminus with e-Conference Visa only i.e. 30 days). Only two e-Medical Attendant Visas will be granted against one e- Medical Visa.

6. Recent front facing photograph with white background and photo page of Passport containing personal details like name, date of birth, nationality, expiry date etc are to be uploaded mandatorily by the applicant. Additionally one more document depending upon the e-Visa type would also be required to be uploaded. The application is liable to be rejected if the uploaded documents and photograph are not clear / as per specification.

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• Home > e-Visa

Nationals of USA and of other eligible countries can also apply for E-Visa under different categories (Tourist, Business, Medical, Medical Attendant and Conference) at Government of India website:

https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/

The following may also be noted in this regard:

• Visa applicants are cautioned against using any other website which may appear to represent the Government of India and only use the Government of India portal which is   https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html
• Passport used by the applicant should have at least six months validity from the date of arrival in India. The passport should have at least two blank pages for stamping by the Immigration Officer on arrival.
• The applicant must travel on the passport on which e-Visa has been applied. Entry into India will be allowed on a new passport even if the e-Visa has been granted on the old passport. However, in such cases, the traveler must also carry the old passport on which the e-Visa has been granted.
• E-Visa is not available to Diplomatic/Official Passport Holders or Laissez-passer travel document holders.
• E-Visa is not available to individuals endorsed on Parent's/Spouse's Passport i.e. each individual should have a separate passport.
• E-Visa is not available to International Travel Document Holders.
• Applicants requiring help regarding e-Visa may call the 24X7 helpline number (+91-11-24300666) or send an email to [email protected] for any queries.
• The e-Visa facility is in addition to the existing Visa services being provided through Indian Embassy and Consulates.

Advisory :  The applicant may note that the Embassy does not process e-visas and any enquiries in this regard will need to be made directly on the e-visa portal. Service of e-Visa involves a completely online application for which no facilitation is required by any intermediary / agent etc. Applicants are, therefore, advised to be cautious and for any clarification, please contact [email protected]  

1. E-Visa has been made available by the Government of India to citizens of certain countries, including the United States of America. Details of the scheme are available on the dedicated website created for this purpose:  https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html  .  International travellers whose sole objective for visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends and relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine, business purpose, as attendant to e-Medical visa holder, attending a conference/ seminar/ workshop organized by a Ministry or Department of the Government of India, State Governments or UT Administrations etc. & their subordinate/ attached organizations & PSUs and no other purpose/activity, can apply for e-Visa.

2. The revised fee structure for e-Tourist visa is as under:-

3. Passport used by the applicant should have at least six-months validity from the date of arrival in India. The passport should have at least two blank pages for stamping by the Immigration Officer on arrival.

4. The applicant must travel on the passport on which e-Visa has been applied. Entry into India will be allowed on a new passport even if the e-Visa has been granted on the old passport. However, in such cases, the traveler must also carry the old passport on which the e-Visa has been granted.

4. International Travellers should have return ticket or onward journey ticket, with sufficient money to spend during his/her stay in India.

5. International Travellers having a Pakistani Passport or are of Pakistani origin may please apply for regular Visa at the Indian Mission.

6. E-Visa is not available to Diplomatic/Official Passport Holders or Laissez-passer travel document holders.

7. E-Visa is not available to individuals endorsed on Parent's/Spouse's Passport i.e. each individual should have a separate passport.

8. E-Visa is not available to International Travel Document Holders.

9. Applicants requiring help regarding e-Visa may call the 24X7 helpline number (+91-11-24300666) or send an email to  [email protected]  for any queries.

10. The e-Visa facility is in addition to the existing Visa services being provided through Indian Embassy and Consulates.

11. Advisory: Service of e-Visa involves completely online application for which no facilitation is required by any intermediary / agent etc. Applicants are, therefore, advised to be cautious and for any clarification, please contact  [email protected]

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India e-Visa: A step-by-step guide to apply for your Indian tourist visa.  

• By Sarah Steiner
• Updated On April 20, 2024

If you are planning to visit India you need to get a visa to enter the country. Here is our step-by-step guide to help you apply for your India e-Visa. 

What is a visa? 

A visa for travel is an official document that allows the visitor to legally enter a foreign country. 

The visa is usually stamped or glued into the holder’s passport.  

There are different types of visas that each allow the holder different rights in the host country including tourist, work, business, or transit visas. 

You will probably need a visa for India. 

Almost everyone needs a visa to visit and travel in India.  But for most nationalities a tourist visa is easy to get. 

Citizens of 164 countries – including New Zealand, Australia, UK, US, most nations in the EU and many countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East – can apply for an e-Visa for India before traveling. 

What is an e-Visa and how does that work for India? 

An e-Visa for India is an electronic visa application.  Back in the day the only way to apply for a visa for travel meant visiting an embassy or consulate to receive a hard-copy visa directly in your passport. 

Now it is possible to apply for an Indian e-Visa which, if successful, grants you authorization to enter India by applying online. 

Assuming the application is accepted you will receive a digital Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) by email which you need to print out and carry with you when you travel to India.  

Types of India e-Visa

There are currently 6 types of Indian e-Visas available:

• e-Tourist Visa
• e-Business Visa
• e-Conference Visa
• e-Medical Visa
• e-Medical Attendant Visa
• e-Emergency X-Misc Visa

This blog post will focus on the application process for the most common visa for travellers to India; the  e-Tourist Visa .

So, what do you need before you apply for your Indian e-Visa? 

You need some patience.  And about an hour…

And you do need to prepare a few specific documents and information.

• Passport photo:  A recent passport photo of yourself that is at least 10KB and a maximum 1MB. The photo must show the full face with a white or light-coloured background. The photo must be in JPEG format.
• Scanned Passport ID Page : Scanned ID page of your passport in PDF format. Size must be between 10KB and 300KB.

INFORMATION:

• Contact in India:  In the application you will be asked to provide information about a reference name in India. If you don’t have a personal contact in India you can use the name and address of your first accommodation in India. 
• Your e-Visa fee payment: You can make an online payment for your India e-Visa using a VISA or MasterCard or via PayPal. 

Note also that your passport needs to be  valid for six months  beyond the date of entry and you need  two spare pages  for the visa, which will be physically stamped into your passport on your arrival in India. 

How long is the visa valid for? How long can you stay in India? 

Tourist e-Visas for India are available for 30 days, 1 year or 5 years, with the 1- and 5-year visas allowing for multiple entry. (Note that for the 1- and 5-year visas there are restrictions on continuous stays during that time of 90 or 180 days depending on your nationality).

This blog post will focus on the application process for the  eTourist Visa (for 30 Days) . 

How to apply for an India e-visa

There is only one official website to get an Indian e-Visa provided by the Government of India:  https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

Follow the link and let’s get started. 

On the website homepage click on the ‘Apply here for e-visa’ tab on the bottom left of the screen.

Page 1 – e-Visa Application 

Fill out the first page with generic information about yourself as well as your email address (this is where you will receive the e-Visa). 

Under “Visa Service” you can choose the type of Visa you want to apply for: 

• eTourist Visa  (for 30 Days)
• eTourist Visa  (for 1 Year)
• eTourist Visa  (for 5 Years)
• TIP:  The 30 days, 1 year and 5 year e-Tourist Visa validity period begins from the date of first arrival in India.  (It is not related to when you submit the e-Visa application).  If applying for a 30-Day India Visa your successful application will be granted with 30 days until the Date of Expiry of the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation). Make sure this covers beyond your expected Date of Arrival.

Page 2 – Applicant Details

The second page of the application asks you to fill in more information about yourself.  The forms ask you about religion, education and more.  (You may type “None” next to ‘Visible identification marks’ if you do not have any to note). 

• TIP: Take note of the Temporary Application ID number that pops up at this stage (just in case you hit save and exit the application by mistake). You will need this to log back in if you exit the page.

The last question under ‘Applicant Details’ asks, “Have you lived for at least two years in the country where you are applying visa?” This refers to the  country you currently live in  and not your birth country (and not India), in case they are different. 

Add your passport details and – optionally – you can add a second passport.  If you select “No” the form fields will disappear. 

Page 3 – Applicant Details 

On the third page you need to fill in all the current information about your present and permanent address.  You need to provide your family information (Mother and Father’s details) as well as your profession, occupation and marital status. 

You are also asked on this page if your parents of Grandparents (paternal or maternal) are of Pakistani heritage. 

Page 4 – India Travel Plans

This page requires information about your travel plans in India including your expected Port of Arrival, planned Port of Exit and places you have previously visited in India. 

Under ‘Other Information’ you are also required to list the countries you have visited in the last 10 years(!). 

And the next step asks if you have visited  SAARC  countries during the last  three years.   SAARC stands for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and has eight member countries ( Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka ).  You will need to list any of these if you have visited recently. 

You also need to name a  reference in name in India  and a  reference name in your home country . 

• TIP:  If you do not know anyone in India you can fill in these fields with the information provided by one of the accommodations you are staying at. 

Page 5 – Declarations

This page asks about any criminal records.  Note that all the answers are on “Yes” by default.  Make sure to read the page carefully and click the box for “No” to each of them.  Tick the bold declaration at the end of the page and press ‘Continue’. 

Page 6 – Upload Documents

After the above step you will be asked to upload your photos.  First upload the passport image (photo) and press “Continue”.  On a different page, you will be asked to next upload a photo of your passport ID page. 

After the uploads are complete, the next step is the payment of the e-Visa fee. 

Page 7 – Online VISA Fee Payment

Check and read the information before selecting “Yes” and “Pay Now”.  

• TIP: Be sure to record or screenshot the Application ID as you will need this number to check the payment status (and for trying again if the first payment doesn’t go through!).

You will be redirected to the payment page and can now made your e-Visa payment by debit or credit card or PayPal.  

Note that the payment must be made at least 4 days before your expected date of travel, or your Indian e-Visa application will not be processed. 

There is a 2.5% bank charge for payments made on the website, in addition to the e-Visa fee.  (Your own bank may also charge you for a foreign currency transaction fee or conversion).

The payment for the Indian e-Visa is non-refundable, whether or not your application is successful.

Page 8 – Application complete

Congrats! You have just completed the process of applying for your Indian e-Visa!  

Now all you need to do is wait (processing time up to 72 hours) until you receive confirmation (and hopefully your Indian e-Visa) to the email address you supplied on Page 1.  

• TIP: When you receive your Indian e-Visa it is titled as an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation). Make sure you double check all details are correct and that the Date of Expiry of ETA is beyond your expected date of arrival in India .

More – IMPORTANT – info about the India e-Visa

For all further information (and to clarify anything official) refer to the e-Visa support center  website . 

How long does it take to receive the visa after applying?  

It states on the official website that it takes up to 72 hours to process, so be sure to apply in plenty of time (at least more than 4 days in advance).  *In actual fact it took less than 48 hours for our Indian e-Visa to be granted.

Your Visa will be granted with 30 days until the Date of Expiry of the ETA from the date you submit your application.

When can you apply for an India e-Visa? 

• For e-Tourist Visas (30 days)  the application can be made  up to 30 days  in advance and a  minimum of 4 days  before the date of travel. As above, it can take up to 72 hours to process (though our processing time was less than 48 hours).
• For e-Tourist Visas (1 year / 5 years)  visitors can apply  up to 120 days prior to the date of their trip and  no less than 4 days  before the departure date.

Do I need to print my India e-Visa? 

Yes.   You do need to print your India e-Visa.  You are required to bring a printed copy of your e-Visa when you enter India. 

Before you arrive in India

Once you’ve submitted your e-Visa application and payment you should receive and email confirming the application has been successfully received. 

The processing time is then up to 72 hours and if your application is successful, you will be notified by a further email that will hopefully include, “ Application Status: Granted ”.  (Note that your India e-Visa is also referred to as Electronic Travel Authorization ETA). 

• TIP:  Make sure to review your personal details on the ETA and the Date of Expiry of ETA in the email and make sure everything is correct and accurate.

As above, you need to   print a copy of your e-Visa  and download the email or screenshot the e-Visa to your phone. 

• TIP:  It is likely you will be asked to show  proof of your Indian tourist visa  at the check-in desk when departing your home country or flight to India.  

When you arrive at immigration in India you should see a specific line for people with e-Visas.  Here you simply need to present you printed-out e-Visa along with your passport.  Your photo and fingerprints will be taken (this is standard practice).  The immigration officer will ask you a few questions about your planned trip in India and stamp your passport.

WELCOME TO INDIA.

More about travel planning for India and beyond…

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

• Booking.com  – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally. 
• Hostelworld   – The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world. 
• Skyscanner   – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.  
• GetYourGuide   – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
• World Nomads   – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). 

