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Passport & Visa for India Travel Tours

[Indian Embassies]

You must have a passport with you all the time when you traveling India. It's the most basic travel document. Also ensure that your passport will be valid for the entire period you intend to remain overseas, if your passport is lost or stolen, immediately contact your country's embassy or consulate in Delhi and also to nearest police station.

Who requires a visa?
All foreigners except for nationals of Nepal and Bhutan need a visa to enter India

What documents will be required?

Tourist Visa:
a. Passport valid for a minimum of 190 days with at least two blank pages.
b. Correct visa fee.
c. Two recent identical passport-size photographs.
d. Filled application form (all columns in the form are mandatory and must be filled).

Business Visa:
a. Passport valid for a minimum of 190 days with at least two blank pages.
b. Correct visa fee.
c. Two recent identical passport-size photographs.
d. Filled application form (all the columns of the form are mandatory and must be filled).
e. An original signed letter from the company in UK explaining the nature of business and duration of visit.
f. A signed Letter of invitation from an Indian company.

Student Visa:
a. Passport valid for a minimum of 190 days with at least two blank pages.
b. Correct visa fee.
c. Two recent identical passport-size photographs.
d. Filled application form (all columns in the form are mandatory and must be filled).
e. Letter of admission from a recognized Indian educational institution with duration of the course.
f. Bona fide letter from the school/college.
g. Receipt of fee paid to the school/college.
h. Document showing financial support for the tuition fee and stay in India.

Transit Visa:
a. Passport valid for a minimum of 190 days with at least two blank pages.
b. Correct visa fee.
c. Two recent identical passport-size photographs.
d. Filled application form (all columns in the form are mandatory and must be filled).
e. Evidence of onward travel outside India - confirmed air ticket for onward journey.Application

Apply for passport using these websites:
» Passports Australia Citizens
» Passport Canadian Passport
» Passport New Zealand Passport
» Passport United Kingdom Passport
» U.S. State Department Passport Services

Requirements:
Additional documents required from persons not holding a UK passport or holding dual nationalities and originating from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China:

Individuals holding a Pakistani passport
i. Five sets of specific application forms for Pakistani nationals with one identical photo on each form.
ii. A notarized invitation from relative(s) in India.
iii. A copy of employer's letter OR chartered accountant's certificate (if self-employed) OR unemployment allowance letter / disability allowance letter / benefit letter, AND past three months' bank statement
Only three airports of entry to India - Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai AND one land route of entry-Attari
Note: If the applicant has been living in the UK for less than a year, the processing time will be longer and subject to clearance from the competent authority:

British passport holders of Pakistani origin:
i. General application form.
ii. A copy of employer's letter OR chartered accountant's certificate (if self-employed) OR unemployment allowance letter / disability allowance letter / benefit letter, AND past three months' bank statement

Individuals holding a Bangladeshi passport:
i. Specific application form for Bangladeshi nationals, two photographs as per specification (please specify the route, port of entry)
ii. A copy of employers letter OR chartered accountant's certificate OR unemployment allowance letter / disability allowance letter / benefit letter, AND a copy of the past three months' bank statement.

Individuals holding Sri Lankan or Chinese passport: Additional information form along with the general visa application form.

A non-UK national who has been a resident of the UK for one year or more: Needs to provide a copy of any one of the following documents as proof of his stay in the UK:
i. Utility bills/bank statement of at least one year OR
ii. Resident permit and entry stamp OR
iii. Stamp of indefinite stay.

A non-UK national who has been a resident of the UK for less than one year: Additional information form along with the general visa application form and a valid UK visa.

Individual with a Slovakian passport: Can only apply for three months single-entry visa.

Liquor permit: Applicants should submit the prescribed form (available on this website) along with the visa application, if traveling to the State of Gujarat.

Time required to issue visa:
Processing times vary from application to application at the sole discretion of the High Commission of India and its Consulates, and some applications may take longer than others to get processed. Hence, confirm your travel plans only after obtaining the visa.

