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UK Tourist Visa from India: Fees, Application & Requirements

The United Kingdom is one of the most popular overseas destinations for Indians for tourism, study, employment, or even medical treatment. Irrespective of the reason for a visit to the United Kingdom, Indian passport holders must obtain a UK visa to go to the UK. To travel to the UK for tourism, you need to apply for a UK tourist visa from India. 

UK tourist visa from India 

The United Kingdom has a wide range of attractive tourist spots including the city of London, countryside of Scotland and Wales. A UK tourist visa for Indians is referred to as a UK Standard Visitor Visa which allows its holder to enter and stay in the UK for up to 60 months. You can stay for longer in certain circumstances, such as medical treatment. A UK tourist visa allows Indians to travel to the United Kingdom for the purpose of:

• Meeting family members
• Medical treatment
• Certain business activities i.e. meeting, interview, etc.  
• To pass through the UK to another country (‘in transit’)
• School exchange programs

UK visitor visa term

Based on your requirements, you can apply for two types of tourist visas to the UK:

• Short-stay visa: Generally valid for up to 6 months.
• Long term standard visitor visa: If you visit the UK regularly, you can apply for a long-term Standard Visitor Visa valid for 2, 5 and 10 years. With this visa, you can stay in the UK for a maximum of 6 months on each visit.

UK tourist visa requirements

You need to fulfil the UK tourist visa requirements i.e. eligibility criteria and documentation to get a UK tourist visa from India. 

Eligibility criteria for UK tourist visa

• You will have to prove that you will leave the UK before the validity of your visa expires.
• You have sufficient funds to support your trip to the United Kingdom and your return.
• You will not live in the UK for extended periods during your recurrent visits.
• For a long-term visa, the purpose of those visits would remain the same over its duration. 
• You need to submit proof of any activities you will participate in, which should be in compliance with the framework of the permitted activities.
• To study, take an exam or do placement.
• To visit as an academic, senior doctor or dentist.
• For medical treatments.

Documents required for a UK tourist visa application

Here is the list of documents required for a UK tourist visa application:

• Filled UK tourist visa application form VAF1A.
• Two recent photographs meeting the UK visa photo requirement guidelines. 
• Passport valid for three months beyond the date of your departure from the UK, with at least one blank page.
• Financial statement to prove you have sufficient funds to cover your trip and living cost in the UK. 
• ID information and living address of the person paying your travel costs.
• ID and passport number of any friend or relative living in the UK. 
• Detailed travel itinerary that contains your travel plan such as onward and backward dates, places you will be visiting, meeting agenda, festival agenda, etc. 
• Biometric information, your fingerprints and digital photograph.
• Letter or invitation from the host.
• Recognized certificate of English language. 

Based on the purpose of your visit, you will have to submit additional documents to apply for a UK tourist visa from India.

How to apply for UK tourist visa from India

You can apply for a UK visa online and in person. Follow the steps mentioned below:

• Fill the application form: Visit the gov.uk and complete your UK tourist/ visit visa application form. Make sure the information you provide is correct. You will have to visit a visa application centre (VAC) at an allotted date and time to submit your biometric information.
• Pay the application fee: After completing the application form, you have to pay the UK visa fees using a valid debit or credit card. 
• Book your interview appointment: You have to book an appointment for a UK visa interview. Book a date when you will be available. Before attending the interview, you must practice the UK visa interview question and answers .
• Collect your documents: Collect your documents including a printed copy of your appointment letter, your UK visa fee receipt and your passport for visa interview.
• Attend the interview: Interview will be the final step of your UK visa application. Reach the interview center before time and carry all necessary documents.

You need to submit the UK tourist visa application to the UK High Commission or a UK Visa Application Center in India. You can apply for the visa online or in person. 

UK tourist visa fees for Indians

Here is the checklist of UK tourist visa fees in Indian Rupees based on visa type:

Indians living in the UK can easily compare exchange rates offered by various operators and send money from the United Kingdom to India to their loved ones with a few clicks.

UK tourist visa processing time

The earliest you can apply for a UK standard visitor visa is 3 months before you travel.

After you have successfully applied for a UK tourist visa online, you will usually get a decision on your visa application within 3 weeks. In the meantime, you can track your UK visa status online . 

You will get an email or a letter related to the decision on your application and instructions on what you need to do further. 

NRIs living in the UK may have several India-related queries. To ask any questions related to the rights of NRIs, PIOs, and OCIs, you can download SBNRI App from the Google Play Store or App Store.

You can also use the SBNRI app for investment in stock market/ mutual funds, NRI account opening, tax filing, etc. To ask any questions, click on the button below. Also, visit our blog and YouTube channel for more details. 

Ask Indian Friend Now

Yes, Indian passport holders have to compulsorily get a tourist visa to travel to the UK. You need to fulfill the UK visa requirements to apply for the same. You can apply for a UK visa online or in person. 

No, the UK government doesn’t provide a visa on arrival facility to applicants applying for a UK tourist visa from India. Hence, you need to apply for a UK standard visitor visa. 

Related posts:

• Germany Tourist Visa from India: Requirements, Application & Fee
• Hong Kong Visa for Indians: Requirements, Application, Fees
• U.S. Visitor Visa Extension: Requirements, Application & Fees
• US Visa Photo Requirements for Visa Application
• uk standard visitor visa
• uk tourist visa from india
• uk visa for indians

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Visa Traveler

Exploring the world one country at a time

UK tourist visa: Requirements and application procedure

Updated: September 9, 2023

The UK tourist visa requirements are clear and easy to understand. UK tourist visa application is online but the rest of the process requires an in-person appointment for biometrics.

The UK or the United Kingdom is comprised of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. To visit any of these four countries, you would need a UK tourist visa. UK tourist visas are valid for 6 months and you can stay up to 180 days in the UK.

The UK tourist visa application process is long and there is no status tracking. Make sure to start your UK visa process at least two months from your intended date of travel to the UK.

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UK TOURIST VISA REQUIREMENTS BY NATIONALITY

Minimum passport validity required to enter the UK

• Passport must be valid for the entire stay in the UK

Visa EXEMPT nationalities

Unlimited entry.

• This requirement will change from 01 Jan 2021 when UK will no longer be part of the EU
• Czech Republic
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Switzerland

6-month entry

• You must carry all documents needed for a visitor visa to show at the port of entry if asked
• Visa is REQUIRED if you have a criminal record or refused entry into the UK before
• Anguilla (British territory)
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Bermuda (British territory)
• Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba (Dutch territory)
• British Virgin Islands (British territory)
• Cayman Islands (British territory)
• Costa Rica
• El Salvador
• Falkland Islands (British territory)
• Hong Kong
• Marshall Islands
• Montserrat (British territory)
• New Zealand
• Papua New Guinea
• Pitcairn Island (British territory)
• San Marino
• Solomon Islands
• South Korea
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Maarten
• St Vincent and The Grenadines
• Timor Leste
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turks and Caicos Islands (British territory)
• United States of America
• Vatican City

Visa REQUIRED nationalities

• Afghanistan
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Burkina Faso
• Cape Verde
• Central African Republic
• Congo, Dem. Rep. of
• Congo, Rep. of
• Cote d’Ivoire
• Dominican Republic
• Equatorial Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• North Korea
• North Macedonia
• Palestinian Territories
• Philippines
• Saudi Arabia
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• South Sudan
• Sri Lanka
• São Tomé and Principe
• Turkmenistan

Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) required nationalities

• United Arab Emirates

24-hour VISA-FREE entry at Heathrow airport

• Eligible to request a 24-hour VISA-FREE entry at London’s Heathrow airport if holding a valid visa from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or any EU/Schengen country
• Must be in transit to/from the country of visa (Ex: if holding a Canada visa, you must be in transit to/from Canada only)
• Onward flight must be within 24 hours (on the same day or next day before midnight)
• Granting the 24-hour entry is at the sole discretion of the immigration officer
• Applies to all nationalities

BONUS (FREE eBook Download): Travel 56 countries VISA-FREE with a visa from the US, Canada, Schengen, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan or Singapore

UK TOURIST VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

First, check if you need a visitor visa to travel to the UK in the “UK tourist visa requirements by nationality” section above.

Alternatively, you can check your eligibility and requirements on the UK gov website .

Validity of UK tourist visa

UK tourist visas are valid for 6 months from the date of visa issue.

Example: If your UK visa was issued on January 15, the visa will be valid until July 15. 

NOTE There have been instances where visas were issued with validity starting from the date of travel mentioned in the visa application. 

When to apply for UK visa

You can apply for a UK visa up to 3 months in advance.

Example: If you plan to visit the UK on April 15, you can apply for your UK visa on or after January 16.

Also, keep in mind that you must apply for your UK visa at least 3 weeks prior to your travel, otherwise, you may not receive your visa on time. There are no refunds if you receive your visa after your travel date. 

IMPORTANT The UK visa process can take up to 3 weeks and even longer in some cases. I strongly recommend applying for your UK visa at least 2 months in advance.

How long can you stay in the UK?

The UK tourist visa allows you to stay up to 180 days in the UK. But if you stay that long continuously in the UK on a tourist visa, you will have serious trouble getting another UK visa in the future or entering the UK next time.

Here is my advice. Stick to the days you have mentioned in your UK visa application. A few days more or less is fine. But staying months on your UK tourist visa will pretty much look like you “live in the UK” rather than “vacation/holiday”. 

Application procedure

The UK visa application is online. You must apply for the visa online at the UK Visas and Immigration website

Below are the steps you will go through for your UK tourist visa application

• Go to the UK Visas and Immigration website
• Select your preferred language, type of visa, your country, nearest visa application center, etc
• Create a login using email and password
• Complete in the application form
• Sign the declaration
• Pay visa fee
• Submit the application
• Download and print the submitted visa application form
• Make an appointment at your nearest UK visa application center
• Attend the appointment at your nearest UK visa application center
• Submit your passport, visa application and supporting documents at the visa application center
• If applying from the US, Australia or New Zealand, mail your passport, visa application and biometrics receipt to your nearest visa application center
• Pickup/receive the passport when the visa decision is made

Below are some of the information you will provide in the application form

• Your travel dates to the UK
• Your hotel address and telephone number in the UK
• Your total estimated cost for the trip
• Your present home address and how many years you’ve lived there
• Your parents’ names and their dates of birth
• Your annual income
• Your travel history for the past 10 years
• Your employer details including the address and telephone number

Documents required

The following are the documents required for UK visitor visa application 

• Completed online visa application form with GWF number
• A passport-size photo (optional)
• If employed – an employment letter on company letterhead indicating your length of employment, salary, role, etc.
• If self-employed – a business registration document indicating your business name, date of business, etc.
• If student – a letter from the school/university on the letterhead indicating your enrollment, leave of absence, etc.
• Proof of funds ( bank statements or payslips for the last 6 months)
• Proof of legal residence (if applying from a 3rd country. you must submit a copy of your visa or residence permit of that country)

Do you need flight tickets and hotel bookings for the UK visa application?