Read more about India

• Managing your money in India: ATMs, withdrawing and exchanging rupees.
• Our complete packing list for India: Everything you need.
• Train travel in India: A complete guide.
• Five days in Kerala: The best introduction to India.
• The Sacred River Ganges: Two days in Varanasi with kids.
• A desert camel safari in Jaisalmer: Not once (but twice).
• A bread bucket-list: 12 Indian breads you need to try.

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5 thoughts on “India e-Visa: A step-by-step guide to apply for your Indian tourist visa.  ”

Thanks this was very helpful, BUT, if you are using a Mac DO NOT USE SAFARI. Yes, you will be able to waste 30 minutes filling in the form, get to the payment page and be locked out!

The application form is written for PC users, so use MICROSOFT EDGE and it works perfectly! This will save so much time & arguments!

Oh truly! We have just done all our four applications again on a Mac and had success. But that is good to know for future applications.

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Visa Traveler

Exploring the world one country at a time

India tourist visa from the embassy in 2023: A complete guide

Published: June 7, 2023

This article is a complete guide to obtaining India tourist visa from the embassy or consulate. You can learn everything about India tourist visa types, requirements, eligibility, documents needed, fee and application procedure.

Indian missions around the world issue India tourist visas for those that require a visa to enter India. Most nationalities are eligible to apply for an e-Visa or Visa on Arrival. But there are a handful of nationalities that are not eligible. These nationalities must apply for a tourist visa at their nearest Indian embassy or consulate. 

Nationalities that are eligible for India e-Visa or India Visa on Arrival are also eligible to apply for an Indian tourist visa from their nearest Indian embassy or consulate. There may be occasions where a tourist visa from the embassy is a better choice than an India e-Visa or India Visa on Arrival . For example, US nationals can get a 10-year tourist visa from the embassy vs an Indian e-Visa which is only valid for 5 years. So a tourist visa from the embassy is a better choice in this case.

There are three types of tourist visa categories T-1, T-2 and T-3. T-1 is for tourists. T-2 is for tour groups and T-3 is for cruise passengers. 

Table of Contents

Requirements for india tourist visa from the embassy (sticker visa).

Who is required to apply for India tourist visa?

Following nationalities are REQUIRED to apply for an Indian tourist visa from the embassy in order to travel to India.

• Congo, Dem. of
• Congo, Dem. Rep. of
• North Korea
• Saudi Arabia
• South Sudan
• Turkmenistan

NOTE Nationals who are eligible to apply for e-Visa or Visa on Arrival can also apply for an India tourist visa from the embassy. 

Pakistan citizens are restricted from obtaining Indian tourist visas from the embassy. They must apply for a special visa. 

Anyone of Pakistan origin is granted only a 3-month single-entry tourist visa. Applicants whose parents or grandparents were born or ever lived in Pakistan are considered of Pakistan origin. 

What are the different types of India tourist visas available?

Indian embassies offer three types of tourist visas depending on whether the applicant is an individual, a tour group or a cruise passenger. Below is a summary of the three categories of Indian tourist visas offered at the embassy. 

NOTE For this article, we will focus only on the T-1 category meant for individual tourists. 

What is the validity of India tourist visa?

India tourist visa is valid for 1 year, 5 years and 10 years. Your tourist visa validity varies depending on your nationality. Below is a summary of various nationalities and the corresponding tourist visa validity. 

How many days can you stay in India on a tourist visa?

You can stay up to 90 days in India on a tourist visa. Canada, Japan and US nationals can stay up to 180 days. Below is the summary of permitted stay for your tourist visa depending on your nationality.

How many times can you enter India on tourist visa?

All tourist visas from India are multiple-entry, except for those of Pakistan origin. That means you can enter India as many times as you like. But there are some restrictions on how frequently you can enter India on your multiple-entry visa.

When can you enter India on a tourist visa?

You can enter India anytime during the validity of your tourist visa. You are allowed to stay 90 days on each entry (or 180 days if you are a Canada, Japan, UK or US national).

Even if you enter India on the last day of your visa validity, you will still be given 90 days of entry (or 180 days if you are a Canada, Japan, UK or US national)

When should you apply for India tourist visa?

Indian tourist visas can be applied for up to 180 days in advance. But the latest is 30 days as the visa processing takes 15-20 calendar days in some locations. 

Where should you apply for Indian tourist visa?

You can apply for an India tourist visa from any Indian embassy/consulate in any country. You don’t have to be a citizen or resident of that country. You can be a tourist as well. 

In case you are a non-resident or a tourist in a country, the Indian embassy where you have applied may consult the Indian embassy in your home country for the visa process. This usually does not delay the visa process. 

Which airports or land borders you can enter India from using tourist visa?

You can enter India from all international airports, sea ports and land borders using an India tourist visa obtained from the Indian Embassy. There are no restrictions on where you can enter or exit the country with a tourist visa.

What is the minimum passport validity required for India tourist visa?

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival.

How many blank pages are required in the passport for India tourist visa?

You need at least two blank pages in your passport for your Indian tourist visa. One blank page is necessary for the visa sticker and another is for entry and exit stamps when entering and leaving India. 

What are the documents needed for India tourist visa?

The following documents are needed for tourist visa.

• Completed and signed India visa application form
• One digital photo for the online application
• One physical photograph to affix on the completed application form
• Proof of residence (ID, passport or visa)

What are the India tourist visa photo requirements?

You must upload one digital photo during your online application. The photo must meet the following specifications.

• Must be in JPG or JPEG format only
• Must be a minimum of 10 KB and a maximum of 300 KB
• Must be square in dimensions
• Must not have any borders
• Background must be white or light color
• Must not have any shadows on the face or on the background
• Must show full head from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin
• Head must be about 1 inch to 1 ⅜ inches, i.e roughly 25mm to 35mm
• Eye height must be between 1 ⅛ inches to 1 ⅜ inches

What is the current India tourist visa fee?

The visa fee varies depending on the visa period, the embassy’s location and the nationality. For example, the fee for a 10-year India visa for a US citizen applying from the US is $160 plus VFS charges. The fee for a 1 year India visa for Bangladesh nationals applying from Bangladesh is free of charge. 

What is the current India tourist visa processing time?

The India tourist visa processing time is 3 working days the application is submitted directly at the Indian embassy/consulate. 

The processing time is 15 calendar days or more if applied through a visa application center such as VFS. 

Whether you must apply at the visa application center or directly at an Indian mission depends on your location and whether or not the Indian embassy/consulate has outsourced its visa application process. 

INDIA TOURIST VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

How to apply for Indian tourist visa from the embassy?

The India tourist visa application is a two-step process.

STEP 1: Online Application

Step 2: appointment.

The first step in the Indian tourist visa application process is to fill out an online application on the India visa portal . 

If you are a family or group, each person must complete one online application form. There is no family application. Similarly, each person must schedule one separate visa appointment for document submission. 

In the online application, you must select the Indian embassy/consulate where you plan to apply for your visa. 

After filling out the application, you must print and sign it. 

If the Indian embassy/consulate did not outsource the visa application to a visa application center, then you can walk into the embassy/consulate any day to pay the fee and submit your visa application. 

If the Indian embassy/consulate has outsourced the visa process to a visa application center, then you will have to go to the visa application center’s website and schedule an appointment. You may be able to pay the visa fee while scheduling the appointment. 

On the day of the appointment, you must submit your completed and signed application form, photographs and original passport. You must also pay the fee if you haven’t while scheduling the appointment. 

If there is no visa application center near you, you can also send your completed application and documents to the visa application center by mail. 

Word of caution on India tourist visa fake websites

If you search on the internet, you will see that there are many Indian visa websites posing as “official websites”. There is ONLY one OFFICIAL website for Indian tourist visas. The rest are all fake. The OFFICIAL website is below.

India tourist visa OFFICIAL website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/index.html  

How to track India tourist visa application?

If applied directly at an Indian embassy or consulate: There is no option to track your application. But the processing time is fairly quick. The Indian mission where you are applying will tell you when to come back and pick up your passport, which is usually within 3 working days. 

If applied at a visa application center such as VFS: You can track your visa application status on the visa application center’s website. 

How to receive the approved India tourist visa?

If applied directly at an Indian embassy or consulate: At the time of submitting your documents at the embassy, the visa officer will tell you when to come back to pick up your passport. You will simply have to go back on that day to pick up your passport with your India visa. 

If applied at a visa application center such as VFS: When your visa is processed, you will be notified by email to pick up your passport. If you have opted for returning the passport via mail/courier, your passport will have mailed to your address.

Is there a priority service for India tourist visa?

Unfortunately, there is no priority visa service for Indian tourist visas. You must apply at least 30 calendar days prior to your travel to avoid any delays. Or you can opt for an India e-Visa which usually is processed within 72 hours. 

How to contact India tourist visa customer service?

You will have to contact your nearest embassy or the visa application center for any questions.

WRITTEN BY THIRUMAL MOTATI

Thirumal Motati is an expert in tourist visa matters. He has been traveling the world on tourist visas for more than a decade. With his expertise, he has obtained several tourist visas, including the most strenuous ones such as the US, UK, Canada, and Schengen, some of which were granted multiple times. He has also set foot inside US consulates on numerous occasions. Mr. Motati has uncovered the secrets to successful visa applications. His guidance has enabled countless individuals to obtain their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. His statements have been mentioned in publications like Yahoo, BBC, The Hindu, and Travel Zoo.

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LEGAL DISCLAIMER We are not affiliated with immigration, embassies or governments of any country. The content in this article is for educational and general informational purposes only, and shall not be understood or construed as, visa, immigration or legal advice. Your use of information provided in this article is solely at your own risk and you expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this article as a substitute for professional visa or immigration advice. Under no circumstance shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damage you may suffer in respect to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the information in this article. Please refer to our full disclaimer for further information.

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High Commission of India Wellington, New Zealand Concurrently accredited to Samoa, Niue, the Cook Islands & Vanuatu

• Home ›   Consular Services ›   Apply for Visa

VISA SERVICES

I) Introduction II) Regular visa

1) How to apply for regular visa 2) Visa fees and mode of payment of regular visa 3) Common documents required for different types of regular visa  4) Types of visas and documents required in addition to the documents mentioned at serial No. IV.3. above.

4.1) Tourist visa 4.2) Entry visa 4.3) Transit visa 4.4) Business visa 4.5) Student visa 4.6) Employment visa 4.7) Conference visa 4.8) Journalist visa 4.9) Medical visa 4.10) Sports visa 4.11) Other types of visas such as Intern visa, Film visa

5) Visa checklist 6) Transfer of visa from old passport to new passport 7) How to submit the visa application 8) Approximate processing time and status enquiries 9) Jurisdiction of High Commission of India

III) Vaccination requirement before entering India IV) Use of Satellite phones is illegal in India V) Frequently asked questions on visa

I. INTRODUCTION:

• Please note that all foreign nationals require visa to travel to India. There is no facility for visa on arrival in India and therefore appropriate visa must be obtained before entering India by air, sea or land. Please go through this page carefully for proper understanding of visa procedure in order to ensure that your visa application is complete in every respect. This will help in easy and correct submission of visa application in the first instance and avoid unnecessary delay in processing of your application. An incomplete application is liable to be rejected. The visas issued are valid w.e.f. the date of issue and hence it is advised to apply for visa closer to the travel date.
• Visa can be applied by any of the following method:

a)  Regular paper visa application - To apply, please visit:  https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/index.html#  and click on “Regular visa application”.   Regular visa are processed at High Commission of India, Wellington.   Details are given below in para II.   After filling online application, the online application form must be printed and duly signed on page 1 and page 2 (declaration) and submitted  to the High Commission for processing, either in person or by post alongwith other required docuemtns, as mentioned below.  

b) e-Visa -  To apply for e-Visa, please visit:  https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html- .   E-Visas are processed and administered by Ministry of Home Affairs of India and High Commission of India has no control over processing of E-Visa applications.  Details of e-Visa is at https://www.hciwellington.gov.in/page/e-visa .

II. REGULAR VISA APPLICATION PROCESSED BY HIGH COMMISSION OF INDIA, WELLINGTON

1. How to apply for regular visa

• The High Commission of India follows Online Visa procedure and  handwritten / manually typed visa applications are not accepted.  To access the online form, applicants must go to the link  https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/index.html#  and click on “Regular visa application”. Select “New Zealand – Wellington” as an option for the “Mission Field”. 

[Note: Please use Google Chrome or Internet Explorer browsers. Online visa form is not compatible with Safari browser. It may not work on mobile phone browsers or Apple devices].

Completely fill up the visa application form, without leaving any column blank.

Please indicate your permanent address as that of your native country. 

Upload your photo vertically and not horizontally. Please save / submit your application and take a printout only after you have uploaded your photograph. You will have to re-fill the application form if you fail to upload your photograph. For detailed photo upload instructions, please visit  https://www.hciwellington.gov.in/docs/VSSIMAGEgidelines.pdf .