What is the cost of a visa?
The fee structure depends on the nationality of the passport holder and type/duration of visa applied.
The existing fee structure is:

• TDS Service Fee:

$45.00 (For issue in 2-4 business days)
 

$90.00 (For issue in 24 hours)

 

United States Citizens Consular Fees:

• Tourist Visa

  • 6 Month Multiple Entry Tourist visa fee will be $73.00

  • 1 Year Multiple Entry Tourist visa fee will be $98.00

  • 5 Year Multiple Entry Tourist visa fee will be $163.00

  • 10 Year Multiple Entry Tourist visa fee will be $163.00

• Business Visa

  • 6 Month Multiple Entry Business visa will not be granted

  • 1 Year Multiple Entry Business visa fee will be $173.00

  • 5 Year Multiple Entry Business visa fee will be $253.00

  • 10 Year Multiple Entry Business visa fee will be $253.00

• Conference Visa

  • 3 Month Single Entry Conference visa will be $73.00

• Student Visa

  • 1 Year Multiple Entry Student visa fee will be $108.00

   

Non-US Citizens (Most nationalities)

• Tourist Visa

  • 6 Month Multiple Entry Tourist visa will be $53.00

  • 1 Year Multiple Entry Tourist visa fee will be $78.00

  • 5 Year Multiple Entry Tourist visa fee will be $143.00

• Business Visa

  • 6 Month Multiple Entry Business visa will not be granted

  • 1 Year Multiple Entry Business visa fee will be $133.00

  • 5 Year Multiple Entry Business visa fee will be $213.00

  Conference Visa

  • 3 Month Multiple Entry Conference visa will be $53.00

• Student Visa

  • 1 Year Multiple Entry Student visa fee will be $88.00
    
     

• Note: If applications for the five year or ten year visa are not granted (this happens rarely), a one year multiple entries visa will be substituted. The difference in Consular fees is not refunded by the Embassy of India and therefore cannot be refunded by TDS.

  • Please note that non-US citizens who are short term visa holders will be charged a reference fee of $20.00 in addition to the total fees listed above. US Green card holders and those who have a US long term visa (3 years or more) will not be charged the reference fee.

  • Gratis visas are given to nationals of the following countries ($13 processing fee applies):
    Afghanistan, Argentina, Bangladesh, Hungary, Jamaica, Maldives, Mongolia, Mauritius, Poland, Slovak Rep., South Africa, Uruguay.

  • Russian, Romanian, and Pakistani Nationals: Separate fee schedule

  • Include credit card authorization, a check or money order payable to "Travel Document Systems, Inc." for TDS Handling Fee, Embassy Consular Fee, and return Shipping Fee.

These are indicative price, please confirm with the Local Indian Embassy

Visa fees indicated in US$ are payable in local currencies as well. Visa fees are not refundable except in cases where a visa already issued is cancelled thereafter.

Tax Clearance Certificates

If you stay in India for more than 120 days you need a 'tax clearance certificate' to leave the country. This supposedly proves that your time in India was financed with your own money , not by working in India or by selling thing or playing black market.

Basically all you have to do is find the Foreign Section of the Income Tax Department Jaipur and turn up with your passport, visa extension form, any other similar paperwork and a handful of bank exchange receipts (to show you really have been changing foreign currency into rupees officially). You fill in a form and wait for anything from 10 minutes to a couple of hours, you are then given your tax clearance certificate. We have not heard from anyone who has actually been asked for this document on departure, but I recommend you to obtain one to be on safer side.

Visa Extension

Delhi- MHA- Director (F), Lok Nayak Bhawan, Ist floor, Khan market, New Delhi-110003.

How long is the visa valid for?
Tourist: 6 months to over 1 year from date of issue; Business: up to 2 years; Transit: normally 15 days, valid for 3 months from date of issue; Long-term: up to 5 years, although individual visits are not expected to exceed 6 months.

Other information: 
Photographs - Please provide two recent photographs (not more than 6 months old) of your self. The photographs should be in colour and:
Taken against a light background (white or off-white) so that features are distinguishable and in contrast against the background;
Clear and of good quality;
Printed on normal photographic paper;
Un mounted - 45 mm x 35 mm in size;
Should show full face (without sunglasses and normally without a hat or cap);
The face should be in the center of the frame

Documents

Keep photocopies of your important travel documents, which obviously should be kept separate from the originals in the event that these are lost or stolen.

Take a photocopy of the first page of your passport (with personal detail and photograph), as well as a copy of the page with your Indian Visa, a photocopy of your travel insurance policy, and keep a record of the traveller's cheques you have exchanged, where they were encashed, the amount and serial number. Encashment receipts should also be kept separate from your airlines tickets and your credit card, It's not a bad idea to leave photocopies of your important travel documents with a friend or relative at home.

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