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India Visa on Arrival for Tourists in 2023: A complete guide

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India visa on arrival for tourists

This article is a complete guide to obtaining India Visa on Arrival as a tourist. You can learn everything about India Visa on Arrival requirements, eligibility, documents needed, fee and the application procedure at the airport.

India Visa on Arrival is available for the purpose of tourism, business, medical or attending conferences. Visa on Arrival can be obtained at six major airports in India. 

Prior to the pandemic, about a handful of countries were eligible for obtaining Visa on Arrival in India. But currently, only three countries are eligible for Visa on Arrival. In my opinion, India is looking to fade away its Visa on Arrival facility in the coming future.

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INDIA VISA ON ARRIVAL REQUIREMENTS FOR TOURISTS

Countries eligible to obtain Visa on Arrival in India
Countries eligible to obtain Visa on Arrival in India

Who is eligible for India Visa on Arrival?

Citizens of the following 3 countries are eligible to obtain India Visa on Arrival.

  1. Japan
  2. South Korea
  3. United Arab Emirates (only if you held an India e-Visa or India consular visa previously)

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What is the validity of India Visa on Arrival?

India Visa on Arrival is valid for 60 days from the day of arrival. Visa on Arrival cannot be extended or converted to another type of visa. For stays longer than 60 days, you must opt for India e-Visa or consular visa from the Indian embassy. 

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How many days can you stay in India on Visa on Arrival?

You are allowed to stay up to 60 days in India using Visa on Arrival. 

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How many times can you enter India on Visa on Arrival?

India Visa on Arrival is a double entry. That means, after you have obtained your Visa on Arrival and returned from India, you can enter India one more time using the same Visa on Arrival that you have obtained previously. The second entry must be made within the validity of your Visa on Arrival. 

Getting your Visa on Arrival itself constitutes an entry, so you can reuse your India Visa on Arrival to enter India one more time. Each time, you will receive 60 days of entry.

Here is an example.

  • You obtained Visa on Arrival in India on 01 June 2023
  • Your Visa on Arrival validity is from 01 June 2023 to 30 July 2023 (60 days)
  • You can stay in India for up to 60 days between 01 Jun 2023 and 30 Jul 2023
  • Your first entry: You entered India on 01 June 2023 (the day on which you obtain VOA) and left India on 05 July 2023
  • Your second entry: You left India on 05 July 2023 and your VOA is valid till 30 Jul 2023. You can enter India again anytime before 06 July 2023 and 30 July 2023 to get another 60-day entry. 

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In which airports or land borders in India you can get Visa on Arrival?

India Visa on Arrival is currently available only at the following 6 international airports. 

Airports (6)

  1. Delhi
  2. Mumbai
  3. Chennai
  4. Kolkata
  5. Bengaluru
  6. Hyderabad

Seaports (0)

Land border (0)

NOTE
India Visa on Arrival is available at the above 6 international airports only. India Visa on Arrival is NOT available at land borders or seaports. 

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What is the minimum passport validity required for India Visa on Arrival?

In order to obtain Visa on Arrival, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival. 

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What are the documents needed for India Visa on Arrival?

The following documents are needed for obtaining Visa on Arrival.

  1. Original passport
  2. Completed Visa on Arrival form (download here or grab one at the airport)
  3. Completed Arrival Card for Passengers (will be given by your flight staff or grab one at the airport)
  4. Cash in Indian rupees or any major currency for visa fee
  5. Return or onward flight ticket
  6. Proof of financial solvency such as cash, cards or bank statements

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What is the India Visa on Arrival fee?

The India Visa on Arrival fee is 2,000 INR payable in cash in Indian Rupees or its equivalent in any other major currency. 

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INDIA E-VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

How to apply for India Visa on Arrival?

Applying for India Visa on Arrival at the airport is a straightforward process. It takes about 10 minutes but can take longer depending on the crowd. 

After exiting your flight, follow the signs and walk toward the Visa on Arrival section. At the Visa on Arrival section, grab an application form and fill it out. To save time at the airport, you can download and complete the India Visa on Arrival application form called Annexure 1 prior to your trip. 

Your airline staff or hostess might have given you an arrival card. If not, grab one at the Visa on Arrival section. Complete your arrival card. 

Present your completed Visa on Arrival form, arrival card and passport at the Visa on Arrival counter. Pay the fee in Indian rupees or its equivalent in any major currency. If asked, provide additional documentation such as your return ticket or financial proof. 

Collect your passport and verify the validity dates on your India Visa on Arrival stamp. If everything looks good, you can exit Visa on Arrival and head to the immigration section. 