Once the online application is completed press ‘submit’ after which an application ID No. starting with NZLWV….will be generated, which should be noted carefully and quoted in all references in this regard made to the High Commission.

Thereafter, the online application form must be printed and duly signed on page 1 and page 2 (declaration) and submitted to the High Commission of India, Wellington along with two latest photographs (2” X 2”), prescribed visa fee, passport in original and the required documents for processing of visas. Procedure for submission and documents required for different types of visas are detailed below.

NOTE:  Kindly provide your latest and complete contact details on the visa form. Suppression of facts and false / incomplete / inaccurate information will not only result in delay / denial of visa but may also debar the applicant from getting visa in future. Visa application may be accepted, modified or refused by the High Commission of India and its decision in the matter shall be final. The High Commission reserves the right to withhold any application submitted for an in-depth examination. Personal interviews by the Visa Officer with applicants may be required in some cases.

Validity of regular visa is effective from the date of issue and not from the date of travel.  Visas are not issued from a future date to match applicant’s itinerary.

2. Visa fees and mode of payment of regular visa: The application fee (in NZD) for common visa categories only for New Zealand passport holders is as below:

* Persons of Indian origin holding foreign passport, their spouses and children must apply for Entry visa to visit India (Refer para 4.2 below for documents required)

Visa Fee for applicants holding other than New Zealand passport is available at the link: Visa Fee

IMPORTANT: Every visa application must be accompanied by visa checklist :  Click Here To Download Visa Checklist  

Processing Time for Entry/Tourist Visas:

• New Zealand / Samoa / Niue Passport / The Cook Islands / Vanuatu: 4-6 Working Days

Other than NZ / Samoa / Niue Passport / The Cook Islands / Vanuatu: 6-8 Working Days

Pakistan, PR China & Sri Lankan origin applicants: No Time Limit

NOTE:  Duration of any visa will be decided by the  Visa Officer

Mode of Payment of Fees: 

3. Common documents required for different types of regular visa:

3.1. Common documentation required for all categories of visa:

Completed and signed visa application form with photo uploaded vertically.

Original passport valid for at least six months from the date of travel.

Two photographs (2”X2”). Photographs can be cut with scissor to bring to the required dimension if it is large. If you do not have two identical photographs as you uploaded online, please make sure that you are providing your latest and similar matching photographs. [For detailed photograph specification, visit  https://www.hciwellington.gov.in/docs/Photo-Spec-FINAL.pdf ]

Visa fee as per the fee schedule given at the link: Visa Fee

Additional form for non-New Zealand nationals / those holding dual nationality available at  https://www.hciwellington.gov.in/docs/Addition-form-to-be-filled-by-Non-NZ-passport-holders.pdf . 

• Please attach one self-addressed pre-paid return courier bag with tracking facility (required to post back the passport with visa) to the High Commission of India by registered courier (with tracking facility).

3.2. Additional documentation for minors (children under 18 years of age) common to all types of visas

Copy of birth certificate of the minor applicant.

First and last pages of both parent’s current passports. 

If parents are of Indian origin, then copies of current or cancelled Indian passports of parents are required for applying Entry visa. Children of parents of Indian origin are eligible for Entry visa which is in their own interest since Entry visa has far fewer restrictions vis-à-vis other kinds of visas. 

Signature of both parents on the visa application form or no objection letter (letter of consent) signed by the parent not signing on the visa application form.

In case of single parent / guardian, additional documentary proof such as copy of custody orders from a court/ death certificate of the deceased parent / proof of single parent status.

In case the status of minor’s father is unknown, a Statutory Declaration attested by Justice of Peace is required from the mother stating the same. 

4.  Types of visas and documentation required in addition to the documents mentioned at serial No. 3 above:

4.1.  Tourist Visa:

4.2.  Entry Visa:

4.3.  Business Visa:

4.4.  Transit Visa:

4.5.  Student Visa:

4.6.  Employment Visa:

4.7.  Conference Visa:

4.8.  Journalist visa

4.9.  Medical Visa

4.10.  Sports Visa

4.11.  For other types of visas such as Intern visa, film visa, etc.

4.1. Tourist visa:

Note: A person of Indian origin, who does not possess an OCI card, spouse and children of such person must apply for Entry Visa instead of Tourist Visa since Entry Visa has far fewer restrictions than Tourist Visa. Details of Entry Visa are given at Sl. No. 4.2 Tourist visa is granted to foreigners who do not have a residence or occupation in India and whose sole purpose of visiting India is sight-seeing, recreation or meeting friends / relatives, attending a short term yoga programme (not exceeding 6 months and not issued with a qualifying diploma / certificate), short duration medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine.

Tourist visa may be granted for a validity up to 5 years but the maximum continuous stay permissible on this visa is 90 days during each visit. Tourist visas are non-extendable and non-convertible except in limited circumstances. No additional documentation other than indicated at Sl. No. 3 above is required for Tourist visa.

Enrolment of biometric features  is required while applying for a Tourist visa for a validity of more than 1 year and / or for multiple entry tourist visa. Biometric enrolment once done is valid for 5 years. Applicants below 12 yrs or more than 70 yrs are exempted from biometric enrolment. For more details on biometric enrolment including for booking an appointment for the same, please go to the link: https://www.hciwellington.gov.in/docs/Website%20Updates.pdf .

NOTE:  Requirement of two months gap between two visits on tourist visa has been done away with for most countries including New Zealand.

A foreigner coming to India on any type of visas will be allowed to avail activities permitted under Tourist visa.

All persons travelling to India on board a cruise ship are advised to obtain “Tourist Visa” in advance. They should clearly write in bold on top of their application “Cruise Trip to India” and request for double / triple or multiple entries depending on the number of entries required to enter the Indian port.

Foreigners of Indian origin, their spouses and children are advised to apply for “ENTRY” visa instead of Tourist visa in their own interest since the Entry visa has fewer restrictions vis-à-vis tourist visa.

All PIOs may also consider applying for OCI Card, which among many other benefits, facilitates easy and visa-free travel to India for life, besides ensuring economy of expenditure in the long run. For detailed information on applying for OCI registration, please visit  https://www.hciwellington.gov.in/eoi.php?id=OCI .

4.2. Entry visa:

• Persons of Indian origin holding foreign passport, their spouses and children must apply for Entry visa to visit India. Foreign spouse of an Indian national is also eligible for Entry visa.
• In case applicant was an Indian national before, proof of renunciation of Indian citizenship in the form of Indian Citizenship Renunciation / Surrender Certificate alongwith copy of cancelled passport is required to be attached, else the application will be returned for want of this document. If the applicant has not applied for cancellation of Indian passport, submit the original Indian passport for cancellation along with requisite form and fee as per the procedure given at the link  https://www.hciwellington.gov.in/eoi.php?id=cancellation_passport . 
• Holding / acquiring Indian passport or travelling on Indian passport after acquiring foreign citizenship is an offence under Indian Passport Act, 1967 and may attracts penalties.

In addition to above documents, other documents required for the application is mentioned at Sl. No. 3 above.

4.3. Business Visa:

Granted to foreigners who intend to visit India for business purpose.

A letter each from the local employer and the sponsoring company in India, stating the purpose of visit, places and organizations to be visited and the duration of the visit.

An additional form given at the link:  https://www.hciwellington.gov.in/docs/1689745106additonalform.pdf   is required to be submitted along with the visa application in addition to documents indicated at Sl. No. 3 above, as applicable. 

Those intending to go to India for student recruitment are required to provide some additional information which will be asked from the applicant by email.

Enrolment of biometric features  is required while applying for a Business Visa for a validity of more than 1 year and / or for multiple entry Business Visa. Biometric enrolment once done is valid for 5 years. Applicants below 12 yrs or more than 70 yrs are exempted from biometric enrolment. For more details on biometric enrolment including for booking an appointment for the same, go to: https://www.hciwellington.gov.in/docs/Website%20Updates.pdf .

4.4. Transit visa:

A visa valid for 15 days and permitting a stay in India up to 72 hours is issued for transiting through India to another foreign destination. Transit visa must be obtained before departure as there is no provision for visa on arrival in India. Evidence of confirmed onward travel to a destination outside India is required in addition to documents indicated at Sl. No. 3 above, as applicable. A person intending to make two entries into India in transit in the course of the same journey may also be granted double entry visa, with each stay in India up to 72 hours.

NOTE: Passengers transferring to a connecting flight who do not intend to leave the airport or pass through the Immigration do not need a Transit Visa.

4.5. Student visa:

Student visa is granted for studying in a recognized educational institution in India.

The applicant should submit proof of admission to an educational institution recognized by the Government of India.

Proof of finances to meet the cost of education in India, in addition to documents indicated at Sl. No. 3 above, as applicable.

4.6. Employment visa:

Employment visa is issued to those who are taking up assignment / employment with companies registered in India.

An authenticated copy of the Employment contract and proof of registration of the employing organization must be furnished, in addition to documents listed at Sl. No. 3 above, as applicable. The contract must provide for a minimum gross salary of INR 16.25 lakhs per annum or its equivalent.

Employment visa is also granted for volunteer / honorary work with registered NGOs in India in which case there is no minimum salary requirement.

4.7. Conference visa:

Conference visa is granted to those who are going to India for attending an international conference / seminar. In addition to the documents at Sl. No. 3 above, as applicable.

A copy each of the letter of invitation from the organizer. 

Permission letter from the Government of India for holding of the conference are necessary for the purpose of Conference Visa. 

Letter from the local participant / employer should also be submitted to establish credentials for the applicant.

4.8. Journalist visa:

Journalist  Visa  is issued to journalists and media persons travelling to India on assignment to India, for filing reports, shooting of documentaries, etc. A foreigner who is a journalist by profession will be granted journalist visa irrespective of his purpose of visit. For more information about journalist visa and before applying, kindly send an email at  visa.welllington[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in , giving full details about the purpose of the visit, a synopsis of the project, itinerary and if any permissions from local authorities for the project have already been obtained.

4.9. Medical Visa:

Is granted to those intending to visit India for getting medical treatment in India from a recognized medical institution.

Referral letter from doctor/hospitals both from New Zealand and India. 

Proof of availability of sufficient funds for the duration of stay and the expenses for treatment in India should be submitted in addition to documents listed at Sl. No. 3 above, as applicable.

NOTE: With effect from November 2015, there is a complete ban on surrogacy procedures in India commissioned by foreigners / NRI couples. No visa is, therefore granted for this purpose.

4.10. Sports visa:

All sportspersons going to India for participation in non-commercial sporting events, the officials / coaches and trainers accompanying the players need to apply for Business visa .

A copy of the clearance granted by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Ministry of Home Affairs and Political Clearance by MEA are required in addition to documents indicated at Sl. No. 3 above, as applicable.

Visa for commercial sports events such as Indian Premier League, Indian Soccer League must apply for Business Visa.

Foreign sportsmen who are given contract for a specified period by the Indian Clubs/organizations must apply for Employment Visa .

4.11. For other types of visas such as Intern visa, film visa, etc, or for any other visa related queries, kindly drop an email at  visa[dot]wellington[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in  or  cons[dot]wellington[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in .

5. Visa checklist:

A checklist of documents to be submitted along with the visa application is given at the link here . Please send / submit the checklist along with the application.

6. What to do when the passport with valid visa expires:

There is no provision for transfer of valid visa from old, expired passport to the new passport. In order to travel to India, one must carry both the old, expired passport carrying valid visa along with the new passport.

7. How to submit the visa application

Printout of duly filled and signed visa applications along with the prescribed documentation, two photographs, prescribed fee and one self-addressed pre-paid return courier bag with tracking facility may be sent to the High Commission of India at the following address:

Visa Department, High Commission of India, 72 Pipitea Street, Thorndon, PO Box 12211, Wellington 6011.

The High Commission of India will not accept any responsibility in case the courier is lost / misplaced / damaged or delayed. Do not send the application via ordinary post but only through a registered courier with tracking facility.

Applicants can also submit their applications in person between  9:30 AM and 12:30 PM  from Monday to Friday (on working days of High Commission) at the Reception counter of the High Commission of India, Wellington.

8. Approximate processing time and status enquiries

Applicants are advised to apply for visa sufficiently in advance so that it is processed in time.

Applications which need to be referred to the concerned agencies may take longer for which no fixed timeframe can be given. Applicants should not purchase air tickets before obtaining visa.

The High Commission of India cannot be held responsible for applications which are not finalized in time for your intended date of departure.

At the same time, applications which are registered more than Three months before the expected date of travel are not accepted by the system. Due to huge volume of enquiries, it may not be possible for the High Commission to entertain queries on the status of the visa before expiry of the above timeline. For status of your application, you may drop an email at  visa[dot]wellington[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in  or at  cons[dot]wellington[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in .