UKVI has stopped asking for flight tickets and hotel bookings for UK visa applications. But some nationalities are still being asked to submit flight tickets and hotel bookings.

When you complete your online UK visa application, you will see a checklist of documents to be uploaded. Check if you are asked to submit flight tickets and hotel bookings.

Even if you are asked to submit your flight tickets and hotel bookings, you should not book any flights/hotel until your UK visa is approved.

For flights, get a price quote from British Airways which can be used as a flight itinerary for your UK visa application. Visa ticket booking agencies such as DummyTicket offer flight itineraries for the UK visa for $19, valid for 2-3 weeks.

For hotel, book a refundable or pay at check-in hotel on booking.com or Expedia . Cancel the booking after your visa is approved.

For more options, check out my detailed flight itinerary and hotel reservation articles.

Photo requirements

A passport-size photo is only required if are exempt from biometrics. All tourist visa applicants MUST give their biometrics. Your fingerprints and digital photos are taken during your biometrics appointment.

Since all tourist visa applicants MUST give their biometrics, a passport-size photo is not required. But, I suggest bringing one with you on the day of your biometrics appointment just in case.

Visa application fee

The UK tourist visa application fee is £95 GBP. You will pay this fee in your local currency. Due to exchange rates, you may end up paying about £2 – £5 GBP more.

You can use the UK home office visa fee wizard to find out the exact visa fee that you would need to pay in your local currency. 

If you are applying for a long-term UK tourist visa, below is the visa fee for 2, 5 and 10-year tourist visas. 

• 2 years: £361 GBP
• 5 years: £655 GBP
• 10 years: £822 GBP

Visa appointment

As part of the online application process, you will be prompted to make a visa appointment at your nearest UK Visa Application Center . Visa Application Centers are run by either VFSGlobal or TLSContact in conjunction with UK Visas and Immigration.

On the day of the appointment, you will give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo) and submit your original documents. You must bring all your original documents along with one photocopy of each including your passport.

Applicants from the USA, Australia (Adelaide and Hobart only) and New Zealand

You must give your biometrics at your nearest Biometric Enrollment Center and later send/post your documents to the nearest UK Visa Application Center.

During your online UK visa application, you will be prompted to make a biometrics appointment at your nearest Biometric enrollment center.

• Biometric enrollment centers in the USA are run by the US Homeland Security.
• Biometric enrollment centers in Australia are run by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
• Biometric enrollment centers in New Zealand are run by Immigration New Zealand.

The biometrics appointment takes about 10-15 minutes. You will give your fingerprints and photo. You will receive an acknowledgment stamp on the biometric appointment confirmation.

You must then mail your original passport, visa application, biometric confirmation with the stamp, supporting documents and return postage to the UK Visa Application Center you have selected during your online visa application.

You will be notified via email when the UK Visa Application Center receives your documents.

Visa processing time

The UK tourist visa processing takes up to 3 weeks. There have been incidents where UKVI has taken over 2 months to process, especially when the visa applications are “not straightforward”.

UKVI considers a visa application “not straightforward” if additional information is required to process the visa. Additional information can be, verifying information, background check or requesting additional documents. UKVI usually notifies you in such cases and requests any additional documentation necessary.

Keeping such incidents in mind, ALWAYS apply for your UK visa at least 2 months prior to your travel.

If you have to travel sooner, you should purchase the “Priority Visa Service” while applying online. Or at least before you mail/submit your documents. This way your visa application will be processed within 5 working days.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE When I applied for my UK visa, the visa processing time was about 2 weeks. I had a planned trip to Canada before my trip to the UK. My trip to Canada was in 4 weeks, so I thought I had enough time to apply for my UK visa. However after I submitted my passport, the email confirmation said the visa process would take up to 4 weeks. I panicked. I went ahead and paid for the priority visa service. I panicked again. Then I emailed a formal visa withdrawal request, so I could at least get my passport back and make my trip to Canada. However, my visa was processed within 2 days of paying the priority visa service fee. Please do not make the same mistake as I did. Apply for your UK visa at least 2 months prior to your travel.

Visa application status tracking

Online visa application tracking is NOT AVAILABLE on the UK Visas and Immigration website. To track your UK visa application status, you must use UK Visas and Immigration’s email or phone option, which unfortunately is NOT FREE.

UKVI charges for all phone and email inquiries. 

Below are UK Visa and Immigration phone, email details and charges.

PHONE Telephone: +44 2034811736 Available 24 hours from Monday to Friday Calls cost £1.37 per minute plus any international call charges

EMAIL Email communication must be initiated via Email UK Visas and Immigration Email inquiries cost £5.48. Follow-up emails after that are not charged. You will receive a response to your email within 2 working days.

You must give out your credit card information for billing when you start the phone inquiry. For email, you must fill out the payment form and then you can submit your email inquiry.

PERSONAL OPINION Email inquiries generally receive a standard response saying that your application is “in process”. Phone inquiries are slightly better and cheaper.

Priority visa service

If you would need to travel to the UK urgently, you can opt for the “Priority Visa Service”.  This service is expensive and may not be available in all countries. If available, you will see the option in your online UK visa application. 

• Priority visa service fee: £220 GBP
• Visa processing time: Guaranteed in 5 working days

Priority visa service must be purchased during your online visa application. This will ensure your visa is processed within 5 days.

Purchasing this service after you have submitted/mailed your documents will take much longer than 5 working days. You must first pay the fee on the Visa Application Center (VAC) website and then email the receipt to the Visa Application Center where you have submitted/sent your documents. It can take more than a day for the VAC staff to locate your packet and push it into the priority queue

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I purchased my priority service after I had mailed my documents. My visa application was approved within two days of buying the priority visa service.

Super priority visa service

If you would need to travel to the UK immediately, you can opt for “Super Priority Visa Service”. This service comes with a hefty price tag, so purchase this service only in super urgent, emergency cases. 

• Super priority visa service fee: £956 GBP
• Visa processing time: Guaranteed in 24 hours

Cancel your UK visa application

If you haven’t given your biometrics at the visa application center yet, you can cancel your UK visa application and get a full refund of your visa fee. The procedure to cancel your UK visa application depends on at what stage your application is in.

Application not submitted and fee not paid : If you haven’t paid your fee and haven’t submitted your application, there is a “Delete Application” option that will delete your current visa application.

Application not submitted but fee already paid : If you have already paid your fee and have not yet submitted your application, you can still delete your application but you may have to send a formal refund request in writing to the visa application center.

Application submitted, fee paid but haven’t given your biometrics : If you haven’t given your biometrics at VFS/BLS, you can cancel your application and request for a refund. The refunds take 4 weeks. 

Application submitted, fee paid, biometric given , and documents/passport already submitted: If you have already given your biometrics and submitted your documents/passport, you CANNOT cancel your visa application anymore. You can only WITHDRAW your visa application. You must email the visa application center a formal withdrawal request. Upon receipt of the withdrawal request, the visa application center will return/mail your passport back. Any visa fee and priority service fee paid are not refundable. 

IMPORTANT Even though UKVI says the refunds are processed in 4 weeks, it usually takes 8 weeks or even longer. There have been instances where applicants waited several weeks and some even gave up on their refunds. However, I have seen applicants having success in getting their refunds by reminding UKVI with phone calls or emails. It costs about $5 USD to email them, but it helps in getting your refund eventually. 

Withdraw your UK visa application

The UK visa application center keeps the passport for the entirety of the visa process, which could be 3 weeks or more. There may be emergencies where you need to have your passport with you. The only way to request your passport back is by formally withdrawing your visa application. 

If you withdraw your application, the visa fee and any priority service fee you have paid are NOT refundable.

To withdraw a visa application, you must submit a withdrawal request along with the reason for the withdrawal to the visa application center via email. It might take up to 72 hours for the consulate to locate your packet and send it back to you.

You must first call/email the UK Visas and Immigration mentioning your intention to withdraw your application. They will guide you through the process of withdrawing your application. Usually, the UK visa application withdrawal request should be a signed document with personal information including the GWF number. This document must be printed and signed. It must be scanned and emailed to the visa application center. Below is a sample withdrawal request letter.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I hereby request to withdraw my UK visa application. I understand that the visa fee is non-refundable. I also understand that my package may not be shipped for up to 72 hours.

Full Name of the Applicant: <name> GWF Number: <GWF number> Date of Birth: <date of birth> Nationality: <Nationality> Country of Residence: <Country of residence> Passport number: <Passport number> Type of Visa Applied: General Visit (up to 6 months) Biometric taken date:  <biometric date> Visa application centre’s address:  <address of the visa application center where you have submitted your documents> Contact number of the applicant: <Your phone number>

Priority Service Paid: <YES/NO> Priority Service Paid On: <Priority service purchased date>

Reason for Withdrawal: Emergency international travel has been scheduled. I need to have my passport in order to travel. Please return my passport as soon as possible. Thank you!

<Your signature here> Signed: <Your full name> Date: <date>

IMPORTANT Cancellation or withdrawal is NOT a refusal. It WILL NOT affect your future UK visa applications. You don’t need to mention it in your future UK visa applications either.

ENTERING AND LEAVING THE UK

Entering the UK by air

At the immigration, the officers may ask you questions about your trip, how long you plan to stay, your next destination, etc. You may be asked to show your return/onward ticket and your hotel booking. If you are traveling on a one-way ticket, you can use OnwardTicket to get proof of your onward ticket. 

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: The immigration officer at Heathrow Airport asked me to show my return/onward ticket. I had a print of my onward ticket, so quickly took it out and gave it to the immigration officer.

Leaving the UK by air

If you are flying out of Heathrow Airport, make sure to arrive early. The airport is huge and you may have to take a bus from the gate to the flight.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is GWF number in UK visa application ?

GWF reference number is the unique visa application number that was provided to you on your visa application submission. You must provide your GWF number when calling or emailing UK Visas and Immigration. Without the GWF number, UK Visas and Immigration will not be able to provide you with a status update on your visa application.

What to do if my UK visa application is refused?

If your UK visa application is refused, the first thing is to understand the  reasons for your UK visa refusal . If the reason is due to missing information, proof of funds or documentation, make sure to fix these the next time you apply for your UK visa.

Write a detailed cover letter explaining the reasons for your previous visa refusal, missing information/documentation and any additional information/documentation that you have provided in the new application. This will help the ECOs cut to the chase and focus on the new information/documentation.

There is no “appeal” for UK visa. So, re-apply for your UK visa by making sure you have the new information, proofs and documents that were lacking previously. You must pay the visa fee again as the fee paid for your previous application was non-refundable.

If you do not know the reason for your visa refusal/denial, give at least 6 months before you apply for the visa again. 

Can I get my UK visa application fee refund if denied?

No. The visa fee and any priority service fee paid are non-refundable if your visa application is denied. The visa fee is also non-refundable in incidents where the visa is approved for less number of days than requested.

