India visa and entry requirements

Entry rules for tourists with an ordinary passport: how you enter India, how long you may stay, what to register before arrival and where to apply.

Last checked: November 9, 2026

Your passport Ordinary passport, stay as a tourist.

Choose your passport to see the entry rules for each country.

Before you travel

Passport validity: At least 6 months from the date of entry. At least six months at the time of applying for the e-Visa; the e-Visa FAQ also asks for six months from the date of arrival. A valid passport is needed for all programs except Nepal and Bhutan citizens arriving from their own country.^[1]^[6]
Blank pages: At least 2^[1]
Onward or return ticket: Required. Return or onward ticket for e-Visa travellers.^[1]
Proof of funds: Sufficient money for the stay in India, no amount stated.^[1]

Registration before arrival

e-Arrival Card Required

Who: all foreigners and OCI cardholders entering India
When: within 72 hours before arrival
Fee: Free

Also available in the official Indian Visa Su-Swagatam mobile app. It is arrival information, not a visa.^[6]^[9]

Self-Declaration Form (Air Suvidha) Required

Who: all passengers
When: before reaching the arrival immigration counters

^[7] Register on the official site (airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in)

Apply only on official sites

The Government of India does not authorize agents or intermediaries to charge fees for emergency or express visas, e-Visas or the e-Arrival card, which is free.

Agency sites that look official charge extra fees for the same forms. The official domains are: indianvisaonline.gov.in, boi.gov.in, indianfrro.gov.in, airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in

All entry options

Visa-free

Visa free entry

Visa Free Regime (Maldives)

Who can use this: 1 passports^[3]

Only for business, medical treatment or tourism.

Show passports

🇲🇻 Maldives

Stay: 90 days. The 90 days include all prior stays in India in the 6 months before the arrival date.^[3]

Requirements

Valid passport or travel document.^[3]
For more than 90 days a regular visa is needed.^[3]

Visa-free

Visa free entry

Visa Free Regime (Nepal and Bhutan)

Who can use this: 2 passports^[3]

Only when arriving from Nepal or Bhutan by land or air.

Show passports

🇧🇹 Bhutan · 🇳🇵 Nepal

Stay: Stay set at entry. No limit stated.

Requirements

No passport or visa needed, but a government approved document with photograph that proves nationality is required.^[3]
A valid passport is required when entering or leaving India to or from a place other than Nepal or Bhutan.^[3]
A passport and Indian visa are required when entering from China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan.^[3]

Visa on arrival

Visa-on-Arrival (VoA)

Who can use this: 2 passports^[3]

Not available if the traveller or a parent or grandparent was born in or a permanent resident of Pakistan.

Show passports

🇯🇵 Japan · 🇰🇷 South Korea

Stay: 60 days. Valid for 60 days with double entry, non-extendable and non-convertible.^[3]
Extension: Not possible. Non-extendable and non-convertible.^[3]
Entry points: Only at these entry points^[3]
Show the 6 entry points

Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad
Entry: Multiple entries

Requirements

For business, tourism, conference and medical purposes, including treatment under Ayush or Indian systems of medicine.^[3]

Japanese and Korean citizens can also use the e-Visa.

Visa on arrival

Visa-on-Arrival (VoA)

Who can use this: 1 passports^[3]

Only UAE nationals who earlier obtained an Indian e-Visa or regular sticker visa. Not available if the traveller or a parent or grandparent was born in or a permanent resident of Pakistan.

Show passports

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

Only UAE nationals who held an Indian e-Visa or regular visa before.

Stay: 60 days. Valid for 60 days with double entry, non-extendable and non-convertible.^[3]
Extension: Not possible. Non-extendable and non-convertible.^[3]
Entry points: Only at these entry points^[3]
Show the 9 entry points

Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Calicut, Ahmedabad
Entry: Multiple entries

Requirements

Previously held an Indian e-Visa or regular sticker visa.^[3]
For business, tourism, conference and medical purposes, including treatment under Ayush or Indian systems of medicine.^[3]

e-Visa

e-Tourist Visa, 30 days

e-Tourist Visa (30 days)

Who can use this: 163 passports^[1]

Not for holders of diplomatic, official or laissez-passer documents, or for Pakistani passports or persons of Pakistani origin.

