India Visa Application Office|Visa Form,Fees,Address,Contact Number

GENERAL POLICY GUIDELINES RELATING TO INDIAN VISA

• Possession of travel documents

In terms of the provisions in the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, and the Rules made thereunder, every foreigner entering India must be in possession of a valid national passport or any other internationally recognised travel document establishing his/her nationality and identity and bearing – (a) his/ her photograph, and (b) a valid visa for India granted by an authorised Indian representative abroad (except to the extent mentioned in paras 2, 4 and 5 below).

2.Identity documents required for citizens of Nepal and Bhutan for travelling to India

• A citizen of Nepal or Bhutan entering India by land or air over the Nepal or the Bhutan border does not require a passport or visa for entry into India. However, he/she should be in possession of any of the following identity documents –
  • Nepalese/ Bhutanese Passport; or
  • Nepalese/ Bhutanese Citizenship Certificate; or
  • Voter Identification Card issued by the Election Commission of Nepal/ Bhutan; or
  • Limited validity photo-identity certificate issued by Nepalese Mission/ Royal Bhutanese Mission in India when deemed necessary.
  • For children between age group of 10-18 years, photo ID issued by the Principal of the School, if accompanied by parents having valid travel documents. No such document is required for children below the age group of 10 years.
• A citizen of Nepal or Bhutan must be in possession of a Passport when entering India from a place other than Nepal/
• A citizen of Nepal or Bhutan must have a visa for India if he/she is entering India from China, Macau, Hong Kong, Pakistan and
• If a citizen of Nepal or Bhutan visits India on valid Nepalese/ Bhutanese passport, he/ she may not be allowed to proceed to any third country from India, unless he/ she obtains a ‘No objection Certificate’ from the Embassy of Nepal/ Royal Bhutanese Mission in

• A photograph is necessary irrespective of age e. even for minor children below 15 years of age, if their name is included in the passport of either of their parents.
• Minor children whose names are entered in their parent’s passport must obtain a valid Indian visa for travel to India.

Note:   Children above the age of 16 years must possess a separate valid national passport, to travel to India. Children who have arrived on their parent’s passport must obtain a separate passport when they attain the age of 16 years while in India.

5.Application for grant of visa

An applicant for a visa shall have to submit an application on the on-line system in the standard visa application form. For this purpose, the applicants may log on

to https://indianvisaonline.gov.in . The foreigner should be present within the jurisdiction of the Indian Mission/ Post concerned at the time of making an application and grant of visa.

6.Period of validity of passport and visa

Passport should have at least six months validity at the time of making application for grant of visa. It should have at least two blank pages for stamping by the Immigration Officer. The validity of all visas will commence from the date of issue of visa.

7.Application from non-residents

A foreigner can apply for any type of visa (including Employment/ Business Visa) from a country other than the country of his origin/ domicile. However, in such cases, visa will be granted only after consulting the Indian Mission concerned in the country of origin/ domicile of the foreigner.

8. Fee for visa

Fee for the grant of a visa will be charged in local currency in accordance with the instructions issued by the Ministry of External Affairs from time to time. Except in cases where a visa is cancelled, visa fee shall not be refunded. In cases where a visa has not been utilised within its validity period, the fee realised is not refundable.

9.Categories of visa

Main categories of visa being granted to a foreign national and sub-categories of visa are given in

Appendix-I.

• Activities permitted on a visa

Foreign nationals shall be required to strictly adhere to the purpose of visit declared while submitting the visa application. However, a foreign national (other than a Pakistani national) coming to India on any type of visa will be allowed to avail activities permitted under Tourist Visa.

• For all visa related services within India like registration, extension of visa, exit permission , application is to be submitted online to the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO)/ Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) concerned. For this purpose, please visit https://indianfrro.gov.in

• Conversion of e-visa/ Visa-on-Arrival/ Tourist Visa/ Employment Visa/ Business Visa/ Student Visa/ Research Visa to Entry visa

If a foreign national on e-visa/ Visa-on-Arrival/ Tourist Visa/ Employment Visa/ Business Visa/ Student Visa/ Research Visa marries an Indian national/ Person of Indian Origin/ OCI cardholder during the validity of his/her Visa, his/ her visa may be converted to Entry [‘X-2’] Visa by FRRO/ FRO concerned.