I’m planning to visit the UK and Schengen countries on a single trip. Should I apply for my UK visa first or Schengen visa first?

If you plan to visit the UK and Schengen countries on a single trip, ALWAYS apply for your UK visa first. 

UKVI keeps the passport for the entirety of the visa process and there is no visa status tracking. Calls and emails to customer service are charged. Even if you pay and contact, you will usually get a canned response. If your UK visa is refused, there is no “appeal”. You can only re-apply, which means you have to repeat the entire process again.

On the other hand, the Schengen visa application process is much streamlined. There is application tracking, customer service and appeal. 

I highly recommend applying for your UK visa first and get done with it. After that, apply for your Schengen visa. 

When applying for your UK visa, show a “UK-only” itinerary for your UK visa. This eliminates the need for submitting your Schengen visa, flights in/out of the Schengen region, etc. 

The UK tourist visa requirements are clear and easy to understand. But, the visa application process is long and expensive. Apply at least 2 months in advance, and follow all the proper steps and documentation. Tourist visas are usually multiple-entry with 6 months validity.

WRITTEN BY THIRUMAL MOTATI

Thirumal Motati is an expert in tourist visa matters. He has been traveling the world on tourist visas for more than a decade. With his expertise, he has obtained several tourist visas, including the most strenuous ones such as the US, UK, Canada, and Schengen, some of which were granted multiple times. He has also set foot inside US consulates on numerous occasions. Mr. Motati has uncovered the secrets to successful visa applications. His guidance has enabled countless individuals to obtain their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. His statements have been mentioned in publications like Yahoo, BBC, The Hindu, and Travel Zoo.

PLAN YOUR TRAVEL WITH VISA TRAVELER

I highly recommend using these websites to plan your trip. I use these websites myself to apply for my visas, book my flights and hotels and purchase my travel insurance.

01. Apply for your visa

Get a verifiable flight itinerary for your visa application from DummyTicket247 . DummyTicket247 is a flight search engine to search and book flight itineraries for visas instantly. These flight itineraries are guaranteed to be valid for 2 weeks and work for all visa applications.

02. Book your fight

Find the cheapest flight tickets using Skyscanner . Skyscanner includes all budget airlines and you are guaranteed to find the cheapest flight to your destination.

03. Book your hotel

Book your hotel from Booking.com . Booking.com has pretty much every hotel, hostel and guesthouse from every destination.

04. Get your onward ticket

If traveling on a one-way ticket, use BestOnwardTicket to get proof of onward ticket for just $12, valid for 48 hours.

05. Purchase your insurance

Purchase travel medical insurance for your trip from SafetyWing . Insurance from SafetyWing covers COVID-19 and also comes with a visa letter which you can use for your visas.

Need more? Check out my travel resources page  for the best websites to plan your trip.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER We are not affiliated with immigration, embassies or governments of any country. The content in this article is for educational and general informational purposes only, and shall not be understood or construed as, visa, immigration or legal advice. Your use of information provided in this article is solely at your own risk and you expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this article as a substitute for professional visa or immigration advice. Under no circumstance shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damage you may suffer in respect to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the information in this article. Please refer to our full disclaimer for further information.

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• Nationality
• Document Required
• Technical Info for e-Visa
• Payment Related
• Authorized Immigration checkposts through which eVisa holders can travel.

Payment Helpdesk

SBI ePay: +91-22-2753-5773 (24 x 7)                Axis Bank : +91 1800-419-0073 (24 x 7)

Toll free Numbers from:

• USA : 1855 205 5577
• Uk : 0808 178 5040
• Singapore : 800 1206 355
• Australia : 1800 153 861
• UAE : 8000 3570 3218
• Saudi Arabia : 800 850 0000
• Qatar : 00 800 100 348
• Bahrain : 800 11 300

Select option no. 6 on IVR to connect to agents.

From rest of the countries none toll free number to India + 91-40-6717-4100 (Paid Number).

• eVisa Helpdesk (Due to maintenance activity IVRS services are unavailable.)
• eVisa Helpdesk

E-VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

Apply online

Upload Photo and Passport Page

Pay eVisa fee online

Using Credit / Debit card / Payment Wallet

Receive ETA Online

Electronic Travel Authorization/ETA Will be sent to your e-mail

Fly To India

Print ETA and present at Immigration Check Post where eVisa will be stamped on passport.

Government of India makes no provision of charging of any emergency fees or additional fees for grant of any emergency / express e-visa. Those travelling to India are also advised to go through instructions available on the website of Bureau of Immigration at https://boi.gov.in .

eVisa is admissable only under the following categories:

E-tourist visa, e-business visa, e-conference visa, e-medical visa, e-medical attendent visa, e-ayush visa, e-ayush attendent visa.

• e-Emergency X-Misc Visa

1. One Month e-Tourist Visa

One Month (30 Days).

Double Entry, non-extendable and non-convertible

2. One year e-Tourist Visa

One year (365 Days) from the date of grant of ETA.

3. Five years e-Tourist Visa

Five years from the date of grant of ETA.

Maximum stay in India during one Calender Year should not exceed 180 days for 1 year and 5 year Tourist Visa.

One year (365 days) from the date of grant of ETA.

Continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days. If the intension is to stay for more then 180 days, shall get registered with FRRO/FRO concerned within two weeks after the expiry of 180 days.

Thirty days (30 days) from the date of arrival into India.

Organizers to upload all details & documentation on the MHA website (conference.mha.gov.in)

Sixty days (60 days) from the date of arrival into India.

If the applicant is unable to complete his e-visa application form, he may save the application and may return to complete the application form by clicking the tab at the bottom of page: After your eVisa applications is submitted, the same shall be scrutinized and if any Document/Image is not appropriate, you may be advised on your given e-mail to re-upload the same. To re-upload use the tab at the bottom of the page. Applicant should normally receive this mail within 24 hours.

• Useful Web Links
• Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. Of India.
• Ministry of External Affairs, Govt Of India
• Ministry of Tourism, Govt Of India
• Bureau of Immigration, Govt Of India
• Incredible India, Govt Of India

Eligibility

• International travellers whose sole objective for visiting India is recreation, sight seeing,casual visit to meet friends and relatives, attending a short term yoga programme,Short term courses on local languages, music, dance, arts & crafts, cooking, medicine etc. which should not be a formal or structured course/programme (courses not exceeding 6 months duration and not issued with a qualifying certificate/ diploma etc),Voluntary work of short duration (for a maximum period of one month, which do not involve any monetary payment or consideration of any kind in return), medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine, business purpose, as attendant to e-Medical visa holder, attending a conference/ seminar/ workshop organized by a Ministry or Department of the Government of India, State Governments or UT Administrations etc. & their subordinate/ attached organizations & PSUs and private conferences organized by private persons/companies/organizations.
• Applicant's passport should have at least six months validity at the time of making application for grant of e-Visa.
• International Travellers should have return ticket or onward journey ticket,with sufficient money to spend during his/her stay in India.
• International Travellers having Pakistani Passport or Pakistani origin may please apply for regular Visa at Indian Mission.
• Not available to Diplomatic/Official Passport Holders or Laissez-passer travel document holders.
• Not available to individuals endorsed on Parent's/Spouse's Passport i.e. each individual should have a separate passport.
• Not available to International Travel Document Holders other than Passport.

If you are a national of any following countries, you are eligible for eVisa.

• Afghanistan
• Antigua & Barbuda
• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Cameroon Union Republic
• Cayman Island
• Cook Islands
• Cote d'lvoire
• Czech Republic
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Isle of Man
• Liechtenstein
• Marshall Islands
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Niger Republic
• Niue Island
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Republic of Korea
• Saint Christopher and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
• Saudi Arabia
• Sierra Leone
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Turks & Caicos Island
• United Kingdom
• Vatican City-Holy See
• Zambia and Zimbabwe

Documents Requirement & Visa Categories

• General Instructions
• Advisory for Canadian Nationals
• e-Visa has 5 sub-categories viz. e-Tourist Visa(for 30 days/01 year/ 05 years) ,e-Business Visa, e-Medical Visa, e-Medical Attendant Visa and e-Conference Visa. A foreigner (other than those applying for e-Conference Visa) will be allowed to club activities permitted under these categories. Foreigners applying for e-Conference visa will be permitted to club the activities permitted under e-Tourist visa only (validity co-terminus with e-Conference Visa only i.e. 30 days). Only two e-Medical Attendant Visas will be granted against one e- Medical Visa.
• For e-Tourist and e-Business visa, Applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival.
• For e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visa, Applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival with a window of 120 days. Example: If you are applying on 1st Sept then applicant can select arrival date from 5th Sept to 2nd Jan
• Sample eVisa application form is available on the tab near the bottom of eVisa main page.
• Recent front facing photograph with white background and photo page of Passport containing personal details like name, date of birth, nationality, expiry date etc are to be uploaded mandatorily by the applicant. Additionally one more document depending upon the e-Visa type would also be required to be uploaded. The application is liable to be rejected if the uploaded documents and photograph are not clear / as per specification.
• e-Visa fee is country/Territory specific. Bank transaction charges of 2.5% will be charged additionally on applicable e-Visa fees. The fee must be paid at least 4 days before the expected date of travel otherwise application will not be processed. To know the fee applicable on your Country/Territory please Click here (for e-Tourist Visa) and for other e-Visa Click here .
• e-Visa fee once submitted is non-refundable as the fee is for processing of the application and is not dependent on either Grant or Rejection of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA).
• Applicant should carry a copy of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) along with him/her at the time of travel. Please confirm that your ETA status is shown as 'GRANTED' on this website prior to commencement of your journey. Applicants can track the status of their application online by clicking VisaStatus
• Biometric details of the applicant will be mandatorily captured at Immigration on arrival in India.
• e-Visa is non-extendable, non-convertible & not valid for visiting Protected/Restricted and Cantonment Areas. If you intend to visit Protected/Restricted/Cantonment areas, you would require prior permission from the Civil Authority please visit here.
• The e-Visa fee payment status updation may take up to 2 hours due to technical reasons/network delays. Before re-applying, the applicants are requested to wait for 2 hours for payment status updating, after final submission of the application form and payment of the fee. In cases, where e-Visa fee has been deducted but status is not updated, the applicants are advised to verify their payment status by clicking on 'Verify Payment/Pay Visa Fee' tab or by clicking on the link Verify Payment.
• Nationals of Yellow Fever affected countries or travellers arriving from these countries must carry YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION CARD at the time of arrival in India, otherwise they may be quarantined for 6 days upon arrival in India. Please visit our Ministry Of Health & Family Welfare latest guidelines regarding yellow fever countries here.
• You must travel on the Passport which you have applied for eVisa. Entry will be allowed into India on the new passport even if ETA has been issued on the old passport, however in such cases a traveler must carry the old passport on which ETA was issued

The documents required for completing the eVisa application is indicated against each type of eVisa. Please keep all these documents ready at hand before beginning to fill your eVisa application. All documents including Business cards, Invitation letters etc. must be in English language, failing which the application would be liable for rejection. The entire process may take 10 to 15 minutes to complete the application and make the payment.