9. Jurisdiction of High Commission of India:

The High Commission of India, Wellington has jurisdiction over New Zealand, Republic of Samoa, Niue, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands. It will be able to accept visa applications only from those who are present in its jurisdiction. Those who are not residing in the jurisdiction of this High Commission may contact the Indian Embassy / High Commission / Consulate General having jurisdiction over the area of their residence.

III) Vaccination requirement before entering India

Persons arriving from Yellow Fever endemic countries or those who have visited such countries during the past 6 days immediately preceding their entry into India will be required to possess a valid certificate of Yellow Fever vaccination from an authorized vaccination centre. Persons arriving from a country having public health risk may be required to undergo medical screening or additional measures as decided by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India.

IV. Use of Satellite phones is illegal in India

All foreign nationals visiting India are advised not to carry / use Thuraya / Iridium satellite phones in India. These phones are strictly illegal in India and any violation in this regard shall have serious consequences and the users are liable for prosecution under Indian laws.

V. Frequently asked questions on visa:

1) Do I need a visa to go to India? A) Yes, all foreigners, except citizens of Nepal and Bhutan (in limited circumstances) need a visa to enter India by air, sea or land.

2) Can I get a visa on arrival to enter India? A) No. There is no facility of visa on arrival in India except for nationals of Japan in limited circumstances.

3) Does India have Electronic Visa (E-Visa) facility? A) Yes. E-visa facility is available to nationals of certain countries, which includes New Zealand. For more details including the complete list of countries whose citizens are eligible for E-visa, visit the link  https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html . E-visa facility is not controlled or administered by the High Commission of India. Any queries in regard to e-visa may be addressed to  indiatvoa[at]gov[dot]in . High Commission of India has no control over processing of E-visa applications and accepts and processes only regular visa applications.

4) Can I get medical treatment or do a short time job or attend a business meeting on tourist visa in India?  A) Tourist visa is strictly meant for recreation, sight seeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, for attending a short term yoga programme (not resulting in a certificate / diploma at the end of the course) or for short duration medical treatment including treatment under Indian system of medicine. Employment visa should be applied for taking up any job in India and business visa should be applied for any business meetings in India.

5) What is the difference between Tourist Visa and Entry Visa? A) A person of Indian origin, who does not possess an OCI card, spouse and children of such person are eligible for Entry Visa and must apply for Entry Visa instead of Tourist Visa since Entry Visa has far fewer restrictions than Tourist Visa. For example, during each visit a person on tourist visa can stay only upto 90 days whereas there is no such restriction on Entry Visa.

6) Can I study in India? A) Yes, with a valid student visa for a regular study programme conducted by a recognized university / educational institution.

7) Can I work in India? A) Yes, with a valid employment visa.

8) I travel to India frequently for business meetings / to explore opportunities for partnerships with Indian companies. Which visa should I apply for? A) You may apply for business visa with the required documents. For getting long term Business Visa with multiple entries, it is mandatory to enroll your biometric features at the High Commission Reception counter. Without Biometric enrolment you can get Business Visa upto one year validity with up to three entries. You may book an appointment for biometric registration telephonically. Kindly note that a Business Visa does not permit you to work in India. In case you wish to work in India, you should apply for Employment Visa.

9) I have to participate in a Conference / Seminar / Workshop in India. Which visa should I apply for? A) You should apply for a Conference Visa along with an invitation letter from event organizers and clearances from competent authorities for holding the event.

10) Do I need a Transit Visa for changing flights / airports in India in order to travel to my final destination? A) Transit Visa for India is  NOT  required if you are not leaving the plane or the designated transit area of Indian airports. Transit Visa is required if you are going to leave the designated transit area of the airport or going from international to domestic terminal of any Indian airport or if you are having a short stay in India for upto 72 hours enroute to another foreign destination. You should have a confirmed air ticket for the onward journey before applying for Transit Visa. You may check with the airlines whether your travel involves leaving the designated area of an international airport in India or transfer from International to domestic terminal in India.

11) I intend to travel at a much later date. Can my visa be issued to coincide with the date of travel? A) No. There is no system of issuing post dated visas and the validity of regular visas starts from the date of issue and not from the date of entry into India. Validity of E-visas is 2 months starting from the date of entry into India. You cannot apply more than 120 days before your intended date of travel to India.

12) I have to go to India for internship / training in a company / educational institution / NGO in India for a short period. Which visa should I apply for? A) You should apply for Intern Visa along with a copy of a letter from the Indian company / educational institution / NGO, clearly indicating the period of internship. Interns sponsored by AIESEC for social or community work in NGOs and for project-based work in companies may also apply for Intern Visa. For specific queries about Intern Visa, send an email to  visa[dot]wellington[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in .

13) Do I need a visa for my pet who is accompanying me on my visit to India? A) No, you do not need visa for taking your pet to India. However, you need to follow certain customs and vaccination related regulations for taking your pet to India.

14) Can I send one cheque and self-addressed courier bag for multiple visa applications? A) No. Cheuqes are not accepted w.e.f. 01 May 2021. Please make the payment by bank transfer.

15) I had applied for Indian visa but I have changed my mind. Can I claim a refund of the visa fee? A) Visa fees are non-refundable. Once the visa application is accepted, fee cannot be refunded even if the visa is refused / not granted.

16) I have to travel to India on an emergency. Is there any extra charge for urgent processing of visa application? A) Visa application can be processed on emergency basis only under compelling medical and humanitarian emergencies. If the applicant is able to prove the emergency to the visa officer, application can be processed on urgent basis on payment of prescribed expediting fee of NZ$90 per application. Please see the latest notification by clicking here .

17) I will be studying in India for one semester / trimester in an Indian university. Which visa should I apply for? A) You should apply for a student visa along with a copy of the letter from the institute / university confirming your acceptance as a student. You would also be required to submit proof of financial standing to support your stay in India.

18) I will be going to India for work / employment along with my family. Which visa should I apply for myself and my family? Would my children be able to study in India? A) You should apply for employment visa both for yourself and your dependent family members accompanying you. Yes, your children will be able to study in India during the validity of your visas.

NOTE: If your query is still not answered above, you may drop us an email at  visa[dot]wellington[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in  or  cons[dot]wellington[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in . It may be appreciated that because of large volume of telephone calls, it is not always possible to answer telephone calls. However, it is our endeavour to reply to all emails promptly.

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General Instructions for Registration & E Services

Important Notice

Applicants are advised not to submit multiple applications once they have received application id on successful submission of application. submission of multiple applications will delay clearance as each application will be examined before clearing., " vide mha o.m. no. 25022/24/2020-f.v/f.i(pt.) dated 29.06.2020. in respect of foreign nationals, whose regular visa or e-visa or stay stipulation period are expiring post 30.06.2020, such regular visa or e-visa or stay stipulation period shall be deemed to be valid until 30 more days from the date of resumption of normal international flight operations on 'gratis' basis without levy of overstay penalty.", vide mha o.m. no. 25022/24/2020-f.v/f.i dated 02.09.2021 1. existing instructions as contained in this ministry's o.m. of even number dated 04.06.2021 provide as follows:- "regular visa or e-visa or stay stipulation of period of foreign nationals stranded in india due to covid-19 may be considered as deemed to be valid till 31.08.2021 on gratis basis without levy of any overstay penalty. such foreign nationals may not be required to submit any application to frro/fro concerned for extension of their visas. before exiting the country, they may apply for an exit permission, which would be granted by the frro/fro concerned on gratis basis without levy of any overstay facility." 2. the matter has been re-considered by the government in view of the present situation. it has accordingly been decided to extend the existing facility of deemed extension of the regular visa or e-visa or stay stipulation period on gratis basis without levy of any overstay penalty granted to foreign nationals stranded in india due to covid-19 pandemic till 30th september 2021 . such foreign nationals may not be required to submit any application to frro/fro concerned for extension of their visas. before exiting the country, they may apply for an exit permission, which would be granted by the frro/fro concerned on gratis basis without levy of any overstay penalty. 3. if extension of visa is required beyond 30.09.2021, the foreign national concerned may apply for extension of visa on the online e-frro platform on payment basis, which would be considered by frro/fro concerned subject to the eligibility as per the provisions contained in the visa manual 2019. 4. afghan nationals living in india on any category of visa will be granted extension of visa by frro/fro concerned on gratis basis until further orders. they will not be granted exit or issued leave india notice by frro/fro concerned without prior approval of the ministry of home affairs. 5. these instructions shall come into force with immediate effect., important notice for covid 19, visa services granted on account of covid-19 are gratis..

In the backdrop of outbreak of COVID-19, no foreigners are allowed to visit the FRRO Office for OCI/Registrations and other Visa related services without prior appointment till further orders.

For appointment, contact respective FRRO Support Centres as given below:

• FRRO Delhi 011-26711384 [email protected]
• FRRO Delhi 011-26711443/ 011-26713851(24*7) [email protected]
• FRRO Mumbai 022-22620446/022-22621167 [email protected]
• FRRO Chennai 044-28251721 [email protected]
• FRRO Bengaluru 080-22218183 Fax No. 080-22218196 [email protected], [email protected]
• FRRO Ahmedabad 079-26306606 [email protected]
• FRRO Ahmedabad 079-26306606 [email protected]
• FRRO Amritsar 0183-2500464 [email protected]
• FRRO Hyderabad 040-29880374, 040-29880375 040-29881088 (OCI/PIO) [email protected]
• FRRO Kolkata 033-22818640 [email protected]
• FRRO Lucknow 0522-2432431 [email protected]
• FRRO Trivandrum 0471-2333515/2573512 Fax No. 0471-2333514, 2573514 [email protected]
• FRRO Kozhikode(Calicut) 0495-2323550 [email protected]
• FRRO Cochin 0484-2611652 [email protected]

Welcome to the Online e-FRRO Portal

Before you apply, kindly read all the instructions carefully. Foreigners are advised to apply at least 2 weeks in advance.

About e-FRRO

• How to Apply
• Already registered? Login here
• Frequently Asked Questions

Important Instructions

• Photo and Documents Requirement
• SBI Payment Related FAQ
• AXIS Payment Related FAQ

Technical Information

Useful web links, support centres.

e-FRRO involves completely online application submission and document upload, for which no facilitation is required by any intermediary / agents etc. The foreign nationals are required to apply online by themselves. It is advised not to believe or fall in trap of any middlemen/agent that claim speedy/express grant of e-FRRO and charge money for it. For any clarification or doubt, you may contact FRRO Support Centre.

Salient Features

• Services from comfort of your home.
• No need to visit FRRO/FRO office.
• Online Payment.
• Convenient and Time Saving.
• Exclusive Dashboard for User friendly experience.
• What is e-FRRO?
• Online FRRO Service delivery mechanism without requirement of visiting FRRO/FRO office. No requirement of taking appointment and visiting FRRO/FRO office unless specifically called upon by the FRRO/FRO.
• Web based application aimed to build centralized online platform for foreigners for visa related services. Its key objective is to provide Faceless, Cashless and Paperless services to the foreigners with user friendly experience.
• Using this application, foriegners are required to create their own USER-ID by registering themselves. Afterwards, they would apply online through registered user-id for various Visa and Immigration related services in India viz. Registration, Visa Extension, Visa Conversion, Exit Permit etc, without any hassle and obtain the service(s) without coming to FRRO office.
• The necessary immigration/Visa document e.g. Registration Permit/Certificate (RP/RC), Visa Extension Certificate etc will be sent by post on the address mentioned. It would also be electronically sent to the foreigner to his registered email ID.
• Foreigners would not be required to mandatorily visit FRRO/FRO office for grant of service. However, in certain exceptional cases, the foreigner will be intimated to visit the FRRO/FRO on scheduled date and time for interview.
• In case of exigency, the foreigner can visit the FRRO/FRO office directly for grant of service.

How to Apply?

User creation.

Create User-id/Password by registering online into our portal.

User Authentication

Valid Email ID and Mobile Number in India is mandatorily required for obtaining the One Time Password (OTP). Foreigners should register with their own email ID and provide valid Mobile Number in India for receiving OTP and other status updates/alerts at various stages of processing.

Login with Valid credentials

Once user-id/password is successfully created, the foreign national can submit online application by selecting the appropriate service and uploading the requisite documents.

Online Application Submission and Document Upload

The application form should be carefully filled and any errors should be avoided. Further, necessary documents and photograph should be uploaded online in the designated format. The application would not be successfully submitted unless the documents and photographs are uploaded online successfully.

Successful Submission of Application

The application would be scrutinized by Visa Officers only if the application has been successfully submitted. Upon scrutiny, necessary instructions with regard to application i.e. Fee Payment, Correction of Selected/desired Service, re-uploading of documents etc would be conveyed to the Foreigner through email/SMS alerts.

Online Fee Payment

The foreigner would be intimated to deposit the requisite fee, if any, for the service. The fee has to be deposited online through Bank Payment gateway available on the portal. Amount of fee would be intimated through email/sms alerts.