Show passports

🇦🇱 Albania · 🇦🇩 Andorra · 🇦🇴 Angola · 🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda · 🇦🇷 Argentina · 🇦🇲 Armenia · 🇦🇺 Australia · 🇦🇹 Austria · 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan · 🇧🇸 Bahamas · 🇧🇭 Bahrain · 🇧🇩 Bangladesh · 🇧🇧 Barbados · 🇧🇾 Belarus · 🇧🇪 Belgium · 🇧🇿 Belize · 🇧🇯 Benin · 🇧🇴 Bolivia · 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina · 🇧🇼 Botswana · 🇧🇷 Brazil · 🇧🇳 Brunei · 🇧🇬 Bulgaria · 🇧🇮 Burundi · 🇰🇭 Cambodia · 🇨🇲 Cameroon · 🇨🇦 Canada · 🇨🇻 Cape Verde · 🇨🇱 Chile · 🇨🇴 Colombia · 🇰🇲 Comoros · 🇨🇷 Costa Rica · 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire · 🇭🇷 Croatia · 🇨🇺 Cuba · 🇨🇾 Cyprus · 🇨🇿 Czechia · 🇩🇰 Denmark · 🇩🇯 Djibouti · 🇩🇲 Dominica · 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic · 🇪🇨 Ecuador · 🇸🇻 El Salvador · 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea · 🇪🇷 Eritrea · 🇪🇪 Estonia · 🇸🇿 Eswatini · 🇫🇯 Fiji · 🇫🇮 Finland · 🇫🇷 France · 🇬🇦 Gabon · 🇬🇲 Gambia · 🇬🇪 Georgia · 🇩🇪 Germany · 🇬🇭 Ghana · 🇬🇷 Greece · 🇬🇩 Grenada · 🇬🇹 Guatemala · 🇬🇳 Guinea · 🇬🇾 Guyana · 🇭🇹 Haiti · 🇭🇳 Honduras · 🇭🇺 Hungary · 🇮🇸 Iceland · 🇮🇩 Indonesia · 🇮🇪 Ireland · 🇮🇱 Israel · 🇮🇹 Italy · 🇯🇲 Jamaica · 🇯🇵 Japan · 🇯🇴 Jordan · 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan · 🇰🇪 Kenya · 🇰🇮 Kiribati · 🇰🇼 Kuwait · 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan · 🇱🇦 Laos · 🇱🇻 Latvia · 🇱🇸 Lesotho · 🇱🇷 Liberia · 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein · 🇱🇹 Lithuania · 🇱🇺 Luxembourg · 🇲🇬 Madagascar · 🇲🇼 Malawi · 🇲🇾 Malaysia · 🇲🇱 Mali · 🇲🇹 Malta · 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands · 🇲🇷 Mauritania · 🇲🇺 Mauritius · 🇲🇽 Mexico · 🇫🇲 Micronesia · 🇲🇩 Moldova · 🇲🇨 Monaco · 🇲🇳 Mongolia · 🇲🇪 Montenegro · 🇲🇦 Morocco · 🇲🇿 Mozambique · 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) · 🇳🇦 Namibia · 🇳🇷 Nauru · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · 🇳🇿 New Zealand · 🇳🇮 Nicaragua · 🇳🇪 Niger · 🇲🇰 North Macedonia · 🇳🇴 Norway · 🇴🇲 Oman · 🇵🇼 Palau · 🇵🇸 Palestinian Territories · 🇵🇦 Panama · 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea · 🇵🇾 Paraguay · 🇵🇪 Peru · 🇵🇭 Philippines · 🇵🇱 Poland · 🇵🇹 Portugal · 🇶🇦 Qatar · 🇷🇴 Romania · 🇷🇺 Russia · 🇷🇼 Rwanda · 🇼🇸 Samoa · 🇸🇲 San Marino · 🇸🇳 Senegal · 🇷🇸 Serbia · 🇸🇨 Seychelles · 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone · 🇸🇬 Singapore · 🇸🇰 Slovakia · 🇸🇮 Slovenia · 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands · 🇿🇦 South Africa · 🇰🇷 South Korea · 🇪🇸 Spain · 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka · 🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis · 🇱🇨 St. Lucia · 🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines · 🇸🇷 Suriname · 🇸🇪 Sweden · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · 🇹🇼 Taiwan · 🇹🇯 Tajikistan · 🇹🇿 Tanzania · 🇹🇭 Thailand · 🇹🇬 Togo · 🇹🇴 Tonga · 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago · 🇹🇻 Tuvalu · 🇺🇬 Uganda · 🇺🇦 Ukraine · 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · 🇺🇸 United States · 🇺🇾 Uruguay · 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan · 🇻🇺 Vanuatu · 🇻🇦 Vatican City · 🇻🇪 Venezuela · 🇻🇳 Vietnam · 🇿🇲 Zambia · 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