Applicants must be fill eVisa application himself/herself and give correct information in each column and take responsibility for the correctness of information provided.

Documents Required: All documents uploaded by the applicant including business cards, invitation letters etc. must be in English language, failing which e-Visa application would be liable for rejection.

The documents required for e-visa are :.

• Scanned Bio Page of the passport showing the Photograph and Details *
• For short term courses, copy of letter from the institute/organization/hospital etc. concerned on its letter-head *
• For voluntary work of short duration, copy of letter from the organization concerned on its letter-head *
• Copy of Letter from the Hospital concerned in India on its letterhead which including the date / tentative date which admission have been suggested .
• Copy of Business Card
• Any letter of invitation if applicable from indian parties which wish you conduct the business (optional).
• Copy of Passport page containing personal particulars *
• Approval of the Government of India in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (Department of Sports)
• Invitation Letter to foreign sports teams and sports persons to visit India by the concerned Sports Federation/Association in India.
• If the applicant had participated in any commercial sports event during his/her previous visit to India, then documents regarding Tax compliance for the said visit are to be furnished
• If the sports event entails visit to Restricted or Protected Areas in India, below mentioned additional documents are also to be submitted (a) Clearance for holding the event from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. (b) Political Clearance for holding the event from the Ministry of external Affairs, Government of India. (c) Requisite clearance from the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
• Invitation of the host institute to the foreign faculty
• Copy of the sanction order under GIAN issued by the National Coordinating Institute viz. IIT Kharagpur
• Copy of the synopsis of the courses to be taken up by the faculty
• Invitation from organizer, which applicant may seek from this organiser.
• Political clearance from Ministry of External Affairs
• Event clearance from Ministry of Home Affairs

The digital photograph to be uploaded along with the Visa application should meet the following requirements:

• Format - JPEG
• Minimum 10 KB
• Maximum 1 MB
• The height and width of the Photo must be equal.
• Photo should present full face, front view, eyes open and without spectacles
• Center head within frame and present full head from top of hair to bottom of chin
• Background should be plain light colored or white background.
• No shadows on the face or on the background.
• Without borders.
• Format -PDF
• Size : Minimum 10 KB ,Maximum 300 KB

The applicant has choice of using two option for payment.

• SBI-FAQS-Payment Related
• AXIS-FAQS-Payment Related

SBIePay is the Payment Aggregator service of State Bank of India – India’s Largest Bank and amongst top 50 Banks in the world, which provides bouquet of multiple payment options on a single page for the convenience of the customers.

SBIePay has facilitated the following channels on e-Visa platform:

• Payment Gateway: It seamlessly processes Credit card and Debit Card transactions for all the cards issued internationally by Visa & MasterCard. SBIePay Payment gateway is enabled with BIN identifier which recognises the BIN online when a customer enters the no., which drastically improves the success percentage and reduces customer friction.
• Paypal: SBIePay also facilitates e-Visa customers to make payment through widely popular and accepted Paypal channel.

SBIePay is certified with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) ver 3.2, which is the latest version, and which further reinforces our promise of security and safety. The payment system fully supports 3DSecure - Verified by Visa and MasterCard Secure Code, wherever it is applicable. Further, SBIePay is secured using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption which ensures that payment information that travels over the Internet is always encrypted and cannot be viewed by unauthorised individuals.

Yes, SBIePay has enabled international card issued by MasterCard and VISA both with and without 3D Secure authentication.

The applicant enters necessary details on https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ , and clicks on 'Pay Now'. The applicant is redirected to SBIePay payment page and is presented with payment options of either entering Card details (Payment Gateway) or Paypal .Applicant enters his card details and clicks ‘Proceed’. Now, either of the below mentioned 2 scenarios will occur:

• 3 D Secure page of the Card Issuerwill be displayed, where applicant must enter 3D Secure Password/OTP.
• Transaction is processed without 3D Secure page. After successful completion of transaction, the applicant is redirected on to the https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ with a successful receipt of payment.

If an applicant is presented with a 3D Secure page prompting to enter a password/OTP, this means the Card issuing Bank participates in 3D Secure transaction. If the applicant’s transaction is processed without directing to 3D secure page, he/she should contact the card issuing Bank for support.

In an ideal scenario, once the transaction is processed, the applicant shall be presented with a payment successful page along with a reference number.

In some rare scenarios it may happen where the application is not shown Payment successful page post completion of transaction, which may be due to a drop in connectivity leading to non-receipt of success response. If the applicant does not receive any success message even after card account has been charged, a refund shall be initiated after due reconciliation process to the applicants’ card account.

In rare case of transaction status unknown to the applicant, which is when the applicant has not received success response due to time out or connectivity issue and the account has been debited, we advise the customer not to attempt another transaction immediately and rather provide their Order no. on the e-Visa site after 30 minutes to check the status of the transaction. If the transaction status is showing ‘failed’, then customer may attempt another transaction. Also, the debited amount shall be refunded to the applicants’ card account after reconciliation process within seven (7) days of transaction.

The banking charges for:

• Payment Gateway Card transactions (both Debit or Credit Card): 2.5%* of the applicable e-Visa fee.
• Paypal: 3.5%* of the applicable e-Visa fee.

*The charges are inclusive of any applicable taxes.

The breakup of transaction charges will be displayed on the Payment page for applicants’ knowledge and to maintain transparency.

At State Bank of India, we are committed to provide best customer services to our customers. Customers can email us at sbiepay[at]sbi[dot]co[dot]in for any queries related to their transaction. Alternatively, SBIePay provides 24*7*365 customer support to all the e-Visa applicants. Applicants can also call us on the below mentioned number(s):

Contact No: +91-22-2753-5773

An applicant can perform multiple times transactions for a single application ID, with a gap of minimum 25 minutes between each transaction. It is advisable that applicant may check the status of the transaction at e-Visa portal before attempting another transaction.

An applicant shall be charged for only once for any successful transaction against an application ID. Any further debits shall be refunded back to the customer after due reconciliation, within seven (7) days of transactions.

Axis Bank is an Internet Payment Gateway Solution allows you to make payments on a 24 X 7 basis from around the world. It accepts all Visa, MasterCard and Maestro cards.

Axis Bank Payment Gateway services facilitates online payments w.r.t. all Credit and Debit Cards issued by MasterCard and VISA.

Axis Bank Payment gateway services is compliant with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) standards. All transactions initiated at Axis Bank Payment Gateway services come with 128 bit security and two factor authentication via MasterCard Secure Code and Verified-by-Visa authentication is enabled.

Axis Bank Payment gateway accepts all international card issued by MasterCard and VISA both with and without 3D secure authentication.

The applicant after filling details on https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ clicks 'Pay Now'. The applicant is redirected to Axis Bank payment gateway page and is presented with payment options like MasterCard and VISA. Cardholder enters his card number, expiry date, Name and CVV value and clicks 'Pay Now'. Incase cardholder Bank is enabled for 3D secure, then a page will appear for the cardholder to entire either his/her OTP/3D secure password. Else transaction would be processed. After successful completion of transaction, the applicant is redirected on to the https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ with a successful receipt of payment.

Incase Bank is participating for 3D Secure transaction during transaction a 3D secure page would appear and cardholders have to enter his/her password /OTP.

The applicant shall be presented with a payment successful page along with reference number. If the applicant does not receive any success message even after card account has been charged, a refund will have to be initiated after due reconciliation to the applicant's card account.

If a transaction has failed but the applicants card account is debited more than once, the amount will have to be refunded to the applicant's card account after reconciliation process within seven (7) days of transaction. In some cases, If the fund still lies with the card issuing Bank, kindly get in touch with your Bank for such case.

The banking charges are subject to maximum of 2.5% plus applicable taxes on the applicable e-Visa fees. These charges are charged to the applicant at the time of making online e visa fee payment.

Axis Bank provides technical support for all payment related transactions at ecom[at]axisbank[dot]com

Our endeavour is to provide you with a seamless experience on our platform. Please ensure following, before initiating the card payment.

• Using a non-expired card
• Have sufficient balance in your account
• Have sufficient credit card limit on the card being used
• Card is not reported as “lost or stolen”
• Entering the correct OTP. Have access to device for accessing OTP or Static password
• Card supports transactions in INR and USD
• Amount has not exceeded the daily maximum allowed amount by your issuer
• Number of transactions have not exceeded the daily maximum allowed count by your issuer
• Issuer and card not enrolled for 3DS
• Timeout occurred while receiving the OTP from issuer or while entering OTP on the payment page

SBI e-Pay Payment Gateway :-

• SBIePay is the Payment Aggregator service of State Bank of India which provides multiple payment options on a single payment page for the convenience of applicants. SBIePay has enabled Debit and Credit issued by MasterCard and VISA.
• SBIePay facilitates online payments all Credit and Debit Cards issued by MasterCard and VISA.
• SBIePay is certified with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) ver 2.0 certified, which reinforces our promise of security. The payment system fully supports 3DSecure - Verified by Visa and MasterCard Secure Code, wherever it is applicable. Further SBIePay is secured using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption which ensures that payment information never sent over the Internet unencrypted and cannot be viewed by unauthorised individuals.
• SBIePay has enabled international card issued by MasterCard and VISA both with and without 3D Secure authentication.
• The applicant after filling details on https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ and clicks 'Pay Now'. The applicant is redirected to SBIePay payment page and is presented with payment options like MasterCard and VISA. Applicant enters his card details and clicks “Proceed”. Then the applicant may see one of the two options: i. 3 D Secure page of the Card issuing page for inputing 3D Secure password/OTP ii. Transaction is processed without 3D Secure page. After successful completion of transaction, the applicant is redirected on to the https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ with a successful receipt of payment.
• The applicant shall be presented with a payment successful page along with reference number. If the applicant does not receive any success message even after card account has been charged, a refund shall be initiated after due reconciliation to the applicants card account.
• If a transaction has failed but the applicants card account is debited more than once, the amount shall be refunded to the applicants card account after reconciliation process within seven (7) days of transaction.
• The banking charges are 2.5% on the applicable e-Visa fees. These charges are charged to the applicant at the time of making online e-visa fee payment.
• SBIePay provides technical support for all payment related transactions at +91-22-2753-5773 is (24 x 7).
• An applicant can perform maximum of three transactions for a single application ID.
• If the applicant cannot succeed in three attempts, a new application is required to be filled and transaction has to be carried out with new application ID.
• An applicant shall be charged for only once against an application ID. Any double/triple debit shall be refunded after due reconciliation within seven (7) days of transactions.