Status Updates/Alerts

The foreigner can track the status of the application through our portal. For any clarification, our Support Centre can be contacted.

Service Granted/Rejected

Upon Grant/Rejection of service, the same would be intimated to the foreigner. His/Her RC/RP etc would be sent through email or it can also be downloaded from our portal by signing in.

Exigency/Emergency Scenarios

The foreigner can approach the concerned Civil Authority i.e. FRRO/FRO office directly in case of exigency/emergency. Upon satisfaction of the case, the services can also be granted directly at the FRRO/FRO level. Make sure that services granted are electronic and not manual. You may face hurdles at the Immigration Check Posts in case of manual services.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

e-FRRO is online FRRO/FRO Service delivery mechanism for foreigners without requirement of visiting FRRO/FRO Office.

• Who needs to apply for e-FRRO?

All foreigners who desire Visa and Immigration related services in India viz. Registration, Visa Extension, Visa Conversion, Exit Permit etc need to apply for e-FRRO.

• How to apply for e-FRRO?

Foreigners are required to create their own USER-ID by registering themselves online on e-FRRO portal. Afterwards, they are required to apply online through registered user-id for various Visa and Immigration related services in India viz. Registration, Visa Extension, Visa Conversion, Exit Permit etc, without any hassle and obtain the service(s) without coming to FRRO/FRO office.

• Do I need to visit FRRO/FRO office after applying through e-FRRO?

No requirement of taking appointment and visiting FRRO/FRO office unless specifically called upon by the FRRO/FRO concerned. Intimation would be sent through sms/email on the registered mobile/email-id.

• How to make payment?

Upon successful uploading of application and documents, the foreigner would be intimated to deposit the requisite fee online, if any, for the service. The fee has to be deposited online through Bank Payment gateway available on the portal. Amount of fee would be intimated through email/sms alerts.

• How would I get RC/RP?

RC/RP, Exit Permit etc would sent by post on the “Address in India” mentioned in the online application form.

• Do I need Endorsement on my Passport?

There would not be any requirement of endorsement on passport. In case, there is any such requirement, you would be intimated by the FRRO/FRO concerned to visit their office.

• What to do in emergency/exigency?
• What happens if there is delay in fee payment or document uploading?

Foreigner would be liable for prosecution/fines as per Indian laws, for any delay in fee payment/document upload/not attending interview etc.

• Do I need to use my own email-id for registration?

Yes. It is mandatory to use personal email ID. Foreigners should use their own email id to ensure data privacy and data security as important communication would be sent to your email.

• Can I apply for my family members through my own ID?

Yes. You can submit applications for your family members from same ID. However you would be required to submit/fill individual online forms for each member of your family.

• How would I know about status of my application?

At every stage of processing, the status of your application would be shared via SMS/Email. You can also track your status by logging into your dashboard through registered Email-ID/Password.

• e-FRRO is presently applicable for foreigners in the jurisdiction of FRROs: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru.
• e-FRRO is presently applicable for foreigners in the jurisdiction of 12 FRROs, 1 RRO and 4 FROs: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Amritsar, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Ahemdabad, Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Puducherry, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar.
• e-FRRO is now applicable for foreigners in the jurisdiction of all FRROs/FROs.
• e-FRRO is mandatory for availing services at the above FRROs/FROs.
• e-FRRO is mandatory for availing services at FRROs/FROs.
• Services would be granted at FRRO/FRO office only in case of exigency/emergency.
• The foreigner is required to appear for interview if any, at scheduled time/date, as intimated by FRRO through email/sms alerts.
• Foreigner should check their inbox daily for email alerts.
• Foreigner would be liable for prosecution/fines as per Indian laws, for any delay in fee payment/document upload/interview etc.
• This service is not applicable for diplomats/officials who are under jurisdiction of CPV Division, Ministry of External Affairs.
• Foreigners are encouraged to upload documents and photographs in good quality.
• Foreigners should use their own email id to ensure data privacy and data security as important communication would be sent to your email.
• Services rendered though e-FRRO can be cancelled by the Civil Authority any time, upon field enquiries and verification. Cancellation would be duly intimated to the foreigner and necessary action, as per Indian Laws, would be taken against the foreigner.
• Foreigners are advised to apply at least 2 weeks in advance.

Apply Visa online

All foreign nationals entering India are required to possess a valid international travel document in the form of a national passport with a valid visa obtained from an Indian Mission or Post abroad. All Individual visa seekers are requested to apply for the Indian Visa through Online application in order to make an application for getting the Indian visa. The duly signed physical copy of the application form completed in all respect and submitted successfully, is to be submitted at the concerned Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) or directly to Indian Mission/Post, on the scheduled date of interview along with the requisite supporting documents. The instructions for filling the form and scheduling the appointment can be seen at Instructions for Online Visa Application. Important technical information for filling online Indian visa application can be referred at Technical Instructions.

Document Requirment

• Photo and Document(s) upload are mandatory.
• First use the Online Application Submission option then upload photo and required document(s).
• Photographs which are edited or modified by Photoshop or any other Software/ Mobile App will be rejected.
• Only one copy of each document type has to be uploaded.
• Scanned documents should be in PDF format.
• Size of pdf document must be less than 200 KB.
• Single supporting document can have multiple PDFs. The maximum size of each PDF should be 1 MB.
• Only completely filled application along with photo and document(s) is available for appointment.
• Only completely filled application along with photo and document(s) uploded to generate pdf.
• Only permanently saved application is available for Re-Printing.
• Format - jpg
• Size - Maximum 1 MB
• Photo should present Full face, front view, eyes open
• Center head within frame and present full head from top of hair to bottom of chin
• Background should be plain light colored or white background
• No shadows on the face or on the background
• Bring same photo along with application form.

SBI Payment: FAQ

• What is SBIePay?.

SBIePay is the Payment Aggregator service of State Bank of India which provides multiple payment options on a single payment page for the convenience of applicants. SBIePay has enabled Debit and Credit issued by MasterCard and VISA.

• What are all the payment modes available on SBIePay payment page?

SBIePay facilitates online payments all Credit and Debit Cards issued by MasterCard and VISA.

• Are transactions on SBIePay secure?

SBIePay is certified with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) ver 2.0 certified, which reinforces our promise of security. The payment system fully supports 3DSecure - Verified by Visa and MasterCard Secure Code, wherever it is applicable. Further SBIePay is secured using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption which ensures that payment information never sent over the Internet unencrypted and cannot be viewed by unauthorised individuals.

• Can International payments be processed?

SBIePay has enabled international card issued by MasterCard and VISA both with and without 3D Secure authentication.

• How a customer/applicant can understand that payment has been made successfully?

The applicant after filling details on https://indianfrro.gov.in/ and clicks 'Pay Now'. The applicant is redirected to SBIePay payment page and is presented with payment options like MasterCard and VISA. Applicant enters his card details and clicks 'Proceed'. Then the applicant may see one of the two options: (i.) 3 D Secure page of the Card issuing page for inputing 3D Secure password/OTP (ii.) Transaction is processed without 3D Secure page. After successful completion of transaction, the applicant is redirected on to the https://indianfrro.gov.in/ with a successful receipt of payment.

• How do I know that my Bank participates in 3D Secure transaction?

If an applicant is presented with a 3D Secure page prompting to enter a password/OTP, this means the Card issuing Bank participates in 3D Secure transaction. If the applicant does not have a transaction password/One time password, he/she should contact the card issuing Bank for support.

• What if a successful page on https://indianfrro.gov.in/ is not shown after completing the transaction?

The applicant shall be presented with a payment successful page along with reference number. If the applicant does not receive any success message even after card account has been charged, a refund shall be initiated after due reconciliation to the applicants card account.

• How are Refunds processed?

If a transaction has failed but the applicants card account is debited more than once, the amount shall be refunded to the applicants card account after reconciliation process within seven (7) days of transaction.

• What are the banking charges for LTV (Long Term Visa) fee?

The banking charge is 100 rupees(INR) applicable for LTV as a fee. This charge is charged to the applicant at the time of making online fee payment for LTV.

• What is the support available for the applicants ?

SBIePay provides technical support for all payment related transactions at 1800221401 (Timings : 10.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. on week-days and from 10.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. IST on Saturday)

• Can an applicant perform more than one transaction for same application number registered at https://indianfrro.gov.in/ ?

Yes. An applicant can perform more than one transactions for a single application ID.

An applicant can perform maximum of three transactions for a single application ID.

• What happens if all three transaction attempts of the applicant fail?

If the applicant cannot succeed in three attempts, a new application is required to be filled and transaction has to be carried out with new application ID.

• Can https://indianfrro.gov.in/ charge more than one time for an application ID ?

An applicant shall be charged for only once against an application ID. Any double/triple debit shall be refunded after due reconciliation within seven (7) days of transactions.

Axis Payment: FAQ

• What is Axis Bank Payment Gateway service?.

Axis Bank is world-class Internet Payment Gateway Solution allows you to accept payments on a 24 X 7 basis from around the world. It accepts all Visa and MasterCard issued in and outside India

• What are the various payment modes available on Axis Bank payment gateway page?

Axis Bank Payment Gateway services facilitates online payments all Credit and Debit Cards issued by MasterCard and VISA.

• Are transactions on Axis Bank Payment Gateway secure?

Axis Bank Payment gateway services is compliant with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) standards. All transactions initiated at Axis Bank Payment Gateway services come with 128 bit security and two factor authentication via MasterCard Secure Code and Verified-by-Visa authentication is enabled.

Axis Bank Payment gateway accepts all international card issued by MasterCard and VISA both with and without 3D secure authentication.

The applicant after filling details on https://indianfrro.gov.in/ clicks 'Pay Now'. The applicant is redirected to Axis Bank payment gateway page and is presented with payment options like MasterCard and VISA. Cardholder enters his card number, expiry date, Name and CVV value and clicks 'Pay Now'. Incase cardholder Bank is enabled for 3D secure, then a page will appear for the cardholder to entire either his/her OTP/3D secure password. Else transaction would be processed. After successful completion of transaction, the applicant is redirected on to the https://indianfrro.gov.in/ with a successful receipt of payment.

Incase Bank is participating for 3D Secure, during transaction a 3D secure page would appear and cardholder has to enter his/her password /OTP.

The applicant shall be presented with a payment successful page along with reference number. If the applicant does not receive any success message even after card account has been charged, a refund will have to be initiated after due reconciliation to the applicants card account.

If a transaction has failed but the applicants card account is debited more than once, the amount will have to be refunded to the applicants card account after reconciliation process within seven (7) days of transaction. In some cases, the fund still lies with the card issuing Bank, kindly get in touch with your Bank for such case.

Axis Bank provides technical support for all payment related transactions at +91-022-7131-2125/2126 (Timings : 09.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m IST)

• This site is best viewed in Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Internet Explorer (Windows) version 9.0 and above.
• The applicant must also have Adobe Acrobat Reader version 7.0 or higher installed on your PC in order to download and print the completed application form.
• Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. Of India.
• Ministry of External Affairs, Govt Of India
• Ministry of Tourism, Govt Of India
• Bureau of Immigration, Govt Of India
• Incredible India, Govt Of India

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011-26711384

011-26711443/ 011-26713851(24*7)

[email protected]

frrodli[at]nic[dot]in

East Block-VIII, Level-2 Sector-1, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110066

FRRO Mumbai

022-22620446

[email protected]

helpdesk[dot]mum-ivfrt[at]gov[dot]in

78/1, Badruddin Tayabji Marg, behind st.xevier collage, Dhobi Talao, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Area Fort Mumbai, Maharashtra-400001

FRRO Chennai

044-28251721

[email protected]

chiochn[at]nic[dot]in

No 26, Haddows Road, Shastri Bhavan Annexe, Nungambakkam, Chennai-600006

FRRO Bengaluru

080-22218191/195, 22218183 Fax No. 080-22218196

080-22218183 Fax No. 080-22218196

[email protected], [email protected]

[email protected], [email protected]

frroblr[dot]feedback[at]nic[dot]in, frroblr-ka[at]nic[dot]in

5th Floor, 'A' Block, TTMC, BMTC Bus Stand Building, K.H. Road, Shantinagar, Bangalore - 560027

FRRO Ahmedabad

079-26306606

[email protected]

afrro-boi[dot]ahd[at]nic[dot]in

frroamd[at]nic[dot]in

Barrack No. 2, First Floor, Govt. Polytechnic Campus, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad, Gujarat-380015

FRRO Amritsar

0183-2500464

[email protected]

frroasr[at]nic[dot]in

Bureau of Immigration, D-123, Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar - 143001

H.No. 208, Near Gobind Park, Basant Avenue, Amritsar

FRRO Hyderabad

040-27541022

040-29880374, 040-29880375

040-29881088 (OCI/PIO)