Stay: 30 days. 30 days from the date of first arrival, multiple entries within the validity, non-extendable and non-convertible.^[1]
Fee: Depends on nationality: USD 10 in April to June, USD 25 in the other months, free for some passports. A 3% bank charge is added.^[1]^[2]
Extension: Not possible. Non-extendable and non-convertible.^[1]^[5]
Processing: Apply at least 4 days and at most 120 days before arrival; the fee must be paid at least 4 days before travel.^[1]
Entry points: Only at these entry points^[1]
Show the 87 entry points

Delhi (airport), Mumbai (airport), Chennai (airport), Kolkata (airport), Thiruvananthapuram (airport), Bengaluru (airport), Hyderabad (airport), Cochin (airport), Goa(Dabolim) (airport), Goa(Mopa) (airport), Ahmedabad (airport), Amritsar (airport), Gaya (airport), Jaipur (airport), Lucknow (airport), Trichy (airport), Varanasi (airport), Calicut (airport), Mangalore (airport), Pune (airport), Nagpur (airport), Coimbatore (airport), Bagdogra (airport), Guwahati (airport), Chandigarh (airport), Visakhapatnam (airport), Madurai (airport), Bhubaneswar (airport), Port Blair (airport), Kannur (airport), Surat (airport), Indore (airport), Vijayawada (airport), Navi Mumbai (airport), Bhopal (airport), Tirupati (airport), Bhogapuram (airport), Mumbai (seaport), Cochin (seaport), Mormugao (seaport), Chennai (seaport), New Mangalore (seaport), Port Blair (seaport), Vishakapatnam (seaport), Kattupalli (seaport), Mundra (seaport), Kamarajar (seaport), Kolkata (seaport), Nhava Sheva (seaport), Kandla (seaport), Vallarpadam (seaport), Calicut (seaport), Agatti (seaport), Vizhinjam (seaport), Kollam (seaport), Vizhinjam International (seaport), Alang (seaport), Bedi Bandar (seaport), Bhavnagar (seaport), Porbandar (seaport), Hazira (seaport), Pipavav (seaport), Mandvi (seaport), Cuddalore (seaport), Nagapattinam (seaport), Tuticorin (seaport), Kakinada (seaport), Krishnapatnam (seaport), Paradeep (seaport), Dhamra (seaport), Karaikal (seaport), Haldia (seaport), Tuna Tekra (seaport), Dahej (seaport), Sikka (seaport), Raxaul (land checkpost), Rupaidiha (land checkpost), Darranga (land checkpost), Jogbani (land checkpost), Agartala (land checkpost), Gede (land checkpost), Ghojadanga (land checkpost), Haridaspur (land checkpost), Jaigaon (land checkpost), Dawki (land checkpost), Moreh (land checkpost), Attari (land checkpost)