Ans- The following are the eligibility conditions for availing e-Visa services-   i. Nationals of countries listed on the e-Visa website https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ are eligible to apply for e-Visa Services.   ii. Foreigners whose sole objective for visiting India is     (a) Recreation and sightseeing     (b) Casual visit to meet friends and relatives     (c) Attending short term yoga programme or short term courses on local languages, music, dance, arts & crafts, cooking, medicine etc. which should not be a formal or structured course/programme      (courses not exceeding 6 months duration and not issuing a qualifying certificate/diploma etc. to the participants)     (d) Voluntary work of short duration (for a maximum period of one month, which do not involve any monetary payment or consideration of any kind in return)     (e) Medical treatment, including treatment under Indian systems of medicine     (f) As attendant to e-Medical visa holder     (g) Business purpose     (h) Attending a conference/ seminar/ workshop.   iii. Passport should have at least six months validity at the time of making application for grant of e-Visa and a re-entry permit, if that is required under the law of the country of nationality of the applicant.    The passport should have at least two blank pages for stamping by the Immigration Officer.   iv. The foreigner should have return ticket or onward journey ticket, with sufficient money to spend during his/her stay in India.   v. Foreigners of Pakistani origin or having Pakistani Passport are not eligible for e-Visa. Foreigners who are not Pakistani nationals, but whose parents or grandparents (either paternal or maternal) was born    in, or was permanently resident in Pakistan, are also not eligible for e-Visa. They may apply for regular Visa at Indian Mission.   vi. Not available to Diplomatic/Official Passport Holders or Laissez-passer/ international travel document holders.   vii. Not available to individuals endorsed on Parent's/Spouse's Passport i.e. each individual should have a separate passport.

Ans- For details regarding procedure for applying, please visit our website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/

Ans- No, https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ is only the official website to apply for the e-Visa Services.    Note - Services of e-Visa are completely online and no facilitation is required by any intermediary / travel agents etc. It is advised not to believe or fall in trap of any such unscrupulous elements who claim    speedy/express grant of e-Visa and charge money for it.    Do not share your personal information with any unauthorized website as it may lead to leakage of your personal data. Only visit the official website https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ for e-Visa    service.    For any clarification, you may write us on our email id ' indian-evisa[at]gov[dot]in ' or contact us on +91 11 24300666 .

Ans- No, there is no fee other than the processing fee for e-Visa application and it is non-refundable. Please visit our website to know the fee applicable for your country as it is country-specific.

Ans- (i) For e-Tourist Visa (01 year / 05 years), e-Business Visa, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visa, applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance    of the date of arrival. Such application can be made 120 days in advance from proposed date of travel.    (ii) For e-Tourist Visa (30 days) , applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival. Such application can be made 30 days in advance from    proposed date of travel.

Ans- Yes. Immediately after you submit your e-Visa application and make the payment, you will receive a confirmation of submission of your application on the email id provided by you while filling up your    application form.

Ans- Your e-Visa application may take 72 hours or more for processing. You will be intimated about your Visa status (Granted or Rejected) on your email id provided by you in the e-Visa application.

Ans- Yes, you may check the status of your e-Visa application by visiting our website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ and clicking on 'Check your Visa Status' Tab provided on the website.

Ans- The validity of e-Visa would be according to the e-Visa service you have requested in the application form as -    For e-Tourist Visa (01 year / 05 years) , the validity would be 365 days / 05 years from the date of grant of ETA with Multiple entries and Maximum stay in India during one Calender Year should not exceed 180 days.    For e-Tourist Visa (30 days) , the validity would be 30 days from the date of your first arrival in India. Double entries will be granted within the e-Visa validity period stamped on your Passport. Your first    arrival must be between the date of issue and expiry of ETA.    For e-Business Visa , the validity would be 365 days from the date of grant of ETA with Multiple entries and continuous stay during each visit which shall not exceed 180 days and no registration would be    required if stay is for a period of less than 180 days. However, if the intention is to stay for more than 180 days, then the foreigner shall get himself/herself registered with the FRRO/FRO concerned     (https://indianfrro.gov.in) within two weeks after the expiry of 180 days of his/her arrival in India.    For e-Conference Visa , the validity would be 30 days from the date of arrival in India with Single entry.    For e-Medical Visa , the validity would be 60 days from the date of first arrival in India and triple entry will be allowed within the e-Visa validity period stamped on your Passport.    For e-Medical Attendant Visa , the validity would be 60 days from the date of first arrival in India and triple entry will be allowed within the e-Visa validity period stamped on your Passport.

Ans- No, e-Visa is non-extendable and non-convertible.

Ans- You may arrive at 31 designated Airports i.e. Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Calicut, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa(Dabolim), Goa(Mopa), Guwahati, Hyderabad,Indore    Jaipur,Kannur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Port Blair, Pune, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum, Varanasi & Visakhapatnam, and 5 designated seaports (i.e. Cochin, Goa, Mangalore,    Chennai and Mumbai seaports). You may depart from any of the Indian Immigration Check Posts (ICPs).

Ans- Your e-Visa application may take upto 72 hours for processing. For more enquiries on your e-Visa application, you can contact us at +91 11 24300666 or e-mail at indian-evisa[at]gov[dot]in    The applicants are advised to beware of unscrupulous elements/ travel agents/ intermediaries in this regard. In cases where applicants have been asked for correct details or additional information    where application is incomplete, the same must be sent immediately. If such information is not provided within 72 hours, the application is liable to be rejected.

Ans- Yes, ensure that your child’s passport is valid at-least for next 06 (six) months from the date of arrival in India.

Ans- e-Visa processing fee once submitted is non-refundable as the fee is for processing of the application and is not dependent on either Grant or Rejection of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)

Ans- No. You have already paid the required processing fee online. The applicants are advised to beware of unscrupulous elements/ travel agents/ intermediaries demanding extra payment.

Ans- This pertains to customs department.

Ans- Make sure you delete the browser history and cookies before trying to make payment. Also try to change the browser if the problem persists.    In case you have already tried more than thrice, then you may have to re-submit the entire application form once again.    Payment Support helpline :-     Axis Bank Technical support. Email address: ecom[at]axisbank[dot]com    Contact No Toll free Numbers from:    USA : 18552055577 UK : 0808178 5040 Singapore : 8001206355 Australia : 1800153861 UAE : 8000 3570 3218 Saudi Arabia : 8008500000 Qatar : 00800 100348 Bahrain : 80011300    For rest of the countries: + 91-40-6717-4100     SBI ePay payment support provides technical support for all payment related transactions at +91-22-2753-5773 (24 x 7).

Ans- Please visit our website https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ and click on 'Verify Payment/ Pay e-Visa fee'.

Ans - You have to upload the business card along with the details of Indian Firm/Company (which you intend to associate yourself with) for business activities. For Sports Related Activity under e-Business Visa, please refer Instructions for applicant page for the list of documents required.

Ans- Business card means 'a card provided to you by the company you are working for' OR you can also upload 'an invitation letter from the company in India including company's information, address and    phone number in India'.

Ans - A Copy of Letter from the Hospital concerned in India on its letterhead which includes the tentative date of admission/treatment in the hospital mentioning the name, nationality and Passport number of    the patient/ e-Medical Visa applicant.

Ans- For e-Conference Visa, following are the required documents:    (i) Invitation from organizer (mandatory)    (ii) Political clearance from Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India (mandatory)    (iii) Event clearance from Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India (optional)

Ans- You may be allowed entry into India on the new passport even if ETA has been issued on the old passport with the condition that you must carry the new Passport and old passport on which ETA was    issued.

Ans- No, You can only enter through the designated airports/seaports which are listed on the e-Visa website.

Ans- You have to put the Previous visa details in the application form as it is mandatory. You can write NA or Not Available or Not Applicable or any other suitable phrase according to you in the application    form if you do not remember your earlier Visa number/details.

Ans- The Visa on Arrival facility is only for the nationals of Japan, South Korea and UAE (only for such UAE nationals who had earlier obtained e-Visa or regular/paper visa for India). For the nationals of all other    countries eligible for e-Visa, the e-visa application have to be filled online and the applicant must wait till the confirmation/Grant of ETA for travelling to India.

Ans- e-Visa processing fee once submitted is non-refundable as the fee is for processing of the application and is not dependent on either grant or Rejection of the Application.

Ans- Entry by cruise ship is allowed with the ETA through 5 designated seaports namely Mumbai, Chennai, Cochin, Goa and Mangalore seaports.

Ans- 'Visible identification mark' generally means moles, birthmarks, permanent scars etc. which are visible and can be shown if askd for by the Indian Immigration Authority.

Ans- All the foreigners arriving in India within 6 days of departure from any yellow fever endemic country are required to possess (in original) a valid yellow fever certificate of vaccination.    List of Yellow fever vaccination countries-     https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Updated%20List%20of%20Yellow%20Fever%20Endemic%20Countries%20by%20WHO_0.pdf

Ans- The applicant must check all the details including Name, Nationality, Passport Number and Date of Birth, photograph/self image etc before final submission of e-Visa application. The applicant would be    responsible for any discrepancy irrespective of grant/rejection of e-Visa application. However, if any discrepancy found on ETA, e-Visa Support Centre may be contacted at indian-evisa[at]gov[dot]in or     +91 11 24300666 for assistance at least 24 hours before the journey date.

Ans- e-Visa is not allowed for employment. You may apply for a Regular Visa.

Ans- e-Visa is not allowed for NGO activities and journalism purposes. However, Voluntary work of short duration (for a maximum period of one month, which do not involve any monetary payment or    consideration of any kind in return) are allowed.

Ans- Only two e-Medical Attendant Visas will be granted against one e-Medical Visa (patient).

Authorized Immigration Checkposts

Entry points.

Persons holding eVisa will be allowed to enter into India only through the designated international airports (31) namely :

• Thiruvananthapuram
• Goa(Dabolim)
• Visakhapatnam
• Bhubaneswar

eVisa facility is also been provided for entry at 5 major Indian seaport for cruise tourists:

• New Mangalore

Exit Points

• Bhubaneshwar
• Tiruchirapalli
• Vishakhapatnam
• Attari Road
• Changrabandha
• Gauriphanta
• Kailashahar
• Lalgolaghat
• Srimantapur
• Kawarpuchia
• Bedi Bunder
• Mormagoa Harbour
• Mumbai Seaport
• Nagapattinum
• Nhava Sheva
• Vishakapatnam
• Agati and Minicoy Island Lakshdwip UT
• Vallarpadam
• Krishnapatnam
• Munabao Rail Check Post
• Attari Rail Check Post
• Gede Rail and Road Check Post
• Haridaspur Rail Check Post
• Chitpur Rail Checkpost

Technical information for e-visa: This site is best viewed in Mozilla Firefox,Google Chrome,Internet Explorer (Windows) version 9.0 and above.The applicant must also have Adobe Acrobat Reader version 7.0 or higher installed on your PC in order to download and print the completed application form. This website is compatible with Android and IOS devices.

Tue 7 May 2024

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How to get a visa for India: Rules for UK applications explained with new measures to ease ‘stressful’ backlog

The uk has been excluded from the list of countries eligible for e-visas for travel to india. hundreds of holidays were disrupted as travellers struggled to secure an in-person visa appointment.

