India eVisa | Passport Upload | Allowed Entry Ports and More

The India e-Visa is an official document required to enter and travel inside the country. People traveling for tourism, business, or medical reasons can apply for and receive a visa to India online. The process is straightforward and makes entering the country smoother than ever before. 

Travelers from 171 countries can get their India visa entirely online, valid for tourism, business, or medical trips. Remember to print it before flying and use it at allowed entry ports.

Read on to learn more about the e-visa types, passport upload, and port of entry below.

India e-Visa for Tourism

India issues e-Visas for tourism purposes. However, transit visas are not considered e-Visas. 

Purpose of Visit

Foreign travelers are allowed the following activities:

• to visit friends and family
• recreation
• explore India’s culture and landscape
• arrive on a cruise, and attend short-term yoga programs
• Indian language and other short courses (without qualifying certificate or diploma and duration must be less than 6 months)

Types of Tourist e-Visas

There are three types of India e-Visas for tourism. Foreigners can apply for e-tourist visas that are valid for 30 days, one year, five years. A 10-year regular visa for tourism(not an e-Visa) is available to select few nationals. 

India e-Visa for Business

Citizens of eligible countries can apply for an e-Visa for business online. Travelers holding the electronic visa can visit India to attend business meetings, seminars, and workshops. 

Validity: 365 days from the grant of electronic travel authorization (ETA)

Entries: Multiple-entry visa

Duration of stay: 180 days

Stays more than 180 days: Travelers who wish to stay more than 180 days will have to register with the FRRO (Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office). 

Some items needed for a tourist eVisa

Passport image

Personal details (name, dob, etc)

Valid email address

India Visa for Medical Visit

The e-Visa is granted only for medical treatments in India. The visa policy for India in regard to medical treatments is lenient. Foreigners with certain ailments can get medical visas on priority. Remember, the vetting process for the Indian medical e-Visa is stricter. 

Therefore, the applicants should be genuine visitors for medical treatment. Foreigners have to provide a letter of invitation from the hospital in India to apply for the visa. They have to provide proof of funds to sustain themselves during the period of treatment. 

Validity: 60 days 

Entries: Maximum three times (triple entry)

India Visa for Conferences

The e-Visa is issued to foreigners attending conferences, meetings, or workshops organized by the Indian government, educational institutions, or companies.  The electronic visa validity is for the duration of the conference ( upto 30 days).

However, they have the option to club the visa with a short-term tourist visa. The applicants need to provide a letter of invitation from the organizers of the meeting while applying for the visa. 

Important Note

If the agenda of the conference deals with socially, politically, and religiously sensitive issues, the e-Visa can be denied. Also, foreigners may not get a visa to attend meetings organized in restricted areas of the country. 

Additionally, other types of Indian e-Visas such as medical attendant, Ayush and Ayush attendant, e-Emergency X Misc.  for Afghan nationals are also available.

Passport Upload

Uploading the passport is a crucial step in the India e-Visa application process. Ensure a smooth journey by following the guidelines below.

Uploading Passport 

It is mandatory for applicants of an Indian e-Visa to upload scanned copies of their passports, irrespective of the nature of their visit and their country of origin ( eligible countries only).

• Applicants can scan the document using a scanner or smartphone camera, provided images are not pixelated or blurry.
• It must be clear, legible, and machine-readable. Note that if the image is not clear it can be a reason for visa rejection or delays.
• The size of the scanned copy should not be more than 600 (height) pixels by 800 pixels (width).

Uploading a Picture of Self

Applicants must keep the following points:

• They can get a professional’s help taking photographs or use a smartphone
• The photographs should be clear, concise, and plain.
• There should not be any glare or shadow
• The tone quality must be continuous
• The height and width of the image should be equal, and it should be a 2 "X2" size color image
• The applicants’ full faces should be covered with eyes wide open

Pro Tip

"Fill out your e-Visa application at least two weeks in advance."

-Natvisa Specialist

Guidelines for India e-Visa Photo Requirements

The guidelines are as follows:

• Facial expression: Maintain a natural expression
• Headgear and glasses: Do not wear head coverings or spectacles
• Camera usage: Exercise caution when using smartphone cameras for passport photos.
• Background: Avoid colorful backgrounds like parks or beaches; selfies with others are not permitted.
• Preferred background: Stand in front of a plain wall, specifically white or off-white.
• Posture and visibility: Stand upright, eyes open, ensuring the full face is visible from the top of the hair to the chin.
• Photo Specifications: The passport photo should not include any borders.