Entry only through the listed airports, seaports (for cruise tourists) and land checkposts; exit is allowed at any Indian immigration check post.
Entry: Multiple entries

Requirements

Passport valid for at least six months when applying, with at least two blank pages.^[1]
Return or onward ticket and sufficient money for the stay.^[1]
Printed e-Visa (ETA) shown at the immigration check post, where it is stamped on the passport. Biometrics are taken on arrival.^[1]
Each traveller, including children, needs a separate passport and application.^[1]
Permitted for recreation, sightseeing, visiting friends or relatives, short yoga programmes, short courses and short voluntary work.^[1]

Apply on the official site (indianvisaonline.gov.in)

e-Visa

e-Tourist Visa, 1 year or 5 years

e-Tourist Visa (1 year / 5 years)

Who can use this: 163 passports^[1]

Not for holders of diplomatic, official or laissez-passer documents, or for Pakistani passports or persons of Pakistani origin.

Show passports

Stay: 180 days. Valid for 365 days or 5 years from the grant of the ETA with multiple entries; total stay in a calendar year may not exceed 180 days.^[1]^[5]
Fee: USD 40 for 1 year and USD 200 for 5 years for most passports; some nationalities pay other amounts (for example USD 484 for 5 years for the UK). A 3% bank charge is added.^[1]^[2]
Extension: Not possible. Non-extendable and non-convertible.^[1]^[5]
Processing: Apply at least 4 days and at most 120 days before arrival; the fee must be paid at least 4 days before travel.^[1]
Entry points: Only at these entry points^[1]
Show the 87 entry points

Delhi (airport), Mumbai (airport), Chennai (airport), Kolkata (airport), Thiruvananthapuram (airport), Bengaluru (airport), Hyderabad (airport), Cochin (airport), Goa(Dabolim) (airport), Goa(Mopa) (airport), Ahmedabad (airport), Amritsar (airport), Gaya (airport), Jaipur (airport), Lucknow (airport), Trichy (airport), Varanasi (airport), Calicut (airport), Mangalore (airport), Pune (airport), Nagpur (airport), Coimbatore (airport), Bagdogra (airport), Guwahati (airport), Chandigarh (airport), Visakhapatnam (airport), Madurai (airport), Bhubaneswar (airport), Port Blair (airport), Kannur (airport), Surat (airport), Indore (airport), Vijayawada (airport), Navi Mumbai (airport), Bhopal (airport), Tirupati (airport), Bhogapuram (airport), Mumbai (seaport), Cochin (seaport), Mormugao (seaport), Chennai (seaport), New Mangalore (seaport), Port Blair (seaport), Vishakapatnam (seaport), Kattupalli (seaport), Mundra (seaport), Kamarajar (seaport), Kolkata (seaport), Nhava Sheva (seaport), Kandla (seaport), Vallarpadam (seaport), Calicut (seaport), Agatti (seaport), Vizhinjam (seaport), Kollam (seaport), Vizhinjam International (seaport), Alang (seaport), Bedi Bandar (seaport), Bhavnagar (seaport), Porbandar (seaport), Hazira (seaport), Pipavav (seaport), Mandvi (seaport), Cuddalore (seaport), Nagapattinam (seaport), Tuticorin (seaport), Kakinada (seaport), Krishnapatnam (seaport), Paradeep (seaport), Dhamra (seaport), Karaikal (seaport), Haldia (seaport), Tuna Tekra (seaport), Dahej (seaport), Sikka (seaport), Raxaul (land checkpost), Rupaidiha (land checkpost), Darranga (land checkpost), Jogbani (land checkpost), Agartala (land checkpost), Gede (land checkpost), Ghojadanga (land checkpost), Haridaspur (land checkpost), Jaigaon (land checkpost), Dawki (land checkpost), Moreh (land checkpost), Attari (land checkpost)

Entry only through the listed airports, seaports (for cruise tourists) and land checkposts; exit is allowed at any Indian immigration check post.
Entry: Multiple entries