British tourists must apply for a visa to visit India , and are not eligible for e-visas, a rule that has caused disruption to hundreds of holidays.

However, the Indian High Commission has announced new “interim measures” to speed up applications, including a service that will collect relevant papers from your doorstep and return them once processed – for a fee.

Before the pandemic , the UK was among tens of countries from which most holidaymakers could use an e-visa to travel to India . The system was fairly straightforward and similar to applying for a US Esta.

It was reinstated for 156 countries when India fully reopened to tourism in February , but the UK was left off the list of eligible nationalities. The Indian High Commission confirmed on 7 October, following weeks of confusion, that Britons would need to attend in-person appointments and interviews to secure a visa.

In October, visa applicants reported difficulties securing a slot at the the nine processing centres across the UK, which were booked up well into November. Travellers who were able to book an appointment spoke of long waits at the centres and people being sent away due to small mistakes on their paperwork.

UK tour operators have cancelled many trips, and refunded customers. Some have stopped selling trips to India for the rest of the year.

Ashley Quint, holiday designer at Berkhamsted travel agency TravelTime World, told i that two clients had found the process “difficult” and “stressful”.

Last month, Aito, the specialist travel association, estimated that around 1,500 of its members’ bookings were affected.

Why can’t British tourists use an e-visa?

It is not clear why the UK was been excluded from the list of eligible countries; Canada has also been left off the list.

Theories include an administrative oversight with the end of the Brexit transition period having occurred between India suspending and reinstating its e-visas (all current EU member states are on the eligible list), or as a reciprocal measure given that it is an arduous process for Indian citizens to apply for a UK visa.

For now, there is no suggestion as to if, and when, e-visas might be reinstated for Britons.

How to get a visa for travel to India

You should make an appointment in good time ahead of your trip to India. These can be booked online .

There is a three-step process: After applying online, submit your documents at an Indian Visa Application Centre, then collect the documents from the centre or receive them via post. You can check the status of an application online .

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warns that you should make sure that you have the right visa and that it is valid for the purpose and duration of your stay.

Under the entry requirements on the India advice page, it adds: “If you enter India on the wrong visa, you could be detained on arrival and you may be deported and blacklisted, meaning that you cannot enter India again.”

More from Travel

There is further information available through the High Commission of India in London and the Government of India’s Bureau of Immigration .

The FCDO advises that overstaying your visa is an offence in India and to ensure you leave the country before your visa has expired.

Visa applicants of Pakistani origin who have dual nationality must apply for an Indian visa on their Pakistani passport.

The new measures to speed up applications

Indian High Commissioner, Vikram K Doralswami, said in a video posted on Twitter last week that the number of visa applications being handled for travel to India from the UK had doubled to 40,000 from 20,000 in a month as a result of changes made to the booking system in October.

The High Commissioner has previously said that the visa process had been “difficult”.

New visa processing centres have opened in Glasgow and Marylebone, London (the latter on 1 November) to help reduce waiting times.

A new “visa at your doorstep” service is also being introduced under which travellers can pay a fee to have their papers collected for processing and returned to them after processing.

To assist with this, the service provider will also offer a service at a small cost to have documents checked online before they are taken to be processed.

There will also be a form filling service for those that need extra help in completing the paperwork.

The Indian High Commission has yet to release details on how to apply and pay for these services.

Visas for group tours travelling to the same destination in India and on the same flights, usually with a tour operator, are available again as of 1 November.

What to do if you’re due to travel to India

If you are planning to travel to India in the next couple of months, then be sure to apply for a visa as soon as possible.

Travel agents have reported customers having to rely on appointments on the day before they travel.

Ashley Quint from TravelTime World told i : “ I have been trying to help a couple of people who have been caught up in this mess.

“They were panicking because the only date they could get for their appointment was the day before they were travelling and found the process difficult.”

“I believe they got their visa in the end, and were able to travel, but it was really to the wire and stressful.”

If travelling with a tour operator, or booking through a travel agent, contact them for the latest advice.

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• UK Visitor Visa from India in 2024: Types & Fees

UK Visitor Visa from India in 2024: Eligibility, Requirements, Process & Fees

Updated On May 02, 2024

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UK Tourist Visa from India: An Overview

Types of uk tourist visas from india, eligibility requirements to apply for a uk visit visa from india, list of documents required for uk visit visa from india, apply for uk visitor visa from india: application process, uk visitor visa for india: guide to uk visit visa application form, visa fees for uk tourist visa from india: costs, processing time for uk tourist visa from india.

Exploring the United Kingdom is a dream for many, but navigating the process of obtaining a UK Visitor Visa from India can be daunting if not structured right.

If you're planning a trip to the UK and find yourself asking questions like "What is India UK Tourist Visa?" or "How to get a tourist visa UK for Indians?" – don't worry! This guide is your roadmap to understanding and obtaining a UK Tourist visa from India.

A UK Visitor Visa is a temporary permit issued by the United Kingdom for short term visits, including tourism, business, medical treatment, or visiting family and friends.

The duration of stay, typically up to 6 months, varies based on the purpose and individual circumstances. It's important to remember that this visa does not permit work, study, or permanent settlement in the UK.

Now that you have understood what is United Kingdom tourist visa from India let us explore, the different types of visit visas from India to the UK. These including:

• Standard Visitor Visa: For general tourism, leisure, or visiting family and friends.
• Visitor Visa for Medical Reasons: For individuals seeking private medical treatment or treatment at NHS hospitals.
• Visitor Visa for Academics: For academic related activities such as research or academic placements.
• Long Term Visitor Visas: Valid for 2, 5, or 10 years, allowing multiple visits with a stay of up to 6 months per visit.
• Marriage Visit Visa: For individuals intending to get married or register a civil partnership in the UK.
• Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor Visa: For individuals invited to the UK for paid engagements lasting up to 1 month.

In order to qualify to apply for UK visit visa from India, applicants are required to meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Demonstrate plans to return on the specified date.
• Show evidence of financial capability to cover expenses during the UK stay.
• Provide documentation of planned activities, ensuring they align with permissible actions in the UK.
• For long term visa requests, demonstrate a recurring need to visit the UK with a consistent purpose throughout the visa's validity.
• If seeking medical treatment, furnish necessary paperwork, arrange payment for treatment, and confirm intentions to depart the UK upon treatment completion.

The list of documents needed for a UK visa from India for different UK Visitor visas varies based on the requirement and the UK visitor visa type. The required documents for UK tourist visa or visitor visa from India include the following

• Present a valid passport or travel document.
• Provide bank statements demonstrating your financial capacity.
• Police clearance certificate
• Furnish documentation supporting the purpose of your visit to the UK.
• Show evidence of your intention to depart the UK at the conclusion of your planned visit.
• For study visa applicants, include a confirmation letter from your overseas course provider confirming the relevance of your research or research tuition to your current course.
• For seeking medical treatment, supply details of your medical condition, estimated treatment expenses, expected duration of treatment, and the location of consultation and treatment.

Now that you have verified your eligibility and document requirements for visa for UK tourist from India, let us learn more about how to apply for tourist visa UK from India. The steps include

• Step 1: Complete Visa Application Form: Start by filling out the application form, which you can find online or in hard copy. You can access these forms through the British Consulate or High Commission websites.
• Step 2: Schedule Biometrics Appointment: Once you've completed the form, it's time to schedule a visit to a designated visa application center. There, you'll need to provide your biometric data, including fingerprints and a photo.
• Step 3: Visit VAC: On the designated day, make your way to the Visa Application Center. Bring along your completed application form, required documents, visa fee, and any supporting evidence.
• Step 4: Receive Acknowledgement: After you've submitted everything, you'll receive an acknowledgment. Hold on to this acknowledgment as you gather any additional documents.
• Step 5: Receive Acceptance: Within about 3 weeks, you should hear back about the status of your UK Visa application. Keep an eye out for updates during this time.

Also Read: UK Visa Interview Questions and Answers

The Visit and ShortTerm Stay (VAF1A) Form serves as the application form for a UK tourist visa. You can find download links for this form on both the British High Commission website and the official UK government website.

Before completing the form, it's important to carefully read the instructions provided at the top. When filling out the form, please use black or blue ink only, and ensure that all information is provided in English.

Details to be Provided in the Form

The applicant is required to provide the following details in their application form:

• Type of visitor visa (tourist/visiting friends/other)
• Duration of stay
• Main purpose of visit
• Dates of travel (entry and exit from the UK)
• Marital status
• Date and place of birth
• Nationality and country of birth
• Dual citizenship status (if applicable)
• Passport details, including passport number, expiry date, and place of issue
• Residential address
• Contact information, such as email address, telephone, and mobile number
• Details of parents, spouse, and children (if applicable), including names, dates and places of birth, and nationality
• Financial and employment details, including current employment status, type of employment, duration, and organization details
• Work address and previous work history
• Details of income and employment
• Details of previous travel to foreign countries
• Previous travel to the UK, if any, including details
• Record of any criminal history in a foreign country, if applicable

The fees for UK tourist visas from India varies based on the visa type (also included single and multiple entry) and requirement. The current fees for UK visitor visa from India is as follows:

Now that you have learned about the cost of visiting the UK from India. What next? Ofcourse, the processing times it is.

Typically, the processing time for a UK visitor visa ranges from 15 to 20 working days, excluding weekends and holidays. This tourist visa UK from India processing time period allows for thorough verification of the provided information and ensures that the application is completed accurately.

However, in certain cases where additional verification is necessary due to discrepancies in the information provided, the UK visitor visa from India processing time may be slightly extended.

UK Visitor Visa from India Your License to British Land

Securing a UK Tourist Visa from India unlocks opportunities for unforgettable experiences in the United Kingdom, from exploring historic sites to engaging in business ventures. Despite the careful preparation and processing time involved, the chance to discover the UK's cultural richness is well worth it.

For seamless immigration assistance and support, consider seeking guidance from GetGIS to navigate the application process with confidence. Embark on your UK adventure and create lasting memories with ease, supported by our immigration experts every step of the way.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What distinguishes a visitor visa from a tourist visa in the UK?

Which visas has the Standard Visitor visa replaced?

How much money must I show for a UK tourist visa?

Is a 3-month bank statement sufficient for a UK visit visa?

Who can sponsor a UK visit visa applicant?

Can I get married in the UK on a visitor visa?

Can I work in the UK with a visitor visa?

Lakshmi Lavanya Pagallu , 

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Lakshmi Lavanya Pagallu has been working as Content Marketing Specialist with GetGIS since 2022 and has been extensively working to help candidates’ career transitions. Her experience spans across multiple industries in the fields of Sales and Marketing. Her core competencies include communication and research, which enable her to create and deliver in-depth guides as a Subject Matter Expert

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Here's how to get a visa to visit India

Dec 20, 2023 • 7 min read

From applying for an e-Visa to extending your stay, here's what you need to know about entry requirements for India © beavera / Getty Images

With its dense tapestry of cultures and landscapes, India feels like dozens of countries rolled into one, but a single visa will cover you for travel across more than 3 million sq km (more than a million sq miles) of territory, taking in everything from steamy jungles to the high passes of the Himalayas.