Uploading Supporting Documents

The following points must be kept in mind :

Document types

• Submit additional documents as required by the specific India e-Visa type

Scanning requirements

• Use A4 size paper for scans
• Ensure scans are in color
• Keep the documents unobstructed, legible, and clear

Organization of documents

• Arrange the documents in two categories: applicant’s and sponsor’s details
• Avoid stapling the documents

Scanning and Uploading

• Use a scanner or a smartphone camera for scanning.
• Ensure scanned images are not pixelated or blurry to avoid visa application denial.

Natvisa Suggests

We process India e-Visa for tourism and business. Our experts at Natvisa accept all image formats as long as they are clear and not blurred. We will resize the passport image and upload it, so it is in line with the Indian government guidelines. 

Based on the selected processing option (expedited or standard), our team will send the e-Visa to the email provided.

What If the e-Visa is Rejected?

The e-Visa can be rejected because of various reasons. If the electronic visa is rejected, applicants can approach the nearest Indian mission to apply for a regular visa.

The reasons for visa rejection can vary from hiding the criminal background to a blurry face photograph. 

Note: Travelers with special, official, or diplomatic passports should apply for a regular visa. 

Avoid Multiple Visa Applications 

Do not apply for the electronic visa several times. If the e-Visa application is denied, applicants will need to wait for our team’s email with the next steps required.

Rest assured, if the electronic visa application is denied, we will work with the applicants to resolve any issues. 

Extending the e-Visa 

As of now, Indian e-Visas cannot be extended or converted.

Visiting Protected Sites 

The Indian government has prohibited foreigners from visiting some areas of the country, like parts of Jammu and Kashmir, parts of Rajasthan, Mizoram, and Nagaland, due to various security reasons like extremism and terrorism. 

Special Permit

However, international travelers with prior special permission are allowed to visit these areas. To promote tourism, the Indian government also grants a Protected Area Permit (PAP)/ Restricted Area Permit (RAP) to foreign tourists who do not pose a threat to the country’s security. 

For instance, the RAP is required to visit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and part of Sikkim. 

India e-Visa Port of Entry Options

The available airports that accept e-Visa are:

• Ahmedabad (AMD)
• Amritsar (ATQ)
• Bagdogra (IXB)
• Bengaluru (BLR)
• Bhubaneshwar (BBI)
• Calicut (CCJ)
• Chandigarh (IXC)
• Chennai (MAA)
• Cochin (COK)
• Coimbatore (CJB)
• Delhi (DEL)
• Gaya (GAY)
• Goa (GOI)
• Guwahati (GAU)
• Hyderabad (HYD)
• Jaipur (JAI)
• Kolkata (CCU)
• Lucknow (LKO)
• Madurai (IXM)
• Mangalore (IXE)
• Mumbai (BOM)
• Nagpur (NAG)
• Portblair Airport (IXZ)
• Pune (PNQ)
• Tiruchirappalli (TRZ)
• Trivandrum (TRV)
• Varanasi (VNS)
• Vishakhapatnam (VTZ).

Indian Airports that Allow the e-Visa

Indian Seaports that Allow the e-Visa

Cruise Passengers

The following Indian ports of entry accept electronic visa if passengers are arriving by ship:

• Cochin seaport
• Chennai seaport
• Goa seaport
• Mangalore seaport
• Mumbai seaport

Popular FAQs

1.  What does a traveler need if they come from a country affected by yellow fever? 

Ans: Visitors from a Yellow fever-impacted nation must carry a Yellow Fever vaccination card when traveling to India. Failure to comply may result in quarantine for 6 days upon arrival to India. 

2.  Can the India e-Visa be expedited?

Ans: Yes, Natvisa provides expedited India e-Visa in just two days.

Pro Tip

"Make sure your image of self is front facing and eyes are open. This will avoid delays."

-Natvisa Specialist

Conclusion

Citizens from over 170 countries can now apply for an India e-Visa entirely online, bypassing the need for embassy visits. This quick and easy process, suitable for tourism, business, or medical visits, requires travelers to print their e-Visa for entry at specific ports.Options include tourist visas ranging from 30 days to 5 years, multiple-entry business visas, triple-entry medical visas, and conference visas for particular events.

Applicants can easily upload a passport scan and photograph, with some visas requiring extra documents. However, not all ports of entry accept India e-Visas.Additionally, travelers from yellow fever countries must carry a vaccination card to prevent quarantine. For expedited processing, travelers can apply through Natvisa.