India Entry and Travel Requirements
India entry requirements may vary depending on your nationality and purpose of visit. Most foreign visitors, in addition to a valid passport that will not expire for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry, must also hold an Indian visa.
The Indian government allows visitors from certain countries to apply for visas online. India e-visa can be issued as tourist, medical or professional e-visa. All these types of visas allow you to visit India for short periods of time. Only a few countries qualify for visa exemption, including Buthan, Maldives and Nepal.
Travelers from Buthan and Nepal can come to India without a passport or visa if they are not from Hong Kong, Macau, China, Maldives or Pakistan. There is no time limit for their stay in India. In return, Maldivian citizens are allowed visa-free travel to India for up to 90 days, unless they are from mainland China. To stay longer, they will need to obtain the appropriate visa. Citizens of countries not eligible for e-visas must apply for a regular visa at the nearest Indian embassy. Embassy visas are also required for travel, work, study or for all long-term reasons.
During the last two years during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, only a few tourists were able to come to India under several active travel bubbles. On March 27, 2022, Indian authorities restored international flights and since then, all foreign visitors can enter India without having to have an essential travel reason. However, they must obtain certain travel documents and meet certain entry conditions. Remember that travel requirements can change at any time, so it's best to check with the Indian embassy in your country before traveling.
If you're planning to travel to India soon, read more about India's recent immigration regulations and find out what documents you need to prepare before your trip.
Documents check-list for entering India
- PCR test taken 72 hours before travel (if unvaccinated)
- Valid vaccination certificate confirming receipt of complete COVID-19 vaccination schedule (if vaccinated)
- visa for India or e-Visa (if eligible)
- travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage (optional)
Testing, Vaccination, and Quarantine Requirements
Request an inspection
Unvaccinated travelers must upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report taken within 72 hours before the planned trip.
Vaccinated travelers do not need to take a coronavirus test before departure. Instead, they can use a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate as documentation to confirm their vaccination status.
Additionally, India maintains random testing upon arrival (2% of all air passengers).
Vaccination required
India allows entry of both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. Those who have received a full dose of COVID-19 vaccine will be exempt from pre-departure testing. Proof of vaccination must be submitted via the Air Suvidha platform.
At least 14 days must pass from the date of receipt of the coronavirus vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated.
Currently, the Government of India accepts the following COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers:
- Covaxin
- Covishield
- Oxford/AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
- Sputnik light
- Sputnik V
- Modern
- Zydus Cadila
- Novavax
- Organic E Limited
Quarantine required
The Indian government recently lifted the mandatory quarantine. However, some travelers may be asked to undergo random coronavirus testing upon arrival at the airport. If they test positive, they may be subject to institutional quarantine.
Additionally, all passengers have their temperature checked upon arrival and if they have symptoms of COVID-19, they may be quarantined and/or taken to a medical facility.
Travel requirements to enter India by sea or land
International passengers wishing to enter India via land or sea ports must follow the same immigration procedures as travelers arriving in India by air.
However, they cannot submit the Air Suvidha self-declaration form as it is currently only available to air passengers. Travelers entering India by land or sea must submit a self-declaration form to the Indian authorities at a certain sea or land port (depending on how they entered the country).
Entry Rules for Children
Covid-19 testing
All children under 5 years of age are exempt from the pre-departure and post-arrival coronavirus testing requirement.
However, if they exhibit symptoms upon arrival, they must follow health protocols including testing and/or quarantine. Parents or guardians accompanying children are not always allowed access to children during their self-isolation period.
Child visa required
All children who are not Indian citizens must have a valid online visa to enter India. Their parents or guardians are responsible for applying for visas for minor travelers.
Transit requirements
You can only transit through India without a visa if you meet the following conditions:
- you have a ticket to the country that is your final destination
- Your transit time in India should be a maximum of 24 hours or less
- you do not intend to leave the transit area at one of the Indian airports while waiting for a flight to your final destination
Those wishing to leave the transit zone will need to obtain an eVisa for legal and hassle-free transit through India.
Corna virus restrictions
There are no testing and quarantine requirements for transit passengers upon arrival. However, all those arriving in India are subject to health screening and random testing.
Unvaccinated travelers must take a PCR test within 72 hours of expected arrival.
All transit passengers must also complete an Air Suvidha declaration.
Visa requirements
Like most countries, India's visa policy distinguishes two main types of visas:
- Countries are required to apply for a regular visa
- eVisa eligible countries for India
If your country is not on the list of countries eligible for the India e-Visa, you will need to visit the nearest Indian embassy and get the necessary information on how to apply for the necessary permission to visit this country.
Electronic visa
In 2014, the Indian government introduced the e-visa system to facilitate the visa application process and allow tourists from certain countries to visit India using eVisa for visa purposes. business, entertainment or medical purposes. Applicants have 5 different options to choose from, depending on the reason they want to enter India.
To get an Indian eVisa online, simply fill out the online application form, attach certain documents, and pay the service fee. The maximum processing time for an Indian e-visa is only 3 working days.
Air Suvidha Self Declaration
India has reopened its borders to international travel, but to ensure safety, all arriving travelers must fill out Air Suvidha's self-declaration form.
This declaration covering all travel and health details of the person entering India must be submitted within 72 hours before intended departure to India (or as soon as the traveler becomes aware of all the details). Necessary travel details). Each traveler will receive a confirmation receipt in PDF format. This receipt will be verified upon crossing the Indian border.
Submission of Air Suvidha self-declaration is mandatory and those unable to present it during border control may be refused entry into the country.
Travel Insurance
Despite the fact that travel insurance is not mandatory when traveling to India during the coronavirus pandemic, all travelers are advised to purchase travel insurance that covers COVID-19. This will cover any possible treatment costs in case you become infected and have to be hospitalized.
Choose the travel insurance that best suits your India travel plans and arrive in the country comfortable and ready to face any situation.