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How to fill India Visa on Arrival application form

India Visa on Arrival application form
India Visa on Arrival application form

Download and print the India Visa on Arrival application form. Then complete the form with the following information.

  • Date [Comment: Enter today’s date or the date on which you will obtain VOA]
  • Flight No. [Comment: Enter the code and number of the flight on which arrive in India]
  • Name of Applicant [Comment: Enter your full name as per your passport]
  • Date of Birth [Comment: Enter your date of birth as per your passport]
  • Nationality [Comment: Enter your nationality as per your passport]
  • Passport No. [Comment: Enter your passport number]
  • Father’s Name [Comment: Enter your father’s name as per your passport]
  • Father’s Nationality [Comment: Enter your father’s current nationality]
  • Mother’s Name [Comment: Enter your mother’s name as per your passport]
  • Mother’s Nationality [Comment: Enter your mother’s current nationality]
  • Marital Status [Comment: Enter your marital status as per your passport]
  • Spouse Name [Comment: Enter your spouse’s name as per your passport]
  • Spouse Nationality [Comment: Enter your spouse’s current nationality]
  • Applicant’s Previous Nationality (if any) [Comment: You can skip this. Enter only if you held a different nationality previously]
  • Whether holding other nationality/Dual Nationality (specify)  [Comment: You can skip this. Enter only if you hold dual nationality]
  • Whether Applicant’s parents/grandparents are of Pakistan origin? (specify names) [Comment: You can skip this. Enter only if your parents/grandparents are/were Pakistani citizens or residents]
  • Purpose of Visit [Comment: Enter the purpose of your visit]
  • Occupation [Comment: Enter your current occupation]
  • Address in India [Comment: Enter your hotel address here]
  • Permanent Address Abroad [Comment: Enter your residential address from your country]
  • Email Address [Comment: Enter your email address]
  • Contact Nos. (in India & Abroad) [Comment: Enter your mobile phone number from your country]
  • References in India (Name and complete addresses with phone numbers) (Where ever applicable) [Comment: Enter your hotel name and address here]
  • Date of return/onward journey [Comment: Enter the date on which you will return from India]
  • Flight No. [Comment: Enter the code and number of your flight on which your return from India]
  • Final Destination [Comment: Enter your next destination after India. Enter your home country if returning back or a country where you will spend more than 24 hours. Do not enter any stop-overs]
  • Place [Comment: Enter the city name in India where you are/will be obtaining your Visa on Arrival]
  • Date [Comment: Enter the date on which you are/will be obtaining your Visa on Arrival]
  • Signature of Applicant [Comment: Sign in this box]

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How to fill India arrival card for passengers

India arrival card for passengers - Foreigners only
India arrival card for passengers – applicable to foreigners only

Before landing in India, your airline staff or hostess will give you an arrival card. If not, you can grab one at the Visa on Arrival section. Complete your arrival card with the following information in CAPITAL letters.

  1. Name (as in passport) Leave one box blank after every part of the name/initial [Comment: Enter your full name as per your passport. Leave one box for space between names]
  2. Date of Birth (DD/MM/YYYY) [Comment: Enter your date of birth as per your passport in DD/MM/YYYY format]
  3. Passport Number [Comment: Enter your passport number]
  4. Flight Number [Comment: Enter the flight number on which you arrived]
  5. Date of Arrival (DD/MM/YYYY) [Comment: Enter the current date, i.e your date of arrival]
  6. Countries visited in last six days [Comment: Enter the names of the countries that you visited in the last six days of vising India]
  7. Address in India [Comment: Enter your hotel address here]
  8. Telephone Number [Comment: Enter your hotel phone number here]

After entering the above information, sign in the signature box.

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 insurance.

01. Apply for your visa

You can get a verifiable flight itinerary for your visa application from Visa Reservation. Flight itineraries from Visa Reservation are valid for 2 weeks and work for all visa applications.

02. Book your fight

You can 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

You can 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

You can purchase travel medical insurance for your trip from HeyMondo (for short trips + 5% discount for visa traveler readers), SafetyWing (for longer trips) or VisitorsCoverage (for US trips).

06. Get your travel SIM card

You can get an eSIM card instantly from Airalo. These eSIMs from Airalo are cheap and easy to set up. You can get connected and ready to go as soon as you land in your new destination. 

07. Get your zero-fee ATM card

You can manage money internationally in over 70 currencies using Wise. With a Wise card, you can store and withdraw cash in 40 currencies with zero ATM fees. 

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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