India is one of the most mysterious and amazing countries in the East. The majestic Taj Mahal, the mysterious Himalayas, Buddhist temples, snow-white beaches every year attract more and more tourists from many countries.
Comfortable weather, a rich excursion program, the opportunity to join the secrets of Buddhism and Hinduism, to study yoga and Ayurveda more deeply make India a very popular destination among Russian tour operators. Travelers who previously traveled to Egypt and Turkey for a vacation ask the question: “Do I need a visa to India?”
Many people think not. In fact, a visa to India is needed, but today it does not present any particular problems. Now it is taking shape quickly enough. When buying a package tour, this is best entrusted to a travel agency, but you can get a visa yourself.
Since the end of last year, a visa to India for Russians has become available in electronic form, without a personal presence at the embassy.
Registration of an electronic visa to India
Since November 2014, by decision of the Indian authorities, Russian citizens have been issued a visa upon arrival in India at certain airports. Now there are nine airports: New Delhi, Trivandrum, Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi, Goa, Mumbai, Calcutta and Hyderabad.
To do this, it is enough to fill out a questionnaire on the official website of the Indian Embassy in advance and pay a service fee of $ 60 with a bank card.
A 30-day visa in electronic form can be obtained after 3 days by e-mail. You only need to print it, and you can confirm your visa at the airport immediately after arrival. A personal visit to the embassy, as before, is no longer necessary.
The basic rules for obtaining an online visa to India
- Until the end of the passport should remain 6 months or more.
- The purpose of the visit is tourism, visiting relatives and friends, treatment or business.
- The presence of a return ticket and a sufficient amount of money to stay for the entire duration of the trip.
- Submission of documents more than 4 days before the planned trip with a corridor for a stay of up to 30 days.
- Downloading fresh photos of the applicant on a light background.
- Download a photocopy of your passport with personal data and passport validity.
- Payment of a service fee of $ 60 no later than 4 days before entry.
- An electronic visa to India can be issued to one person no more than 2 times a year.
A copy of the printed visa is presented at the airport in India for confirmation and must be in the hands of the tourist during his entire stay in the country. Extension of such a visa is not permitted.
An electronic visa to India is not valid in some special areas and states that require special permission to visit. This applies to Sikhim, the Andaman and Lakkadivsky islands.
A feature of such a visa is that its validity starts from the moment of issuance, and not the border crossing. Therefore, its design should begin closer to the trip.
Types of Indian visas and features of obtaining
Many Russians, even if they were in India earlier, this year ask the question: “Do I need a visa to India when traveling in tourist groups?” This is due to incorrect information about simplifying the visa regime. When buying a vacation package, a visa to India is necessary, just the process of applying for it has become easier.
Visas to India can be:
- single, giving the right to enter the country once for a certain time;
- double, allowing to cross the state border twice within six months;
- multiple, which are issued for a period of six months to five years and allow an unlimited number of entries from India.
The gap between entries last two months last year has now been canceled.
Getting an urgent visa
If you want to visit India in the near future or purchased a last-minute ticket, you will need an urgent visa. You do not need to make an appointment in advance.
With a personal visit to the embassy or through a travel agency, a visa to India will be ready in 3 days, when applying electronically, it can be obtained in a day, but its validity will be only 30 days. It is impossible to extend and exchange it for a long-term one.
An urgent visa is issued only for a short time, it can be a tourist or business trip. For her, you must pass a standard set of documents.
Getting a standard visa to India
A standard visa to India is usually issued for six months. To obtain it, you must:
- the presence of two blank pages in the passport for the possibility of subsequent gluing of a visa;
- Photocopies of the first pages indicating the necessary information;
- two photographs 3.5 x 4 cm on a white background that meet the requirements of the embassy for design;
- the questionnaire signed by you, which you can download and fill out on the official website of the Indian Embassy;
- photocopy of the birth certificate of a child under 16 years of age;
- power of attorney from the parents or from one of them, when the child follows without them or with one of the parents;
- travel company voucher or confirmation of hotel reservation if the purpose of the trip is tourism;
If you plan to make a private visit to meet with relatives or friends, you need to add a notarized invitation and a photocopy of the first pages of the passport of the person receiving you.
Features of obtaining a work visa
To apply for a work visa, you must additionally apply:
- labor agreement with an Indian employer;
- an application from an Indian company, which contains data on the type of activity, number of employees, number of invited foreign specialists;
- documents confirming the qualifications and work experience of the applicant;
- copy of diploma of education;
- completed and signed application form for opening a work visa.
Student visa application procedure
Study visa to India necessary if you intend to continue your education in this country. At the same time, you need to add to the standard package of documents:
- a certificate of admission to an educational institution signed by the rector;
- a photocopy of the license of the institution;
- certificate of payment for the first year of study;
- bank statement in the amount of $ 1000 to $ 2000, depending on the duration of the training.
Getting a business visa to India
A business visa for a trip to India opens to organize and promote your own business, conduct meetings and negotiations with Indian partners or suppliers, and train staff to work in Indian organizations. At the same time, the Indian side should participate in the financing of invited employees.
In addition to the main package of documents, consulate staff will require applications from Russian and Indian organizations or a certificate of registration of an entrepreneur with their own business in India.
Transit Visa
Does India need a visa if it becomes necessary to stop in the country? In this case, a transit visa is required. Air tickets to the country where you are finally heading are added to standard documents.
The visa is valid for 15 days, and the transit stop time cannot be more than three days. To get this type of visa need to contact the embassy.
To obtain a transit visa, seafarers are required to provide data on the position held on the ship, a statement from an agent of one of the countries and a document proving the identity and rank of the seaman.
Visa regime when visiting GOA
Many tourists ask: “Do I need a visa to India if we plan to go to the GOA?” It depends on the duration and purpose of the trip. Only when traveling as part of a group of tourists (at least 4 people for up to 15 days) who bought a tour through Indian tour operators, you can apply for a temporary stay after arriving at Dabolim Airport.
In this case, the passports of travelers should be kept by the border guards. Lists of tourists indicating their passports and the route of investigation are submitted in advance to the immigration services. The whole group must fly on the same charter flight and be on GOA at the same time. The return flight should also be on the same flight.
In order to obtain a temporary residence permit for GOA, you must submit 2 color photographs, as a standard visa, and pay a fee of $ 100. It is impossible to formalize such a permit by official means, and it is not recommended to trust your documents to strangers.
If you are planning an independent trip to the GOA or want to stay there for more than 15 days, a visa to India is required.
Come to India and you will never be able to forget it!