[email protected]

frrohyd[at]nic[dot]in

Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Bureau of Immigration (MHA), Govt. of India, Room No. 301, 3rd Floor, CGO Towers, Kavadiguda, Hyderabad-500080

FRRO Kolkata

033-22900549

033-22818640

[email protected]

frrokol[at]nic[dot]in

237, A.J.C Bose Road, Kolkata

FRRO Lucknow

0522-2432431

[email protected]

frrolko[at]nic[dot]in

557, Hind Nagar, Kanpur Road Near Old Chungi, Lucknow-226012

FRRO Trivandrum

0471-2333515/ 2573512 Fax No. 0471-2333514, 2573514

[email protected]

frrotvm[at]nic[dot]in

T.C.14/1377, Vazhuthacaud opposite Ganpati temple, Thycaud. P.O, Trivandrum-14

AMRITH PLAZA, 1st Floor, TC No. 30/1398-3, Nalumukku, Pettah (P.O), Trivandrum-695024

FRRO Kozhikode(Calicut)

0495-2323550

[email protected]

frro-clt[at]nic[dot]in

20/1305, Castle View, Thiruvannur Road, Panniyankara,Kallai PO, Kozhikode,KERALA-673003

FRRO Cochin

0484-2611652

[email protected]

frro[dot]cochin[at]nic[dot]in

2nd Floor, Airlines Building, Cochin International Airport Ltd.,Airport PO, Cochin- 683111, Kerala

RRO Puducherry

0413-2275605

[email protected]

rro[dot]pon[at]nic[dot]in

Regional Registration Office, Bureau of Immigration, MHA No. 1,Second Main Road, 2nd Cross,Navasakthi Nagar, Vazhuthavur Road,Puducherry - 605009

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Consulate General of India Hong Kong & Macau

• Home ›   Consular Services ›   Visa Information

(Please carefully read General Instructions before filling the application form)

Applications for Indian Visa are to be submitted to the Consulate General of India, Hong Kong through its external application service centre (managed by M/s BLS  International Services Limited )  located at Room 2302, Olympia Plaza, 255 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong.  on any working day (Monday to Friday) except designated holidays between 09:00 AM to 01:00 PM . The timing for collection of documents is 04:00 PM to 05:30 PM.

Applicants must book prior appointment, online at https://blsinternational.co/hongkong/bls_appmnt/instructions , before visiting the external application service centre to submit the Indian visa application.

Contact Details of M/s BLS  International Services Limited : Website :  www.blsindia-hongkong.com Phone : +852 5808 0024   Fax : +852 2620 0341 Email Id :   info[dot]hk[at]blsinternational[dot]net

Note: No prior appointment is required for Diplomatic, Official, Service and UN Passport holders requiring Indian Visa and visa application may be submitted directly at Indian Consulate located at Unit- D, 16th Floor, United Centre, 95 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong between 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM.

• Some fake websites are reported to be duping those who seek Visa for India. Therefore, it is requested that all visa, passport, consular and other services seekers should exercise utmost caution while accessing the websites for Indian Visa.
• Applicants are required to fill  online visa application only at   http://indianvisaonline.gov.in
• Please select Indian Mission CHINA-HONG KONG
• Please note down the Temporary Application ID: (Your Information will be saved if you click save button or continue to next page. If you exit without doing either of that, your information will be lost. Minimum field required for partial save is up to Date of Birth)
• Please duly fill all the particulars including permanent and present address, e-mail id, mobile and phone number. Also mention the name and phone number of references/contacts correctly. Applications without complete details are liable to be rejected.
• Recent color photograph as per  Photo specifications is to be uploaded and submitted with visa application.
• The applicant has to take a printout of the online visa application form, starting with CHNH, and signed copy of the same with all relevant documents as required for the particular type of visa to be submitted at external application service centre (managed by M/s BLS  International Services Limited ) located at Room 2302, Olympia Plaza, 255 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong  on any working day (Monday to Friday) except designated holidays between 09:00 AM to 01:00 PM.
• Applicants must book prior appointment, online at https://www.blsindia-hongkong.com/bookappointmentinstruction.php , before visiting the external application service centre to submit the Indian visa application.
• Applicants are required to come in person for submitting the application as biometric data and photo are required to be captured at the time of submission of visa application.
• Persons above the age of 70 and children below 12 years of age are exempted from bio-metric enrollment. The visa applications for applicants falling in this category may be submitted by their representatives with proper authority letter.
• All original documents are required to be kept ready for verification during submission of Visa application. These will be returned after verification.
• Even if, the application is accepted at external application service centre (managed by M/s BLS  International Services Limited ), Consulate reserves the right to ask for further documentation from applicant. Applicant in that case is required to provide additional documents, for further processing of visa application.
• Visa Fee is to be paid in cash. Visa fee may vary for different nationalities and type of Visa. Please visit Visa Fee Schedule for details. Please note that in addition to the prescribed visa fee, a service fee of HK$ 47 will be charged by M/s BLS for each application. Value added services (VAS) offered by M/s BLS are optional services and will be charged separately, if the applicant chooses to avail those services. Applicants are free to avail these services from other places of their choice also.Applicants may note that Visa fee is processing charges and it will not be refunded even if Visa is not granted or granted for a shorter period than applied for.
• CGI Hong Kong issues Visas to applicants residing in Hong Kong and Macau only. Non-residents can apply for Visa at external application service centre however visa to non-residents will be granted only if their justification to submit visa applications in Hong Kong and not in their places of residence is acceptable to CGI HK. Short validity single entry visas will normally be issued to such applicants.
• In normal cases subject to application being complete and in order, it takes five working days for HK and Macau residents and eight working days for non-residents to grant visa. There are certain categories of Visa/Nationalities which may require long processing time extending upto 1-2 months. BLS/ Consulate would advise the applicants once such categories/nationalities of persons submit their visa applications. In some cases, Consulate may require additional documentation and also ask the applicant to come in person for interview, which may result in extended processing time. Therefore, the applicants are advised to apply well in advance.
• Acceptance of Visa application does not guarantee grant of Visa. Consulate reserves the right to reject visa application without assigning any reason.
• Once Visa is granted, its type and duration cannot be changed or amended. All Visas are valid from date of issue, not from date of arrival in India. Applicants must enter and exit India before the date of expiry mentioned on the visa.
• All travelers to India are advised to check the latest immigration and entry regulations before travel.
• Applicants must ensure that while applying visa their Passport should have at least six months validity and minimum full two blank pages.
• Applicants must be in Hong Kong/Macau at the time of application for visa.
• Sponsorship certificate  is required for Visitor Visa from Pakistani national
• Form-I  from Pakistani nationals and persons of Pakistan origin
• In addition to Visa application form, some applicants depending upon case-to-case basis may be required to fill in the  Personal Particular Form

(i) All applicants are requested not to deal with other websites that do not belong to the Government of India and apply for Indian visa only at http://indianvisaonline.gov.in (ii) Government of India makes no provision of charging of any emergency fees or additional fees for grant of any emergency / express visa. (iii) Use of satellite phones (including Thuraya, Iridium, BGAN, Inmarsat etc) is banned in India; unauthorized possession & use is a punishable offence. All foreigners visiting India are advised not to carry any kind of satellite telephone into India. All visa applicants are required to submit a self undertaking as per Form-II to this effect. (iv) Foreign nationals intending to visit a place falling in the Protected/ Restricted Area in India may submit an application for the grant of  Protected/Restricted   Area Permit  to Concerned offices in particular Indian states  OR  nearest Indian Mission/Post. This requirement is in addition to getting an Indian visa. It will take shorter time, if the travelers apply for RAP from Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) /Resident Commissioners of the Concerned State Govt. through nearest metropolitan City  OR  through travel/tour operators in India. If travelers apply in Indian Mission/Post abroad, it will take around 5-6 weeks to process. For more details please visit:  https://mha.gov.in/PDF_Other/AnnexVII_01022018.pdf (v) Consulate will not be responsible for any loss of bookings made in anticipation of grant of Visa. (vi) Visa applicants/ prospective traveller to India may make themselves aware of other rules like Airline guidelines, baggage rules, Indian Custom and Immigration rules etc before travelling to India to avoid inconvenience.

(C) Types of Indian Visa and documentations required

• Diplomatic/Official/United Nations Passport holders
• Tourist Visa
• Business Visa (including for dependents and for sports)
• Employment Visa (including for dependents)
• Student Visa
• Conference Visa
• Journalist Visa
• Transit Visa
• Medical Visa (including for attendants)
• Transfer of Visa
• Visitor Visa for Pakistani nationals

Diplomatic, Official, Service and UN Passport holders requiring Indian Visa may submit visa application directly to the Consular section of Indian Consulate located at Unit D, 16th Floor, United Centre, 95, Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong between 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• One printed copy of the online visa application form duly signed on both pages
• One recent photograph as per photo specifications
• Diplomatic/Official/Service/UN passport with at least two blank pages and minimum 6 months validity
• Copy of profile page of the passport. If applicant is holding dual/multiple nationality, copy of profile page of all passports
• Copy of Consular Corps/HK/Macau/UN ID
• Note Verbale in original clearly mentioning the purpose and duration of visit
• Self undertaking as per Form-II regarding use of satellite phone
• General self-undertaking as per Form-III

Note: Please carefully read General Instructions before filling the application form

Tourist Visa   is issued to a person to visit India whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, short duration medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine, short term courses on local languages, music, dance, arts & crafts, cooking, medicine etc. which should not be a formal or structured course/ programme (courses not exceeding 6 months duration and not issued with a qualifying certificate/ diploma etc.), and voluntary work of short duration (for a maximum period of one month, which do not involve any monetary payment or consideration of any kind in return) etc. and no other purpose/ activity. Short term yoga programme means a yoga programme not exceeding 6 months duration and not issued with a qualifying certificate/ diploma etc. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• Original passport with at least two blank pages and minimum 6 months validity
• Copy of profile page of passport. If applicant is holding dual/multiple nationality, copy of profile page of all passports
• Copy of Hong Kong/Macau ID for residents and copy of valid HK/Macau visa for non residents
• Proof of travel as tourists such as (i) leave/vacation letter from employer, (ii) tour package receipts/details booked with travel agents (if applicable), (iii) details of itinerary with return/onward journey tickets, (iv) copy of bank statement for last three months (v) proof of stay i.e. either hotel booking or letter from Indian reference along with an address proof and a photo ID of Indian reference.
• Form-IV  providing complete details of travel

Additional Important information regarding Tourist Visa:

Tourist Visa is non-extendable, non-convertible and   there should be a gap of 2 months between two successive visits to India for the nationals of Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Sudan, foreigners of Pakistani origin and Stateless persons . In case of requirement to visit India within two months, special permission should be sought from the concerned Indian Mission. Such applications will be permitted only in emergency conditions like death/serious illness in the family, non-availability of connecting flights to return to his/her country of origin or travel to another country or any other exigent situation which can be duly justified with proper documentation. The Consulate will examine each case on merits. In case permission is accorded, registration with the local FRRO/FRO (Foreigners Registration Office) would be required within 14 days of arrival in India. The registration should be done with the FRRO/FRO concerned preferably at the first place of visit on re-entry.

