On November 27th of 2014, the government of India introduced the Electronic Travel Authorization which first became available for citizens of 40 countries and was called ETA. In August 2015, the eVisa scheme was expanded and is now offered to nationals of 169 countries. The India eVisa is issued for tourism, visiting friends and family, short term medical treatment and business visits.
On April 1st, 2017, the electronic authorization was renamed eVisa and has three subcategories: tourist, business and medical eVisa for India. Each type of Indian visa can be obtained by filling out a form.
The Indian eVisa is an online travel authorization that simplifies the process of obtaining a visa to visit India. The Indian electronic visa can be quickly obtained after completing an online form with the traveler’s personal details and passport information.
Citizens of 169 countries are eligible for the eVisa to enter India. Foreign travelers who wish to visit India for tourism, business purposes or short-term medical treatment can apply online for their electronic Indian visa.
The following countries are eligible to apply for a Indian eVisa online:
Albania | Andorra | Angola | Anguilla | Antigua & Barbuda | Argentina | Armenia | Aruba | Australia |
Austria | Azerbaijan | Bahamas | Barbados | Belarus | Belgium | Belize | Benin | Bolivia |
Bosnia & Herzegovina | Botswana | Brazil | Brunei | Bulgaria | Burundi | Cambodia | Cameroon | Canada |
Cape Verde | Cayman Island | Chile | China | Hong Kong | Macau | Colombia | Comoros | Cook Islands |
Costa Rica | Cote d'lvoire | Croatia | Cuba | Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark | Djibouti | Dominica |
Dominican Republic | East Timor | Ecuador | El Salvador | Equatorial Guinea | Eritrea | Estonia | fiji | Finland |
France | Gabon | Gambia | Georgia | Germany | Ghana | Greece | Grenada | Guatemala |
The validity of the eVisa will depend on the type of electronic visa that the traveler obtains to visit India. The e-Tourist visa will grant a continuous stay of up to 90 days, with the exception of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan. Citizens of these four countries will be granted a continuous stay of up to 180 days. The e-Business visa, each visit should not exceed a 180-day period.
The validity period for a tourist visa and business visa is 1 year from the approval date, with the exception of the e-Medical Patient and the e-Medical Companion visas which have a validity of 60 days.
The Indian electronic visa can be used to enter through 28 designated airports and 5 seaports. Foreign visitors must arrive in India before the eVisa expires. This type of visa cannot be extended and it is not valid for travel to restricted areas.
All travelers who apply for this electronic Indian visa are required to carry a copy of their approved eVisa at all times during their stay. To successfully apply, the applicant must have a return or onward ticket.
It is essential that the applicant’s passport is valid for at least six months from the expected date of arrival in India. Passports must have at least two blank pages as the immigration and border control authorities will stamp the document upon entry and departure.