Documents needed for travel to India

To secure an Indian visa, a series of documents are needed for travel to India. These documents vary depending on the type of visa you wish to apply for, but they are an important part of the application process. In this post, we do a detailed rundown of all the documents you will need for general visa applications for India. 

Read through the review to get yourself well-informed before you kickstart your application.

List Of Documents Needed For Travel To India

Application Form

A completed application form is the first and one of the most important documents you will need for your visa application. This document is the standard for all types of visas and is the only document that can be used. The application form has sections for your details, passport information, travel details, and every other vital detail that the embassy will require to process your visa request. There is also a section for signature and date and a slot to attach your passport photograph.

Application forms can be paper forms if you are applying in person or online for an e-visa application. For e visa application, you don't need physical copies of your documents; only soft copies need to be uploaded.

Passport

Your international passport is the major means of identification the embassy will accept, but it must meet certain conditions. First among such conditions is that it must have at least two empty pages for visa and immigration stamps. Only a passport valid for at least six months beyond your departure date from India will be accepted. If you have an old passport, you should also submit it alongside your current passport too.

Photograph

A recent passport-sized photograph taken within the last six months is required. The photo must show your face clearly on a white background and a 2x2 size dimension.

Proof of Residence

Your current residential information can be shown in the form of a utility bill, national ID card, water or gas bill, etc.

Proof of Profession

If you are employed, you should provide information about your employer; students can provide their ID card issued by their academic institution. As for self-employed, they can provide their Tax certificate or financial records.

Proof of Financial Sufficiency

The consular officer at the embassy will be interested to know if you have the financial capacity to foot your expenses for the trip. They would like to see an updated bank statement for entries over the last three months in your local or foreign currency.

Travel Itinerary

Travel information and flight ticket reservation for the trip to and from India is required. Avoid paying for the tickets just yet but reserve them until after the visa is ready.

Note: These are general documents for visa applications, but the list may change depending on the type of visa you apply for. Additional documents may be required, or a few of these documents may be replaced with different ones.

Application Fee Receipt

The receipt for the application fee must be attached to the documents as proof that you paid.

Who Needs A Visa For India?

This visa is required for most foreigners coming to India for short or long-term purposes. 

Only a few foreigners enjoy visa-free access to India, such as Bangladeshis, Bhutanese, and a few other countries. Browse the shortlist of countries on the visa-free list, and if your country is not one of them, you need to get a visa to access India.

Online Visa To Indian

Apart from the conventional paper visas issued to visa applicants, there is an online visa program launched by the Indian government in 2014. The online visa is called the Indian e-visa, and it is available to eligible applicants from more than 160 nations. The e-visa is a short-term visa for tourism, business trips, medical visits, and other non-economic purposes. E Visa application forms are available online and should be filled out and submitted.

The documents for e-visas are few and must be uploaded for processing. These documents are as follows

  • Valid passport

  • Digital photograph

  • Travel Itinerary

  • Proof of funds

  • Proof of accommodation

  • Email Address

  • Visa fee paid with a credit or debit card

Approved e-visas will be forwarded to the applicant's email address within 2-5 days.

How to apply for an E Visa In VisaHQ

  • Visit VisaHQ

  • Select India as your destination

  • Select your citizenship

  • Choose e-visa as your option

  • Complete the application form

  • Upload the required documents

  • Pay the application fee with a card

  • Submit for approval

Unless you want a long-term visa issued by the Indian embassy, you can use VisaHQ's portal to apply for an e-visa. Just upload the documents needed for travel to India.

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    This article was published by VisaHQ, a world leader in visa processing. Since 2003, VisaHQ has 20 offices in 6 countries and has helped countless tourist, business travellers, diplomats, workers, and students obtain their visa. With a 4.41 star rating on Reviews.io, VisaHQ is committed to innovation, service, security, and simplicity in the visa application process.
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