Requirements

Passport valid for at least six months when applying, with at least two blank pages.^[1]
Return or onward ticket and sufficient money for the stay.^[1]
Printed e-Visa (ETA) shown at the immigration check post, where it is stamped on the passport. Biometrics are taken on arrival.^[1]
Each traveller, including children, needs a separate passport and application.^[1]
Permitted for recreation, sightseeing, visiting friends or relatives, short yoga programmes, short courses and short voluntary work.^[1]

Apply on the official site (indianvisaonline.gov.in)

Visa-free transit

Direct air transit without visa

Persons in direct transit through India by air

Who can use this: All passports^[4]

Stay: 1 days. Up to 24 hours within the specified precincts of the airport.^[4]

Requirements

Must not leave the specified airport precincts. After 24 hours a Transit Visa is required.^[4]
A Transit Visa is valid for direct transit only, for at most 3 days per visit; a longer stay needs a visa of the appropriate category.^[4]

Visa from an embassy

Regular visa from an Indian mission

Regular Visa

Who can use this: All passports^[5]^[7]

Needed for all passports not covered by a visa free regime, visa on arrival or e-Visa, including Pakistani passports.

Stay: Stay set at entry. Set in the visa; total stay on tourist visas may not exceed 180 days in a calendar year.
Extension: Not possible. Tourist visas are not extended or converted.^[5]

Requirements

Valid passport and a regular visa, e-Visa or OCI card, except for those exempted under bilateral arrangements.^[7]
Tourist groups of at least 4 under a recognised travel agency obtain a Group Tourist visa.^[5]

Apply on the official site (indianvisaonline.gov.in)

Good to know

Entry is not a right and stays at the discretion of the immigration officer, even with a visa or under the visa free regime.^[6]
The e-Visa is not valid for Protected, Restricted and Cantonment Areas, which need prior permission from the civil authority.^[1]
Travellers from yellow fever endemic countries, or who visited one in the past 6 days, must carry a yellow fever vaccination certificate.^[6]
Foreigners of Pakistani origin and holders of Pakistani passports cannot use the e-Visa and apply for a regular visa at an Indian mission.^[1]
Afghan nationals apply online on a separate Afghan portal.^[1]
Canadian nationals with a defence, military, security or police background, or holding an official or diplomatic passport, are not eligible for the e-Visa and apply for a regular visa.^[1]
Foreigners already in India who cannot leave within the validity of their visa apply for an extension or conversion at the FRRO (indianfrro.gov.in) before the visa expires.^[8]
Diplomatic and official passports, laissez-passer and other travel documents are excluded from the e-Visa.^[1]

Research status

Last checked: November 9, 2026. Checked against the official sources within the last 30 days.

Change log

No changes since the first check on November 9, 2026.

How this works: each country's rules come only from its government (immigration authority, foreign ministry, official e-Visa portals). A daily check compares the official pages with our data, one country after another, so every country is checked at least every two weeks. Changes are reviewed before they appear here.

No legal advice. Airlines and border officers decide on boarding and entry. Always confirm the rules on the official site before you travel, especially for unusual passports or longer stays.

Sources and background

Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.

[1] Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (Indian Visa Online): e-Visa (eligible countries, validity, FAQ, entry points). Retrieved November 9, 2026.
[2] Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (Indian Visa Online): Country/Territory Wise e-Tourist Visa Fee (in US $). Retrieved November 9, 2026.
[3] Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India: Visa free Regime & Visa on Arrival. Retrieved November 9, 2026.
[4] Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India: Transit via India. Retrieved November 9, 2026.
[5] Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India: Tourism in India. Retrieved November 9, 2026.
[6] Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India: General Guidelines. Retrieved November 9, 2026.
[7] Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India: How to apply. Retrieved November 9, 2026.
[8] Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India: Extending stay on Your Visa. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
[9] Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India: e-Arrival Card. Retrieved November 9, 2026.

India travel guide

Other countries