Rajasthan Yatra Blog

Its a blog about various cities of rajasthan . A informative blog offering various details about udaipur jaipur jodhpur city of rajasthan.

Image

Easiest Way to Get the India eTourist Visa

India is a land filled with vibrant culture, deep history, complex food flavors, and beautiful scenery. Visitors from all over the world flock to India for a multitude of reasons; it’s an easy country to fall in love with. Whether you are looking for thrilling adrenaline-focused activities or want to see iconic monuments like the Taj Mahal, India is waiting.

To get to India, visitors will need to secure a visa prior to their trip. In 2014, the Indian government opened up an eTourist visa to make the process easier for visitors from across the globe. Obtaining a tourist visa to visit India has never been easier than it is now, but still, there are some important things to know before starting the application process.

What is the India Tourist Visa?

A tourist visa is required for visitors to be able to stay in India and travel around the country for any length of time. All foreign nationals must possess a visa before entry to India will be permitted, so it’s important that all visa-related processes are complete prior to your trip.

The tourist visa offers two visa types: a one-month visa and a one-year visa. The one-month visa is valid for 30 days and allows travelers to enter the country only one time. The one-year visa allows travelers to go in and out of the country for one year. Stays for most foreign nationals can be up to 90 days at a time with the one-year visa; visitors from Canada, Japan, the US, and the UK are permitted to stay for up to 180 days at a time.

Applying for an eVisa is the Fastest and Easiest Approach

It’s not uncommon for international travel to require lengthy visa processes, forcing travelers to visit the consulate of their target country in their own state, mail in documents, wait a long period of time, and finally receive their visa. In an attempt to make the process easier, India opened up the eVisa process.

With this approach, everything can be done online to obtain the required visa. The process takes less than a week; many travelers actually receive their completed documents within 24 hours. Officially, it’s recommended to apply at least 4 days in advance of your departure to India.

If you want to get everything on your “to-do list” crossed off well in advance, you can apply online for the eVisa up to a year in advance at Natvisa. It’s worth noting that the eVisa Tourist Visa can only be used for tourism purposes, but there are other eVisa categories for travelers that are visiting India for different reasons.

What is the Validity of the eVisa?

As mentioned above, applicants are able to obtain two different eVisas, depending on their needs. The first type is a single-entry visa that is valid for one month and the other option is a multiple-entry visa that is valid for up to one year. Visitors with the one-month visa must depart India before the visa expires, as overstaying the visa time limits is a punishable offense.

For those that apply for and receive the one-year visa, stays can usually be up to 90 days at a time. Visitors with a one-year visa need to leave the country and return throughout the one-year validity; stays for a consecutive year are not permitted.

How to Apply Online

The online process is simple and can take anywhere from 24 hours to 4 days, assuming that travelers have all the required documents on hand when applying. The steps are as follows:

  1. Visit natvisa.com and begin the application process by filling out your personal details, uploading a picture of your main passport page, and submitting a photo that fits the visa requirements.
  2. Pay the eVisa fee online using a debit card, credit card, or alternative form of accepted payment such as an e-wallet.
  3. Once approved, you will receive your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) which needs to be printed out prior to travel.
  4. Upon arrival in India, present your printed ETA to the immigration authorities.

When sending your eVisa payment, please allow for 2 hours to receive confirmation of payment approval before trying again. Some applicants see the long processing time as a sign of an error, but often, it can be the normal processing time.

Activities Prohibited with an eTourist Visa

Tourist visas are used one short-term visits to a country, and in most cases, do not allow for working in the country. India abides by the same rules with its eTourist Visa. However, visitors are allowed to take short-term coursework or volunteer with charitable organizations while traveling on an eTourist Visa.

While the visa does not inhibit any visitor’s ability to visit religious places or practice personal religious idealogy, this visa type does not permit preaching Tablighi Jamaat ideology, passing out pamphlets, or making speeches at places of worship.

Heed Additional Restrictions

Traveling to India does require visitors to abide by Covid-19 regulations for foreigners. As of now, travelers are required to submit proof of vaccination as well as a negative PCR test that was taken no more than 72 hours prior to departure. If visitors are not fully vaccinated, they will be required to undergo quarantine procedures for 7 days after their arrival in India.

Securing a Tourist Visa for India Has Never Been Easier

With the eVisa processes put in place by the government of India, it is much easier for foreigners to fulfill visa requirements than it has been in the past. If you are visiting India for a reason that is different from tourism, look into the other eVisa offerings to see if you fall into one of the applicable categories.

In just a few hours you can have your eVisa application complete and your eVisa approval should follow shortly after. Now, you can skip the lengthy visa requirements such as visiting the embassy, and spend that extra time planning your trip!