India Visa Requirements

Visa Requirements

To enter India all travelers require a passport valid for at least 180 days and at least two empty pages as well as a visa. There are restricted areas throughout the country that require special permits and government authorization. When applying for your visa you will need to also apply for a permit if you plan to enter these restricted areas. Ensure application forms are filled in carefully otherwise they may be rejected and to apply again will only be allowed after a three month period.

It is important to have the correct visa when entering the country. The different visas available include a tourist visa (six months), a business visa (6 months, one year or more, multiple entries) or a student visa (up to 5 years). All Indian visas are valid from the day it is issued, not the date of entry and there is a minimum two month gap period between consecutive tourist visas. If you overstay your visa you will incur heavy fines and be prevented from leaving the country until the fines have been paid.

All visitors to India are required to fill out a D (Disembarkation) Card and E (Embarkation) Cards at arrival and departure respectively. Also ensure that your passport is correctly stamped before leaving the immigration counter both on arrival and departure. Failure to do so may delay your departure or cause problems when applying to re-enter the country.

There is no departure tax for travel to India.

As entry requirements may change from time to time it is strongly advised that you check with the department of foreign affairs or your local consulate or embassy for the current requirements.

More information can be found by clicking here.

We strongly advise that all Australian travellers check the latest travel advice on the Australian Government Smart Traveller site.