13.Procedure to be adopted in case a foreigner on Tourist/ Employment/Business/ Student/ Research Visa falls ill after coming to India

If such a visa holder is suffering from a minor medical condition which does not require hospitalization and prolonged treatment, then he/ she will be allowed to take treatment.   Further, in case of sudden illness which requires continuous treatment of less than 180 days or the stay stipulation period prescribed on the visa, the foreigner can take permission for treatment from

FRRO/ FRO concerned by submitting a medical certificate from a government / ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research)/ NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers)/ MCI (Medical Council of India)/ CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) recognized hospital. FRRO/ FRO concerned   will issue a ‘Medical Permit’ without converting the Visa to a Medical Visa. Conversion to Medical Visa will be required only if the treatment exceeds 180 days or the stay stipulation period prescribed on the visa.

14.Conversion of visa of Person of Indian Origin to Entry Visa

e-visa/ Visa-on-Arrival/ Tourist Visa/ Employment Visa/ Business Visa/ Student Visa/ Research Visa of Persons of Indian Origin, who are otherwise entitled for Entry Visa, may be converted to Entry [‘X-1’] Visa by FRRO/ FRO concerned.

15.Restriction on engaging in tabligh activities

Foreign nationals granted any type of visa and OCI cardholders shall not be permitted to engage themselves in tabligh work. There will be no restriction in visiting religious places and attending normal religious activities like attending religious discourses. However, preaching religious ideologies, making speeches in religious places, distribution of audio or visual display/ pamphlets pertaining to religious ideologies, spreading conversion etc. will not be allowed.

16.Issue of short duration visa to foreign nationals already holding longer duration visa

In the event of a foreign national availing short duration visas such as Conference Visa, Transit visa, e-Visa and Visa-on-Arrival while already having a long duration visa for India like multiple entry Tourist/ Business/ Employment/ Student/ Research Visas, the long duration visas will not get cancelled. In such cases, the long duration visa will be kept on hold for the period of the short duration visa.

17.Dock Entry Permit to foreigners visiting the dock area in the seaports

Foreigners must take NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the FRRO/ FRO concerned at the respective seaport to enter the dock area as the port premise is a notified Prohibited Place.   In such circumstances, the local shipping agents should make a request to the FRRO/ FRO concerned to issue “No Objection Certificate”.. Such Dock Entry Permit will be issued by the Port authorities only on the basis of NOC from the FRRO/ FRO concerned.

18. Persons arriving from Yellow Fever (YF) endemic countries

Persons arriving from Yellow Fever (YF) endemic countries (or if he/she has visited any Yellow Fever (YF) endemic country during past 6 days) will be required to possess a valid certificate of Yellow Fever vaccination from an authorized vaccination centre. The validity period of an international certificate of vaccination for yellow fever is lifelong beginning 10 days after vaccination.

At present, the following countries are regarded as yellow fever infected: –

AFRICA: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d’ Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritiana, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda (30 countries).

AMERICA: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad (Trinidad only), Venezuela, Panama, Paraguay, Peru (13 countries).

19.Persons arriving from a country which is having public health risk

If a person is arriving from a country which is having public health risk with regard to any condition which has been declared as public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) by WHO DG, then he/ she may be required to undergo medical screening or additional measures as decided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

20.Identity documents required for Indian Citizens travelling to Nepal

A citizen of India entering Nepal by land or air does not require a passport or visa for entry. However, while travelling by air between India and Nepal, he/she is required to be in possession of any of the following identity documents –

• Valid National Passport; or
• Photo Identity card issued by the Government of India/State Govt./UT Administration in India to their employees or Election ID card issued by the Election Commission of India; or
• Emergency certificate issued by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu; or

• Identity Certificate issued by Embassy of India,
• Persons in the age group of above 65 yrs and below 15 years would be exempted from the requirement of approved identity documents mentioned at Sl.No.(i), (ii), (iii) or (iv). However, they must have some document with a photograph to confirm their age and identity such as PAN card, Driving licence, CGHS card, Ration card
• Children between the age group of 15 to 18 years may be allowed to travel between India and Nepal on the strength of the Identity Certificate issued by the Principal of the
• In case of a family (family means husband, wife, minor children and parents) traveling together, the approved identification documents at sl.no.(i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) would not be insisted upon from all the family members if one of the adult members of the family has in his/ her possession any one of the prescribed identification documents at .no.(i), (ii),

(iii) or (iv) above. The other family members must, however, have some proof of their identity with a photograph and their relationship as a family viz., CGHS Card, Ration Card, Driving license, ID card issued by School/College etc.