Every Indian state is as large and diverse as a nation, so take your time navigating this enormous and fascinating country. The good news is that visas are easy to obtain and allow plenty of time for exploring.

Here’s everything you need to know about visa requirements for India, from the application process for e-Visas to overland travel and extending your stay.

You'll probably need a visa to go to India

Almost everyone needs a visa to visit India , but for most nationalities, tourist visas are easy to obtain online or through your local Indian embassy or consulate. Citizens of 166 countries – including most nations in the EU and EEA, the UK, the US, Australia and New Zealand, and many countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America – can apply for an e-Visa before traveling via a simple online form .

Applying online is a fairly painless process, and it will save you hours compared to applying in person at an embassy or through a visa agency (in countries where Indian embassies no longer issue visas directly). Tourist e-Visas are available with a validity of 30 days, one year or five years, with the one- and five-year visas allowing for multiple entries for a maximum stay of 180 days on each visit.

For one- and five-year tourist visas, applications are accepted up to 120 days in advance of travel. The 30-day visa allows two entries into India, which is handy if you’re planning a side trip to Nepal , and you can apply up to 30 days in advance of travel. All e-Visas take at least 72 hours to process, so be sure to apply in plenty of time (at least 4 days in advance is recommended).

Applying online is the most hassle-free way to obtain a visa

The Indian government’s online e-Visa portal can be used to apply for tourist visas, business visas, and visas for medical treatment and attending conferences. The cost and duration of the visa vary depending on your nationality, and you may need to show proof of return travel arrangements and sufficient funds to support yourself during your trip.

Rules for non-tourist visas can be complex. Business travelers usually need to provide letters of introduction from Indian companies and organizations that they plan to meet. Assuming you meet the requirements, business visas are usually valid for multiple entries over the space of one year.

Working for an Indian company is more complicated. You’ll need an employment visa and a work permit, and most people need a firm job offer and assistance from an Indian employer to complete the paperwork. As with all visa requirements, the situation is subject to change; contact your local Indian embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information.

Applying for a tourist e-Visa is fairly straightforward

To apply for an Indian e-Visa, visit the government’s official e-Visa portal . You’ll need to upload a digital passport-style photo and copies of your passport ID pages, and pay the visa fee, which varies depending on your nationality.

Your passport must be valid for six months beyond the date of entry, and you’ll need two spare pages for the visa, which will be physically stamped into your passport on arrival. Assuming your application is accepted – which is the case for most applicants – you’ll receive a digital Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), which you should print out and carry with you when you travel, so you can present it to the immigration authorities on arrival. 

Enter India via air or sea on your e-Visa

E-Visas allow entry to India through 25 designated airports: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Bengaluru (Bangalore), Hyderabad, Kochi (Cochin), Goa, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Gaya, Jaipur, Lucknow, Trichy (Tiruchirappalli), Varanasi, Kozhikode (Calicut), Mangaluru (Mangalore), Pune, Nagpur, Coimbatore, Bagdogra, Guwahati, Chandigarh and Visakhapatnam.

They’re also valid for entry via the designated seaports at Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, New Mangalore and Mormugao (in Goa).

Apply for a visa before you travel to enter India overland

If you plan to enter India overland – for example, from Nepal or Pakistan – you’ll need a visa stamped into your passport before you leave home, which you’ll need to obtain from the Indian embassy or consulate in your home country, or through an approved visa application office.

If you plan to visit India and Nepal on the same trip, get a multiple-entry visa – it used to be possible to arrange a new Indian tourist visa through the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu , but the authorities may now insist on a two-month gap before issuing a new visa.

There’s no need to worry about applying for a visa for Nepal in advance – they’re available on arrival at border crossings (bring passport photos and US dollars to pay the fee).

If you can't apply for an e-Visa, get one in person in advance

Contact your local embassy or consulate to check the application process in your country; the Indian Ministry of External Affairs maintains a list of diplomatic missions online. It’s best to apply for a visa in your home country – obtaining an Indian visa from an embassy in another country can be tortuously slow, assuming it’s possible at all. Fees and the permitted duration of stay will vary depending on your nationality.

As an alternative to applying through an Indian embassy or consulate, you may be able to apply for a visa through a visa agency – however, this tends to be more expensive than applying directly. In practice, many of these agencies just collect together applications and then send over a staff member to the embassy to apply in person.

Student visas are available to those on full-time courses in India

Student visas are reserved for people enrolled in approved full-time educational courses in India (which can include training courses in yoga, meditation, and traditional Indian art forms). Student visas are valid for up to five years, depending on the length of the course, but the rules are strict, and you’ll need documentation from the institution where you are studying to apply. The Ministry of Home Affairs provides some information online, but contact your local Indian embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date requirements.

Extending your stay in India is for exceptional circumstances only

E-Visas cannot be extended, but other types of visas can, though only in exceptional circumstances, such as medical emergencies or theft of your passport. To apply, you’ll need to use the government’s special online portal , providing evidence of a valid reason for extending your stay in India (e.g., a letter from the hospital where you are being treated or a police report).

You may then be called in for an in-person interview at the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Delhi. If there is a fee, it will be made clear during the application process.

Some border areas in India require additional travel permits

Under a system carried over from British colonial rule, special permits (known as “protected area permits” or “restricted area permits”) are required to visit many areas close to India’s disputed external borders with China , Pakistan and other territories – a zone known as the “inner line.” Applying for these permits outside India is tricky, but you can apply locally in India without too much difficulty.

Permits are especially important for highly sensitive border areas (which tend to be off-limits to all travelers). Applications can be made through local government offices or local travel agencies; contact the state government offices for these regions to get the latest information. In some areas, you may need to register with the local Foreigners Regional Registration Office on arrival, but this is an easy process.

This article was first published Mar 12, 2022 and updated Dec 20, 2023.

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Apply for UK visa with BIVS endorsement (from India) - London Forum

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With respect to the UK visa, I read that one can go from London to Ireland if they have the UK visa with BIVS (and don't need separate Ireland visa)

I want to apply for this "BIVS" option during my UK visa application, but am unable to find more information.

Can someone help in how to apply for the UK visa (my first port of entry is London) such that I get BIVS endorsement? Is there any other documentation needed?

6 replies to this topic

You apply for a UK Visa through the normal channels like everyone else, if you're not sure about filling in the forms, you would be best advised to consult a reputable Immigration Lawyer.

As posted in #1 you will need to go through the channels of applying for a UK standard Visitor Visa

My friend did this couple of years back

https://visaguide.world/europe/ireland-visa/british-irish-visa-scheme/#google_vignette

This FAQ from the Irish government is pretty clear, the visa *must* be endorsed BIVS and it is perfectly possible to be issued a visa without that endorsement. https://www.dfa.ie/media/embassyindia/ourservices/bivs-faq.pdf

From what I can tell you make the request for the BIVS endorsement as part of the application process at the VFS centre.

I found this on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-irish-visa-scheme/british-irish-visa-scheme#eligible-uk-visas

all standard visitor categories where the maximum period for a single visit is six months

Permitted Paid Engagement visas"

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the help and information Richard. My only worry is the website was last updated in 2019, so not sure if this still holds or has something changed.

That's the UK Government website - even though I think they're a bunch of stupid crooks, I still think they (or rather the Civil Service who actually run the Government) might know how their own Visa system works, and are capable of updating it! In the unlikely event it has changed, I'm sure you'll be informed when you apply for a UK Visa. Failing that, I can only repeat my suggestion of engaging a specialist Immigration Lawyer in India.

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UK to India travel restrictions: entry requirements explained

The e-visa has now been reinstated for uk passport holders travelling to india.

T he beaches of Goa, palaces of Rajasthan and slopes of the Himalayas reopened to foreign travellers in winter 2021. But for British travellers, the reopening hasn’t been smooth. The e-visa system introduced in 2014 was paused during the pandemic, and while it was reinstated when borders reopened, UK passport holders were not eligible to use it. Instead, travellers had to provide and present a paper visa. Fortunately, as of December 5, India’s visa policy has changed to allow UK nationals to use the e-visa service for travelling to India as well. Here’s what you need to know.

Main photo: Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan (Getty Images)

Can I travel to India now?

Yes. However, any visas issued before October 2021 are no longer valid, so you’ll need to apply for a new one. For UK passport holders, the process of applying for a tourist visa has at least been simplified as it is now possible to apply for an e-visa again (see below).

Additionally, British citizens of Pakistani origin must apply for an Indian visa on a Pakistan passport, or prove that this has been renounced or cancelled. The process may take seven or eight weeks more.

If you’re a OCI or PIO cardholder, you don’t need a visa to enter India.

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How do I apply for an Indian e-visa?

Applications for the Indian e-visa must be submitted online using the Indian government’s dedicated website .

For the tourist visa, you’ll need to apply at least four days and up to 120 days before you travel. Visas are valid for 30 days, a year or five years.

The application form will require details such as your level of education, religion, and your parents’ nationality.

You’ll also need to submit a passport-style photo with a maximum file size of 1MB, as well as a scan of your passport.

How much does an e-visa cost?

The cost of the e-visa for tourists depends on the country you’re travelling from and varies depending on the time of year you’re planning to travel to India.

For the 30-day e-visa, the fee is US$10 for entry from April to June and US$25 for entry from July to March. The one-year and five-year e-visas cost US$40 and US$80 respectively.

How long does it take to get an e-visa?

The e-visa takes up to 72 hours to process, although you may receive it more quickly than that. If you haven’t received your e-visa after 72 hours, you’re advised to contact the visa service.

What are the travel restrictions?

India has scrapped the requirement for incoming travellers to show proof of vaccination or PCR test results on arrival. However, you will have to go through thermal screening on arrival and, if symptomatic, you may be isolated and taken to a medical facility. You will also need to follow local advice when on the ground.

Most states in India are loosening restrictions related to Covid, though you should still expect to wear face masks in public places.

Is it safe to travel to India?

For most parts of India, there is no UK Foreign Office advice to avoid travel — the only areas to which all travel is advised against are the majority of contested Jammu and Kashmir, and right by the border with Pakistan, except the crossing at Wagah with its popular daily closing ceremony. It also currently advises against all but essential travel to the state of Manipur, except the state capital Imphal and the Meiti Valley areas.

The FCDO has given countrywide warnings about the risk of terrorism; for context, the threat level described for India is the same as that for France . India is a large and complex country, so the list of safety advice is a long one. It’s worth reading up on the specific regions you plan to travel to and being aware of any political disturbances.

• Do I have to wear a face mask on a plane?

Where should I go when I’m there?