Business Visa is granted to the persons who wish to visit India to establish an industrial/business venture or to explore possibilities to set up industrial/business venture in India; Persons coming to India to purchase/sell industrial products or commercial products or consumer durables; Persons coming to India for technical meetings/discussions, attending Board meetings, general meetings for providing business services support; Persons coming to India for recruitment of manpower; Persons who are partners in the Business and/or functioning as Directors of the company; Persons coming to India for consultations regarding exhibitions or for participation in exhibitions, trade fairs, business fairs, etc; Persons buyers who come to transact business with suppliers/ potential suppliers at locations in India, to evaluate or monitor quality, give specifications, place orders, negotiate further supplies etc., relating to goods or services procured from India; Experts & specialists on a visit of short duration in connection with an ongoing project with the objective of monitoring the progress of the work, conducting meetings or to provide technical guidance; Persons coming to India for pre-sales or post-sales activity not amounting to actual execution of any contract or project; Persons Trainees of multinational companies/corporate houses coming for in-house training in the regional hubs of the concerned company located in India; Persons coming as tour conductors and travel agents and /or conducting business tours of foreigners or business relating to it. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• Recommendation letter from the company in Hong Kong/Macau clearly mentioning the profile of the company and applicant including passport number. It should mention exact purpose of visit(s) and dates/durations of the same
• Business card/Name card of the applicant
• Invitation letter from Indian company stating purpose and duration of visit(s)
• Copy of the Hong Kong/Macau Business Registration certificate
• Copy of Certificate of Incorporation of Indian Company, PAN Card of Indian Company and ID Proof of signing authority of Indian invitation letter

Dependents of business visa applicants can apply for business visa (Dependent). Documents required are as mentioned for Business Visa and proof of relationship and dependency Business Visa for Sports Business Visa for sports is issued to members of the sports teams visiting India to participate in the International sports competitions organized in India. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• One printed copy of the online visa application form duly signed on both pages.
• Invitation from concerned sports association/authority in India
• Recommendation letter from concerned sports association in Hong Kong/Macau
• Permission letter from Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports of Government of India (GoI) to organizers of the sports event
• Political Clearance from Ministry of External Affairs of GoI
• Clearance from Ministry of Home Affairs of GoI (wherever applicable)

Employment visa is only granted to an applicant who is highly skilled and / or qualified professional and is not granted for unskilled, routine, ordinary or secretarial / clerical jobs. The foreign national being sponsored for an Employment Visa in any sector should draw a salary of more than Indian rupees 16.25 lakhs per annum. All applicants may please note that employment visa is granted only if the applicant is being paid salary in India by the Indian company. Employment Visa may be granted to the persons coming to India for employment in a company/firm/organization registered in India or for employment in a foreign company /firm/organization engaged for execution of some project in India; Persons engineers/technicians coming to India for installation and commissioning of equipments/machines/tools in terms of the contract for supply of such equipment/machine/tools; Persons personnel deputed for providing technical support/services, transfer of know-how/ services supplies for which the Indian company pays fees/royalty to the foreign company; Persons coming to India as consultant on contract for whom the Indian company pays a fixed remuneration (this may not be in the form of monthly salary); Persons artists engaged to conduct regular performances for the duration of the employment contract given by Hotels, Clubs, and other organizations; Persons who are coming to India to take up employment as coaches of national/state level teams or reputed sports clubs; Persons sportsmen who are given contract for a specified period by the Indian Clubs/organizations; Self-employed Persons coming to India for providing engineering, medical, accounting, legal or such other highly skilled services in their capacity as independent consultants provided the provision of such services by foreign nationals is permitted under law; language teachers/interpreters; specialist Chefs; those going to India to India for Employment in NGOs or doing Volunteer work with NGOs. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• Offer of appointment from the employer in India clearly mentioning the profile of the employer and complete details of the profile & passport of the applicant
• Copy of employment contract mentioning terms and conditions, including nature of job, details of emoluments, tax related issues signed by both employer and prospective employee
• Letter from Indian employer stating/justifying requirement to recruit the position from outside India
• Copy of registration of company/Institute in India
• Recommendation from Hong Kong/Macau Company (in case of transfer/secondment)
• Resume/C.V. showing qualification and work experience of the applicant.
• Form-V  providing additional details required for employment visa

Dependents of employment visa applicants can apply for employment visa (Dependent). Documents required are as mentioned for employment Visa and proof of relationship and dependency

Student Visa is issued to a foreigner whose sole objective is to pursue on-campus, full time (structured) courses (including English and other language courses and vocational education) at educational institutions (Central/ State Government Educational Institutions & Private Educational Institutions) duly recognized by statutory regulatory body and have acquired statutory authorization to conduct the course(s) complying with GST regulations; for higher education including in South Asian University and Nalanda University; for student exchange programme; for school education; for studies in Yoga, Vedic Culture and Indian Systems of Music and dance; for Buddhist studies (institution should be recognized by Ministry of Home affairs, GoI for admitting foreign students); for Theological Studies; for missionary students; for research scholar, visiting Research faculty, research scholar on bilateral exchange programme, members of botanical, scientific, anthropological expeditions; for those coming for internship in India (including those coming under French VIE programme; applicants who intend to pursue internship in Indian companies, educational institutions and NGOs; interns who are sponsored by Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales(AIESEC). Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• Letter of admission from recognized Indian institution
• Copy of Birth Certificate
• Letter from parent (in case of minor) regarding financial support along with copy of his/her Hong Kong/Macau ID and bank statement.
• Proof of fees paid
• Copy of letter issued by Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI to institution stating that the institution is recognized for admitting foreign students for study of yoga, vedic culture/Indian system of dance/music, as applicable
• No objection Certificate from Ministry of Health, GOI to institution stating that the institution is recognized for admitting foreign students (in case of admission to medical or Para-medical course)

Eligibility Criteria/Additional Documentation for Student Visa for Internship in India

• The student visa for internship visa will be granted to those who have completed their graduation/post-graduation. The gap between the completion of graduation/post-graduation and the commencement of the internship should not be more than one year. In case the internship is in a Company, the foreign national being sponsored by internship should draw a minimum remuneration of Indian Rupees 7.80 lakhs per annum. There will be no minimum salary limit in the case of internship in educational institutional and NGOs. Earnings from internship will be subjected to the Indian Income Tax Regulations.
• A letter from the Indian company/educational institution/NGO concerned sponsoring for internship programme which inter-alia includes the following information: Name of company/institute/NGO in India, Address, Phone/Fax, Email, duration of internship in months, annual remuneration to be received in INR, and undertaking from the Indian company/organization concerned that they will ensure departure of the intern on completion of the internship.

Conference Visa is granted for the duration of the conference to those who are going to India for attending an international conference/seminar/workshop etc. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• A copy of the invitation letter from the organiser in India.
• Letter from the participant/employer to establish credentials of the applicant
• Clearance from Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs, GOI for foreigners participating in conferences/seminars/workshops etc (In case they are from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan, foreigners of Pakistani origin and Stateless persons)
• Political Clearances issued by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of GoI

Journalist Visa is issued to professional journalists, photographers, film producers/directors (other than commercial films), a representative of radio or television organisation, travel writers/photographers etc. travelling to India for work-related purposes; A correspondent, columnist, cartoonist, editor or professional journalist working for an association/company engaged in production or broadcast of audio news or audio visual news or current affairs programme through print media, electronic or any other form; Journalists visiting India for any other purpose like tourism. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• Sponsorship letter from the media house in Hong kong/Macau giving purpose and details of visit. In case applicant is Freelancer, accreditation letter from the local Journalist Association.
• A letter of invitation from an Indian company/sponsor (wherever applicable)
• Declaration in respect of equipment being carried, if any
• Declaration in respect of engaging an Indian liaison officer (wherever applicable)
• Journalists, editors, writers, publishers, etc. who are visiting India for purposes like tourism are requested to provide an undertaking from self and employers that they would not engage in any journalistic or reporting activities during their visit to India

Additional Important information regarding Journalist Visa:

• The applicants are required to contact on arrival in New Delhi, the External Publicity Division of the Ministry of External Affairs and in other places, the Office of the Government of India's Press Information Bureau, so that they could be given necessary assistance in various matters including planning their itineraries.
• There is no requirement for accreditation for journalists on brief professional visits to India, but temporary accreditation may be extended for journalists from reputed media organizations, if so requested by them. However, all journalists on long-term assignment in India are obliged to apply compulsorily for accreditation with Press Information Bureau (PIB). This can only be done after arrival in India.
• Journalist visas are extendable after arrival in India, for representatives of established media organizations, on the basis of letters of nomination specifying the duration of assignment and provided they hold valid PIB accreditation. Extensions are issued for up to one year at a time. Visa extensions are issued by the nearest FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) in the city where the journalist is based.
• For details on documentary filming please refer to  www.mea.gov.in/documentary-filming-in-india.htm .

For foreign nationals coming for shooting of a feature film, reality TV show, Web Shows/Series, commercial TV serials/Shows and location recee. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form: Additional Documents to be submitted along with Visa application form:

• Copy of permission letter from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, GoI for shooting of film
• A letter indicating type of production, complete address of shooting location,Phone/Fax, Email id of Local unit

Additional Important information regarding Film Visa:

• Four copies of the detailed shooting script in case of feature film and detailed concept in case of TV show/ TV serials, details of visiting film crew and location of film shooting shall be submitted by the foreign team to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for scrutiny and clearance. Proposal can either be forwarded directly or through an Indian Mission abroad. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, New Delhi may levy a fee for scrutiny of the application.
• The film has to be shot according to the script, as approved by the Government of India. In case any material deviation is considered necessary, prior permission of the Government of India has to be obtained by the foreign team.
• Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will attach a liaison officer to the foreign team. He will stay and travel with the team. The actual expenses on the boarding, lodging and travel of the liaison officer, in connection with the shooting of the film, will be met by the Government of India.
• The shooting of the film must be done in the presence of the liaison officer (where liaison officer has been attached) who will, as part of his/ her duties, ensure that nothing detrimental to the image of India or the Indian people will be shot or included in the film. Should a disagreement arise in this respect, the matter shall be referred to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting whose decision shall be final. 
• The foreign team must show the complete film to a representative of the Government of India, in India or abroad (i.e. an Indian Mission abroad), before its actual release anywhere in the world after the film has been recommended by the expert who has scrutinized the script and certified that the film has nothing objectionable from the point of view of presentation of a correct and balanced image of the topic/ country covered. In case the foreign team desires to show the film to an Indian Mission abroad, the name of the Mission must be specified by the foreign team in advance. No portion of the film should be shown in the open forum without prior approval of the Government of India.
• Local permission, wherever required, must be obtained by the filming team from the local authorities. The list of equipment to be temporarily imported in connection with the shooting is required to be submitted to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in advance, who will issue recommendations to the Customs authorities to exempt such temporary import from Customs Duty. 
• If the film is a joint venture (Indo-foreign collaboration), the detailed agreement between the Indian and foreign party shall be furnished to the Government of India for specific clearance. 
• After the shooting is completed in India, a report giving the details of actual shots taken shall be provided, in duplicate, to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting by the Liaison Officer, in cases where a Liaison Officer has been attached with the filming unit. 
• An undertaking will be required to be given to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in case any assistance is sought from any Ministry of Government of India or from any State Government/ UT. Separate agreements, as stipulated by these Ministries will, however, have to be signed with them by the foreign team. 
• The maximum number of crew for a specific film being shot by an international production company that can be allowed under this visa regime will be 125, unless the project is of such scale that it necessitates the presence of a larger international crew in India which will be allowed on case to case basis including list of designations of the cast and crew that normally constitute part of a film shoot. The Production Company requesting for issuance of such visas may be permitted to submit the visa applications in batches depending upon schedules and requirements instead of submission of complete list of crew.
• The international cast and crew coming to India on a film visa for the film shoot shall be employed by the foreign company seeking permission to shoot the film in India and the company shall take the responsibility for the cast and crew coming to India for filming. The foreigners coming on Film Visa will have to register himself/ herself with the FRRO/ FRO concerned irrespective of the duration of the Film Visa/ stay of the foreigner in India.
• The foreigners being given the film visa may need to demonstrate that they have adequate means to support themselves in India and may need to demonstrate that they have incentive to return to their place of residence when the said Visa expires. 
• Foreigners being given film visa should refrain from commenting on any issues relating to insurgency (if any) in the areas, participating in missionary activities, meeting banned outfits or its over ground/ underground functionaries.
• The foreigners should strictly adhere to the norms and regulations of foreigner’s guidelines during their stay in the country and visit only the areas permitted for their visit. They should not visit any restricted/ protected area or prohibited place without prior permission of the competent authority.
• Money transaction for shooting of film should be done as per RBI guidelines.
• For comprehensive details on Film Visa please refer to website https://ffo.gov.in/en/permissions/step-by-step-guide

Transit visas are issued for transiting through India. It is valid for 15 days from the date of issue of the Visa. Applicant is permitted to stay for only 72 hrs in transit. Transit Visa must be obtained before departure. Transit Visas can't be obtained from immigration counters at ports of entry in India. Evidence of confirmed onward travel to a destination outside India is required. Passengers having a connecting flight for onward journey and who do not intend to leave the airport or pass through the Immigration do not need a Transit Visa. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• Copy of confirmed tickets of onward journey from India.
• Recommendation and invitation letters from the shipping companies in Hong Kong/India stating details of 'joining' the concerned vessel (for seaman only)

Foreign nationals of Indian origin and spouse/children of Indian nationals/person of Indian origin are eligible for entry visa which may be granted for a period of six months to five years depending on the purpose and the status of the applicant. This type of visa entitles the holder to a continuous stay in India up to six months on each visit and may allow a continuous stay beyond six months (180 days) provided the holder registers himself/herself with the nearest Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) within two weeks of arrival in India. In addition, foreign nationals coming to India to join Auroville Foundation, Aurobindo Ashram, Missionaries of charity, Temples or similar approved organizations and certain other categories to be decided by the Consulate are also granted entry visa. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• Copy of last held Indian Passport, Form-XXII (issued by the concerned Indian Mission/Post at the time of surrender of Indian passport) and Surrender Certificate/ Deemed Surrender Certificate (for persons of Indian origin).
• Nationalization Certificate
• Copy of last held Indian passport, Form-XXII (issued by the concerned Indian Mission/Post at the time of surrender of Indian passport) and surrender/deemed surrender certificate (if applicable) of parents/spouse or OCI/PIO card of parents/spouse along with birth certificate/marriage certificate *

* Marriage and birth certificate; (i) Issued in India and submitted along with visa application must be first apostilled by MEA as per the details at https://www.mea.gov.in/apostille.htm .

