Are you planning on traveling to India sometime soon? India is an Asian country immersed in culture, innovative architecture, and amazingly spiced food. If you want a taste of India’s charm, you must have a visa before entering. Some other requirements for entry include your passport and supplemental documents. Keep reading to find out which Indian visa you need to apply for and how.
Passport Validity
Many countries require travelers to have six months of validity on passports to enter their country. This requirement is to avoid complications. If your passport expires within that time, you may not be able to get back into your country. Double-check that your passport has not or will expire within the next six months before your trip. If you do not have enough validity, you will have to get a passport renewal.
It is also a good idea to carry photocopies of the personal data page of your passport, the pages containing the Indian visa and immigration stamps. If your passport is lost or stolen, The U.S. Embassy cannot assist you with your proper documentation once you have arrived in India.
Indian Visa Requirements
All U.S. citizens who want to enter India will require an Indian Visa. Travelers are responsible for making sure they obtain the correct visa. The wrong visa will send you back right where you came from. When applying for your visa, you must know precisely which visa you need and how to get it.
There are two different kinds of visas to look into before you apply. The first visa is an Electronic Travel Authorization that acts as a tourist visa and should be used if you plan to stay in India for less than 60 days. The second visa is for those who travel to India for research, study, work, or missionary purposes. This second visa also applies to travelers planning to stay more than 180 days.
Electronic Travel Authorization
Travelers looking to stay in India must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization or ETA. ETA is a visa that you can apply for under five different categories. They five categories you can apply under are e-Tourist, e-Business, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant, and e-Conference. If You are an e-Tourist, or e-Business applicant, you must apply a minimum of four days in advance of the date of your arrival into India. All other applicants should apply four days before their date of arrival, but may leave anytime within 120 days of applying.
Once you are approved, confirm that your ETA status is showing as “GRANTED.” Be sure to travel with your ETA in hand. Before you are granted an ETA visa, it will require documentation and photos you must upload.
Here is what all applicants will need to provide:
- A recent, front-facing photograph taken on a white background
- Photo of passport personal data page including your name, date of birth, nationality etc.( you must travel with the same passport you applied for your visa with)
- Non-refundable processing fee
There are also some additional documents, depending on the ETA you apply for.
e-Tourist Visa
- For short-term courses or studies, provide a copy of a letter from the institute/organization/hospital, etc.
- For volunteer work of short duration, provide a copy of a letter from the organization.
e-Medical Visa
- Copy of Letter from the Hospital concerned in India, including the date/ tentative date on which admission has been suggested.
e-Business Visa
- A Copy of a Business Card
- Any letter of invitation from Indian parties which you wish to conduct business with (optional)
e-Conference Visa
- Political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs
- Invitation from organizer
- Event clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs
Long Stay Visa
All Travelers planning to stay in India for more than 180 days must register their visit or residency within 14 days of arrival in India. You may register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office or the FRRO. Before registering, you must find the FRRO office closest to you with your appropriate visa. You can find a list of all the visa applications on the Government of India’s visa portal. FRRO offices you can register at include Cochin, Lucknow, Goa, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Amritsar, Kolkata, New Delhi, Calicut, Bengaluru, and Trivandrum.
Exiting India with a Visa
India has yet to have specific exit requirements. However, there are still reasons you may need help to exit India. One reason is overstaying your visa; it takes 90 or more days to resolve your fees and process your exit permit application. You may also get fined or, in some cases, jail if you violate any Indian visa Regulations. The Ministry of Home Affairs will need to clear you to leave the country.
Getting a U.S. Passport
To travel to India, you must have at least six months of validity on your passport. If you are traveling soon and your passport has or is soon to expire, you will need to apply for an expedited passport. You can apply for one typically at a post office or courthouse. However, passport processing time can take 6-10 weeks.
If you don’t want to wait long for your expedited passport, please consider a private courier. Private couriers like The Passport Office can get you an expedited passport in as little as three days! You can apply with The Passport Office today for your expedited passport in Tampa, Miami, Orlando, and Hollywood.
