If you want to visit India, a valid India Visa is required before you can gain entry to the country. There are different types of India visas that foreigners can get. Among them are Tourist Visa, Business Visa, Transfer of Tourist Visa, Transfer of Business Visa, Transfer of Entry Visa, Conference Visa, Transit Visa, Entry Visa, Employment Visa, Student Visa, Research Visa, Missionaries Visa, Journalist Visa, Permit to Re-enter Within 2 Months, Medical Visa and Medical Attendant Visa.
Because of the long list of India Visa types available, choosing the most appropriate type for your trip is essential. The length of your stay and the purpose of your travel are the factors that differentiate India visa types.
In applying for an India visa, you will need to prepare the visa fee, duly accomplished visa application form, two passport pictures, passport which is valid for at least six months, and the itinerary of your trip.
The first significant step in getting an India Visa is to determine the type which is appropriate for the purpose of your trip to the country.
The validity for India tourist visa can be 6 months, 1 year, 5 years and 10 years. Business and student India visas can be valid for a year. If you want to apply for your India visa in person, you can go to the Indian Embassy or you can visit any of the Indian Consulates in New York, San Francisco or Chicago. Most of the time, application can be completed during the same day. On the other hand, application can be done through mail but it usually takes a longer time to complete the application process for your India Visa. In order to avoid any delays in the processing of your India visa, make sure that have prepared all the requirements.
If processing your India visa application thru mail, you need to apply early enough so as to give allowance for mailing days. If the application materials were sent thru mail, your India visa could be sent back to you after several weeks.
Tips & Warnings
- You need to have a photocopy of the biodata page from your passport as well as your India visa. Then keep them in a safe place which is separate from your passport. In case you lose your important travel documents during your stay in India, the duplicates can help the moment you need to leave the country.
- If you only want to participate in religious activities and rites, just get an India missionary visa. An Indian tourist visa is not suitable for this kind of travel.
- If you are going to apply for an Indian visa in person, make sure that you will go in the morning so that your finished passport will be ready for pick-up in the afternoon.
- A tourist cannot apply for an Indian visa when he or she is already in India. An Indian visa must be ready before you enter the country. At your expense, you will get deported right away if you are caught not having a valid Indian visa.
- Leaving the country may prove to be difficult if you are staying in the country more than what it allowed in your Indian visa. Approval of immigration officials may be required before you will be granted exit and you may need to face a temporary jail sentence or pay a fine until the time you can be deported.