(ii) I ssued in Hong Kong/Macau, submitted along with visa application like birth/marriage/death/divorce must be apostilled by respective High Court.

(iii) Issued in third country (other than India/Hong Kong/Macau) must be first authenticated by Indian mission in that country or mission of that country in Hong Kong/Macau.

11. Medical Visa Medical Visa is issued for the purpose of seeking medical treatment in recognised/specialised treatment centres in India. Medical documents establishing the need for medical treatment in India along with the offer of treatment from a recognised medical institution in India are necessary to consider grant of Medical Visa. Proof of availability of sufficient funds for the duration of stay and the expenses for medical treatment in India should also be submitted with confirmed return tickets. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• Offer of treatment from recognized Hospital in India
• Recommendation letter from treating Doctor from Hong Kong/Macau to undergo treatment in India.
• Bank statement as proof of financial standing 
• As per the latest instructions, commissioning of surrogacy in India by foreign nationals (including OCI cardholders) is not permitted and no visa is now granted for this purpose

Medical attendant visa is issued to family members/attendants of patients who are granted medical visa to undergo treatment in India. Following additional documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• Letter from Medical authorities in Hong Kong specifying the requirement of medical attendant
• Letter from Indian Hospital authorities recommending the need of medical attendant.
• Copy of Medical Visa of the patient who is required to be accompanied by the applicant (in case medical visa is already issued)

Applicants can apply for this service to transfer an already issued valid visa on an old passport to a new valid passport. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• Original new passport with at least two blank pages and minimum 6 months validity
• Original old passport containing valid visa and copy of profile page of old passport
• Copy of valid visa page in the old passport

Pakistani nationals are not eligible to apply for tourist visa. Instead, Pakistani nationals those coming to visit relatives or friends are required to apply for visit visa. Following documents are to be submitted along with visa application form:

• Proof of travel such as leave/vacation letters from employers, tour package receipts booked from travel agents, self-made tours including details planned itinerary and copy of latest bank statement
• Sponsorship certificate , Form-1 and Personal Particular Form  

14. In addition to above categories of visa, Consulate General of India in Hong Kong also issues Mountaineering Visa (for foreign nationals coming to India for mountaineering expeditions), Missionary Visa (for foreign nationals coming to India whose sole objective is missionary work in approved organisations not involving preaching) and Pilgrim Visa for Pakistani nationals (for Pakistani nationals coming to India for pilgrim purpose under religious protocol). Please contact Indian Consulate or external application service centre (managed by M/s BLS  International Services Limited)  for further details.

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Sri lanka launches new e-visa system: everything you need to know.

Sri Lanka launched an e-visa system, streamlining the visa application process for travellers. The initiative offers updated requirements, fees, and validity periods, enhancing efficiency and convenience for various nationalities visiting for tourism, business, or transit.

• Police Clearance report.
• If the applicant has stayed in another country for more than 6 months, a Police clearance from that country and a copy of the Visa.
• Certificate from a Sri Lankan guarantor & a photocopy of the guarantor's NIC.
• Affidavit from a Sri Lankan JP (Justice of Peace) or a Lawyer.
• Accommodation information (Place of stay).
• Visit the official website of Sri Lanka eVisa.
• Create an account or log in if you already have one.
• Fill out the online application form with accurate details.
• Upload the required documents, including a scanned copy of your passport, a recent photograph, and any additional documents specified for your eVisa category.
• Pay the eVisa fee securely online using the available payment options.
• Once your application is submitted and payment is confirmed, you will receive an acknowledgment receipt and a unique application reference number.
• Track the status of your eVisa application online using your reference number.
• Upon approval, download and print your eVisa to present to the Immigration officer at the port of entry in Sri Lanka.
• A printed copy of your eVisa approval letter issued by the Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration.
• Your passport with a validity of at least six months from the date of entry into Sri Lanka.
• A return ticket or proof of onward travel from Sri Lanka.

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The Visa Bulletin

Visa Statistics

Laws & Regulations

Accepting, Serving in, or Performing Duties of a Position with the Government of a Foreign State - Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Sectioin 349(a)(4)

Loss of U.S. Nationality and Service in the Armed Forces of a Foreign State - Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Section 349(a)(3)

Visa Bulletin For May 2024

Number 89 Volume X Washington, D.C

View as Printer Friendly PDF

A. STATUTORY NUMBERS FOR PREFERENCE IMMIGRANT VISAS

This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during May  for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.

Unless otherwise indicated on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website at  www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo , individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with USCIS must use the “Final Action Dates” charts below for determining when they can file such applications. When USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for the fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, USCIS will state on its website that applicants may instead use the “Dates for Filing Visa Applications” charts in this Bulletin. 

1.  Procedures for determining dates. Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; USCIS reports applicants for adjustment of status. Allocations in the charts below were made, to the extent possible, in chronological order of reported priority dates, for demand received by April 1st . If not all demand could be satisfied, the category or foreign state in which demand was excessive was deemed oversubscribed. The final action date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who could not be reached within the numerical limits. If it becomes necessary during the monthly allocation process to retrogress a final action date, supplemental requests for numbers will be honored only if the priority date falls within the new final action date announced in this bulletin. If at any time an annual limit were reached, it would be necessary to immediately make the preference category “unavailable”, and no further requests for numbers would be honored.

2.  The fiscal year 2024 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants determined in accordance with Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is 226,000.  The worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000.  Section 202 prescribes that the per-country limit for preference immigrants is set at 7% of the total annual family-sponsored and employment-based preference limits, i.e., 25,620.  The dependent area limit is set at 2%, or 7,320.

3.  INA Section 203(e) provides that family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition in behalf of each has been filed. Section 203(d) provides that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal. The visa prorating provisions of Section 202(e) apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa issuances will exceed the per-country limit. These provisions apply at present to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas:  CHINA-mainland born, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES. 

4.  Section 203(a) of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of Family-sponsored immigrant visas as follows: 

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

First : ( F1 ) Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens:  23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.

Second : Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents:  114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, plus any unused first preference numbers:

A. ( F2A ) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents:  77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;

B. ( F2B ) Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents:  23% of the overall second preference limitation.

Third : ( F3 ) Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens:  23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.

Fourth : ( F4 ) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens:  65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.

A.   FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES

On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); "C" means current, i.e., numbers are authorized for issuance to all qualified applicants; and "U" means unauthorized, i.e., numbers are not authorized for issuance. (NOTE: Numbers are authorized for issuance only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the final action date listed below.)

For May, F2A numbers  EXEMPT from per-country limit  are authorized for issuance to applicants from all countries with priority dates  earlier  than 08NOV20. F2A numbers  SUBJECT to per-country limit  are authorized for issuance to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO , with priority dates beginning 08NOV20 and earlier than 01JUN21. All F2A numbers provided for MEXICO are exempt from the per-country limit.

B.  DATES FOR FILING FAMILY-SPONSORED VISA APPLICATIONS

The chart below reflects dates for filing visa applications within a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date earlier than the application date in the chart below may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions. The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa. If a category is designated “current,” all applicants in the relevant category may file applications, regardless of priority date.

The “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and that applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date which is earlier than the listed date may file their application.

Visit www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for information on whether USCIS has determined that this chart can be used (in lieu of the chart in paragraph 4.A.) this month for filing applications for adjustment of status with USCIS. 

5.  Section 203(b) of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of Employment-based immigrant visas as follows: 

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES

First :  Priority Workers:  28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.

Second :  Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability:  28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.

Third :  Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers:  28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to "*Other Workers".

Fourth :  Certain Special Immigrants:  7.1% of the worldwide level.

Fifth :  Employment Creation:  7.1% of the worldwide level, of which 32% are reserved as follows: 20% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in a rural area; 10% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in a high unemployment area; and 2% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in infrastructure projects. The remaining 68% are unreserved and are allotted for all other qualified immigrants.

A.  FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES

*Employment Third Preference Other Workers Category: Section 203(e) of the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997, as amended by Section 1(e) of Pub. L. 105-139, provides that once the Employment Third Preference Other Worker (EW) cut-off date has reached the priority date of the latest EW petition approved prior to November 19, 1997, the 10,000 EW numbers available for a fiscal year are to be reduced by up to 5,000 annually beginning in the following fiscal year. This reduction is to be made for as long as necessary to offset adjustments under the NACARA program. Since the EW final action date reached November 19, 1997 during Fiscal Year 2001, the reduction in the EW annual limit to 5,000 began in Fiscal Year 2002. For Fiscal Year 2024 this reduction will be limited to approximately 150.

B.  DATES FOR FILING OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA APPLICATIONS

The chart below reflects dates for filing visa applications within a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date earlier than the application date in the chart may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions. The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa. If a category is designated “current,” all applicants in the relevant category may file, regardless of priority date.

Visit www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for information on whether USCIS has determined that this chart can be used (in lieu of the chart in paragraph 5.A.) this month for filing applications for adjustment of status with USCIS. 

B .   DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY FOR THE MONTH OF MAY

Section 203(c) of the INA provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit additional immigration opportunities for persons from countries with low admissions during the previous five years.  The NACARA stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program.  Visa numbers made available to NACARA applicants in FY 2023 will result in reduction of the DV-2024 annual limit to approximately 54,850.  Section 5104 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 amended the NACARA’s provisions on the Diversity Visa program such that the number of visas made available under the NDAA will be deducted from the 55,000 DVs annually allocated.  These amendments will not impact the number of diversity visas available until FY 2025.  DVs are divided among six geographic regions. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.

For May , immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2024 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers  BELOW  the specified allocation cut-off number:

Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal (visa) year for which the applicant is selected in the lottery. The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2024 program ends as of September 30, 2024. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2024 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2024 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2024. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2024 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.

C.   THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN JUNE

For June , immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2024 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers  BELOW  the specified allocation cut-off number:

D.   EMPLOYMENT FOURTH PREFERENCE (SR) RELIGIOUS WORKERS CATEGOY EXTENDED

H.R. 2882, signed on March 23, 2024, extended the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) category until September 30, 2024.  No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight September 29, 2024.  Visas issued prior to that date will be valid only until September 29, 2024, and all individuals seeking admission in the non-minister special immigrant category must be admitted (repeat admitted) into the United States no later than midnight September 29, 2024. 

The SR category is subject to the same final action dates as the other Employment Fourth Preference categories per applicable foreign state of chargeability. 

E.   ANNUAL WAITING LIST REPORT OF IMMIGRANT VISA APPLICANTS IN THE FAMILY-SPONSORED AND EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES REGISTERED AT THE NATIONAL VISA CENTER AS OF NOVEMBER 1, 2023

The National Visa Center has provided the totals of applicants who are registered in the various numerically-limited immigrant categories for processing at overseas posts.  This information is available on the Consular Affairs www.travel.state.gov website.  The direct link to the item is:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-statistics/immigrant-visa-statistics.html

F.   U.S. GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS (SIVs)

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, signed into law on December 22, 2023, may affect certain current and former employees of the U.S. Government abroad applying for SIVs or adjustment of status, as described in section 101(a)(27)(D) of the INA.  This does not affect certain Iraqis and Afghans applying for SQ and SI SIVs.  Applicants should contact the consular section at which they filed their Form DS‑1884 for further information on the impact of that law on their case.

G.   FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON VISA PROCESSING AT U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES, PLEASE VISIT THE BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT TRAVEL.STATE.GOV

Department of State Publication 9514

CA/VO: April 3, 2024

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More H-1B visa holders are switching jobs – the process explained

• The employer must make sure that it is submitting correct fees, otherwise the H-1B extension request will get rejected. If the H-1B worker has already ‘ported’ and the extension gets rejected, the H-1B worker cannot continue working as they would have fallen out of status.
• The H-1B has a maximum duration of six years. Therefore, the new employer should make sure that when bringing on a new H-1B worker, there is enough time left out of the maximum of six years. If a labor certification application has been filed one year before the sixth year, the employer can obtain an additional one year beyond the sixth year. If the I-140 petition is approved, and the H-1B worker is born to a backlogged country like India, the employer can request 3 year extensions of the H-1B petition until the employee’s priority date becomes current.
• While labor certification and I-140 petitions filed by the previous employer can enable H-1B extensions beyond the sixth year with the new employer, the new employer would have to start a new green card process such as filing a new labor certification all over again but can recapture the priority date from the old I-140 petition.
• If the H-1B worker has also filed an I-485 application for adjustment of status, which has been pending for more than 180 days, then the worker can port to a new employer and still keep intact the green card process filed by the previous employer.