Since 2014, it has been possible to enter India with an electronic india visa. This requires an online registration which officially must be completed at least four days before the date of entry (though in practice, one to two days may suffice with express processing) and is stamped into your passport upon arrival in India.
This visa type grants multiple entries into India for one year (365 days) from the date of issue. Leisure travelers can also apply for a 30-day India Visa (ETA) with double entry or a five-year visa with multiple entries. The electronic visa can be used for tourism, business, or medical treatment purposes. Tourists can stay for up to 90 days per entry, business travelers for up to 180 days. Medical visas are issued for three entries with a total stay of 60 days.
Purpose of Travel: | Tourism, visiting friends/relatives, business trips, attending fairs/conferences, stationary medical treatment |
Duration of Stay: | Private: 30/90 days, business: 180 days, medical: 60 days |
Number of Entries: | Private: double/multiple, business: multiple, medical: triple |
Validity Period: | Private: 30 days/1 year/5 years, business: 1 year, medical: 60 days |
Processing Time: | Standard: 10-14 embassy days, Premium: 6-8 embassy days, Express: 2-4 embassy days |
Cost: | Starting at £90,- (e-Tourist 30 days, including VAT and all visa and service fees) |
Entry via land routes is not possible with an electronic visa. Visits to protected/restricted areas and cantonment areas in India require additional permissions.
For travellers from the UK, the electronic Indian visa (ETA) offers a practical and cost-effective alternative to the traditional visa application process. Enjoy the benefit of not having to surrender your passport. To apply, all you need is a digital passport photo and a scan of the photo page of your passport. Business travellers must also submit a business card and an invitation from India.
Your ETA visa will be sent to you via email after processing. Simply print this document and place it in your passport. Note that the ETA cannot be extended or transferred and its validity ends with the expiration of your passport.