India is an enormous, beautiful country full of cultural attractions, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions worldwide. The tourists, international students, and businessmen have added up to its numerous population. In addition, India is considered one of the religious tourism destinations as well.
India visa types
Every country has different types of visas according to people’s needs and the government’s rules. Here we intend to talk about every visa in detail so that you will know all about:
- Requirements
- Eligibility
- Language level
- Application process
- Exemption
- Extension
- Processing time
- Validity
- Fees
- Rejection
The government of India has issued various types of visas for foreigners. We have gathered all the existing types on this page. The visas we will cover include:
- E.medical attendant visa
- Emergency visa
- E.tourist visa
- Visitor visa
- E.medical visa
- Transit visa
- X entry visa
- E.business visa
- Research visa
- Employment visa
- Project visa
- E.conference visa
- Intern visa
- Student visa
- Film visa
- Sport visa
- Missionary visa
- Diplomatic visa
- Mountaineering visa
- Family visa
How to select the proper visa type
To select the visa that suits you best, you should first beware of the specific purpose of your visit. Then, you should study different types of visas of your destination country and then correctly apply for them. Finally, the eligibility criteria help you figure out whether you can apply for that specific type of visa or not.
If you do not follow the steps correctly, you might apply for the wrong type of visa. Then you won’t be able to perform the way you want in the destination country.
Where to apply for an India visa
There are different authorized agencies in every country to process the application. If there is no such thing in your country, you can apply by visiting the Indian Embassy. In addition, some visa types can be applied online.
Eligibility
The E-tourist visa was launched in 2014 by the government of India. This visa allows 160 different communities to travel through India in 3 possible manners:
- 30 days visa with double entry
- One year visa with multiple entries
- Five years visa with multiple entries
The purpose of visiting India varies. Some go there to find their spiritual self; some want to invest in a growing economy, while others may seek to study in the world’s top universities.
Whether you can get an India visa or not depends on your country of residence.
However, some countries do not need to get a visa. For instance:
- Nepal
- Bhutan
- Maldives
Maldivian citizens are allowed into the country only if they will stay for a specific length of time, or else they should apply for a visa. Furthermore, India has close relations with some countries. This fact will undoubtedly affect the visa application scheme. However, it does not necessarily mean they are exempt from getting a visa.
India visa requirements
The following documents should be granted to the consulate to get a visa:
- Valid passport
- Duly filled and signed application form
- Proof of citizenship
- Recent passport size photographs
- Copy of medical reports (in case of medical visa)
- Letter from the local sponsor
- Evidence of Indian origin/connections (if applying for an entry visa).
- In the case of children, a letter from the parent/guardian should be submitted.
- Copy of the previous visa
Depending on your condition, further documents shall be required. Therefore, you should visit the list of requirements for different types of visas.
Visa fees
You can’t precisely determine how much applying for a type of visa will cost you as the fee depends on different elements such as:
- The type of visa
- Duration of stay
- Country of residence
A Consular fee is fixed for each application depending on the bilateral agreements between India and other countries. That’s why citizens of different countries pay different amounts for a visa application.
Bear in mind that the paid fee is non-refundable. If you apply through an authorized agency, they probably charge you an additional amount to process the application.
How to pay for the visa
You can pay the visa fee in various ways. You can either pay through a credit card or money order, depending on your country of residence. If applied through an authorized agency, the fee will be received by them.
India visa processing time
The processing time for different applications is due to various elements of which we can call:
- The country of origin of an applicant
- The financial background
- The purpose of the visit
- Supporting documents
Typically, an Indian tourist visa application takes a few weeks to be processed; however, other types of visas may require more time. In addition, residents of countries with close relations with India may receive their visas faster than others.
However, In case of emergencies, the India visa application can be processed within a day. On the other hand, individuals of Pakistan require 6 to 8 weeks to process their applications.
India visa validity
Each visa grants you its particular validity duration. However, there are always exceptions on the matter. For instance, tourist visas are usually issued for six months. However, there are tourist visas that are valid for ten years due to American nationality.
On the contrary, a less validity duration may be issued for you, depending on your condition and records. The government of India is not obliged to issue the promised validity duration.
What to do under an India visa
Before applying for a visa, you should study all Indian visas to choose the proper one. If you apply for a different visa, you may not perform the way you want in the destination country.
For instance, while an employment visa enables you to work in India, a tourist visa does not. On the other hand, a business visa may grant you the opportunity to invest. However, you will not be able to work in India.
Is an India visa convertible?
As we have told you before, you should choose the visa type accurately and precisely, as you won’t be able to change the visa type after they have given you one. Furthermore, if a particular visa is offered to you, it can’t be converted to any other kind.
If you need to convert the type of your visa, you should leave India and reapply later.
Is receiving a visa guaranteed?
One might think their visa will be certainly approved; however, the government has the very right to reject the application because of various reasons. The government is never obliged to give a reason for visa denial. A visa application may be approved or rejected at the sole discretion of the government of India.
Why is an application rejected?
An application may be rejected due to different causes which we can enumerate:
- Incomplete application form
- Failure to pay the full visa fee
- Lack of supporting documents
- Criminal record
The applicants who do not match the purpose of the visa will also be rejected. In addition, if the government perceives that you are a threat to the country’s security, they will reject your application.
Let’s recap!
Having received an India visa, you will be able to perform the action you wish in India. For example, suppose you have applied for a student visa and met the criteria. In that case, you can study in India’s top universities. Likewise, if applying for an employment visa, you will be able to work in India, accompanying coworkers from all around the world with different cultures.
If you want to know more about other types of worldwide visas, you can go to the left sidebar or the website’s menu. We will be happy to read about your traveling experience to India, so share it with us in the comment part.