Trying to take in a cross-section of India in one trip is a real challenge: the country is almost 2,000 miles from the north to its southern tip, from high-altitude glaciers to swaying coconut palms. Most visitors prefer to focus on one of a number of traditional circuits, or combine two on a longer itinerary of two or three weeks. The most popular route is a loop of Delhi, Agra (home to the Taj Mahal) and cities in Rajasthan such as Jaipur and Udaipur on a more culturally focused tour. If beaches and lusher landscapes are holiday essentials, Kerala is the star of southern India.

Other popular regions and themes to focus on include spotting tigers and other wildlife in central Madhya Pradesh, or riding mountain railways and sipping tea in the foothills of the Himalayas. You don’t have to journey to remote regions to get off the well-furrowed track: though cinematic Mumbai and spiritual Varanasi are tourism mainstays, even a city with the heritage of Kolkata is somewhat overlooked by non-Indians, as are significant states such as Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. If you’re prepared to travel away from major hubs, you’ll get to places that tug at notions of what “India” is: Nagaland with its tribal cultures, Sikkim on the borders of Tibet, and the distant and jungle-clad Andaman Islands.

• The best festivals in India • The best places to visit in India

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Visiting Germany as a foreign tourist: Who needs a visa?

What documents do tourists need to visit germany will a valid identity card or passport do and is any additional paperwork needed.

Whether you're into high culture, beer festivals or football — Germany makes for a fabulous holiday destination. But who needs a visa to visit?

Germany is a fantastic holiday destination year-round. With more medieval castles than you can count, vibrant cities, a rich history, famously hearty fare and Oktoberfest, the world's biggest beer festival, Germany offers something for everyone. Plus, this summer, it's playing host to the UEFA 2024 European Football Championship . So that's plenty of good reasons to spend a vacation in Germany.

ALSO READ: How to travel in Germany—an essential guide for tourists on the sights, weather and more

But what documents do tourists need to visit the country? Will a valid identity card or passport do? And is any additional paperwork needed?

Well, that depends on your nationality.

Last year, most foreign tourists staying in German holiday accommodation hailed from the Netherlands.

Dutch tourists, like all EU nationals, can visit Germany without any particular visa.

EU tourists

That is because EU citizens have the right to freedom of movement within the bloc, meaning they can enter and stay in any member state they choose for up to three months, provided they hold a valid identity card or passport.

So that makes it very easy for any citizen of the EU's 27 member states — which include France, Italy, Spain, Poland and others — to spend a holiday in Germany.

Swiss tourists

What about Swiss nationals? After all, last year, Swiss citizens made up the second-largest group of tourists in Germany, according to holiday accommodation stays.

Although Switzerland is not a member of the EU, its nationals enjoy freedom of movement in the bloc and vice versa. This means they, too, don't need a visa to visit Germany.

US tourists

In 2023, US nationals constituted the third largest group of tourists in Germany. Do they need a visa to enter the country? No, all that is required is a valid US passport.

This document is enough to freely enter and stay in any European Schengen area state — including Germany — for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

The Schengen area currently comprises 29 European countries that do not conduct checks at their internal borders, thereby enabling easy cross-border travel.

US tourists should check, however, that their passports are valid for at least three months after the intended date of departure from Germany.

UK tourists

Although Britain left the EU in 2020, British passport holders may still visit any European Schengen area state — including Germany — without needing a visa, provided they do not stay for more than 90 days in a 180-day period.

Chinese tourists

Last year, Germany was also very popular with Chinese visitors, who made up the largest group of Asian tourists in the country.

Chinese nationals, however, require a Schengen area visa.

To apply, Chinese nationals need a range of documents, including two recent passport-style photos, a Chinese passport that has been issued in the last 10 years, proof of medical travel insurance and proof of sufficient financial means for the entire stay, a travel itinerary and proof of accommodation.

A Schengen visa costs €80 ($85) for adults and usually takes 15 to 30 days to be processed.

For a full list of visa requirements, please consult the VFS Global website.

What about tourists from other non-EU countries?

Many other nationalities, such as Indian and Indonesian citizens, must also obtain a Schengen visa if they want to visit Germany.

Please visit Germany's foreign office website for a comprehensive overview of visa requirements and exemptions for many more countries.

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Politics live: Sunak accused of 'hiding from voters' - as SNP names new leader without contest

The SNP has named John Swinney as its new leader to replace Humza Yousaf. Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak has insisted the general election is "not a foregone conclusion" despite the Tories taking a hammering in last week's local polls. While you scroll, listen to a new Politics At Jack And Sam's.

Monday 6 May 2024 20:00, UK

• New SNP leader reiterates independence aim
• Ex-candidate 'has big role to play' | What happens next?
• Connor Gillies: The big questions facing John Swinney
• PM insists general election 'not a foregone conclusion'
• Sunak accused of 'hiding from voters' by not setting poll date
• Exclusive:   UK 'considered using Iraq in Rwanda-type asylum deal'
• Politics At Jack And Sam's: Listen above and tap here to follow. 
• Vote 2024:   Council results in full  |  Mayoral results in full

Despite it being a bank holiday, the Politics Hub has kept on trucking today with more fallout from last week's local elections and the SNP naming its new leader.

Here's what you need to know to catch up:

• John Swinney was named the new leader of the SNP and vowed to unify both the party and Scotland, while still making the case for independence ;
• Rishi Sunak insisted the general election is "not a foregone conclusion" despite a bruising set of local results for the Tories ;
• But Labour accused the prime minister of "hiding from voters" by not setting the date for a national vote ;
• Documents seen by Sky News revealed the government considered using Iraq for a Rwanda-style deportation scheme ;
• Keir Starmer warned Israel against a seemingly imminent military offensive in the Gazan city of Rafah .

Good night - we'll be back tomorrow.

Rishi Sunak's internal critics have abandoned their attempt to unseat him because they have run out of time and do not believe Penny Mordaunt would do what is necessary to save the party.

The Politics At Jack And Sam's podcast discusses how the PM is unlikely to face a challenge but will be confronted by an exhausted, sceptical and in parts broken Tory party when parliament returns tomorrow.

He faces legislative challenges in the coming weeks, with revolts on the criminal justice bill and sentencing bill, that could be aggravated by the party's poor performance.

But efforts by plotters to oust Mr Sunak have been abandoned.

Read more - and listen to the podcast - below:

Train drivers begin a fresh wave of strikes tomorrow.

They are part of a long-running dispute over pay.

Members of Aslef union at 16 rail companies will walk out on different days from tomorrow to Thursday.

Additionally, all members will refuse to work any overtime until Saturday.

Here is a full list of the services affected by strikes and when…

The Foreign Office has denied the UK's ambassador to Russia was "summoned" by officials in Moscow over military support for Ukraine.

It comes after Russia warned Ukrainian strikes on its territory with UK-supplied weapons could bring retaliatory attacks against British military facilities and equipment on Ukrainian soil or elsewhere.

Russia's foreign ministry said the UK's ambassador to Moscow, Nigel Casey, had been "summoned" to make him "reflect on the inevitable catastrophic consequences of such hostile steps by London".

But the Foreign Office said he had just taken part in a diplomatic meeting with ministry officials.

"The ambassador reiterated the UK's support for Ukraine in the face of unprovoked Russian aggression, and restated the UK's position on providing support to Ukraine," said a statement.

Read more below:

John Swinney is preparing to take over the SNP, and the role of Scotland's first minister, after days of Holyrood drama.

There is no doubt this is a proud moment for Mr Swinney, his wife and son. He was Nicola Sturgeon's deputy for the best part of a decade - and can now stand out from her shadow and set his own agenda.

His previous days as SNP leader in the early 2000s were described as a disaster - but everything is different now.

There are questions about how much of a fresh perspective he will be able to inject into the party he has been part of for 40 years.

He has the hangover of being education secretary during the COVID crisis when children's learning was harmed, overseeing Scotland's finances for a long time, and wiping his COVID WhatsApps.

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Read Connor's full analysis below:

Labour shadow minister Lisa Nandy has said the party "absolutely" supports people's right to peaceful protest after Oxford and Cambridge university students set up pro-Palestinian encampments on campus.

The scenes have echoed those seen at major US universities recently, though some of those have led to tense and sometimes violent stand-offs with police and security personnel.

Ms Nandy backed the policing of the UK protests so far, saying they have "broadly speaking, got the balance right".

"We absolutely support the right of people to peaceful protest and support the police in being able to make operational decisions about when peaceful protest spills into intimidation," she said.

You can read more on this from our reporter Niamh Lynch :

Here in the Politics Hub, we've been reporting on Israel's seemingly imminent military incursion into the Gazan city of Rafah today, as both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have advised against it.

They have expressed concern about the number of citizens - many of whom have already evacuated their homes in other parts of Gaza - sheltering there.

Our Middle East blog team are now reporting a potentially major development, with Hamas saying it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar.

However, Israel has indicated it doesn't agree with the terms.

Follow live updates in our Middle East blog:

Aside from the local elections, the prime minister has today been questioned about Israel's seemingly imminent ground offensive in Rafah.

The country's military is telling Palestinians sheltering in Gaza's southernmost city to evacuate, even though many have already had to flee their homes.

Labour's Keir Starmer and David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, have today urged Israel not to carry out the incursion (see 17.00 post).

Rishi Sunak said he is "deeply concerned" about the prospect of the offensive because of the number of civilians sheltering in Rafah.

He said he had raised his concerns "repeatedly" with Israel's prime minister but also said Hamas had a role to play in ending the conflict.

Mr Sunak said: "The priority right now should be on all parties, but particularly Hamas, to agree to a deal, to release hostages and allow more aid to go in as part of a temporary pause which will allow us to build a sustainable ceasefire."

The Sky News live poll tracker - collated and updated by our Data and Forensics team - aggregates various surveys to indicate how voters feel about the different political parties.

With the local elections complete, Labour is still sitting comfortably ahead, with the Tories trailing behind.

See the latest update below - and you can read more about the methodology behind the tracker  here .

The results of the local elections made for grim reading for the Conservative Party.

Last Thursday, polls opened in 107 English councils, with thousands of seats up for grabs. Ultimately, the Tories lost 474 seats and 12 councils, while Labour gained 186 and eight respectively.

You can see the results in full below:

There were also a number of mayoral elections.

In total, 11 mayors were elected. Here are the results in full:

• Tees Valley, Conservative Ben Houchen re-elected
• York and North Yorkshire, Labour's David Skaith 
• North East, Labour's Kim McGuinness 
• East Midlands, Labour's Claire Ward
• Liverpool City Region, Labour's Steve Rotheram re-elected
• South Yorkshire, Labour's Oliver Coppard re-elected 
• Greater Manchester, Labour's Andy Burnham re-elected 
• West Yorkshire, Labour's Tracey Brabin re-elected 
• London, Labour's Sadiq Khan re-elected 
• Salford, Labour's Paul Dennett re-elected 
• West Midlands, Labour's Richard Parker defeats Conservative incumbent Andy Street

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