Skip to content

India · Transit

Do you need a transit visa for India?

By the Visa Almanac editorial teamChange logUpdated 1 Nov 2026

In brief

Not to change planes, if you stay in the airport: foreigners in direct transit by air need no visa for up to 24 hours within the airport's transit area.1 To leave the airport you need a transit visa: the e-Transit visa, applied for online, if your passport is one of the 174 on the e-Visa list, or a regular transit visa through an Indian mission.12 Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan need no visa.3

Checked 1 Nov 2026Source: Bureau of Immigration, transit via IndiaReport a change

Independent reference, not a government website. We don't issue visas or sell visa services.

ContentsIn brief
  1. In brief
  2. By nationality
  3. Airside
  4. Transit visa
  5. e-Transit visa
  6. No visa needed
  7. Fee and how to apply
  8. FAQ
  9. Sources
  10. About this page

Who needs a transit visa, by nationality

Your passportChanging planes airsideLeaving the airportOfficial source
On the e-Visa list 174No visaup to 24 hourse-Transit visaonline, 30 days, multiple entriese-Visa portal: eligible countries
PakistanNo visaup to 24 hoursTransit visafrom an Indian mission; no e-Visae-Visa portal
Bhutan, Maldives and NepalNothingNo visaMaldives: business, medical or tourist visitsBureau of Immigration: visa-free entry
Everyone elseNo visaup to 24 hoursTransit visa (TR)through an Indian Visa Application Centre or missionBureau of Immigration: transit via India
On the e-Visa list (174): the e-Transit visa online

Albania, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Island, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue Island, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks & Caicos Island, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.2

Changing planes without leaving the airport

A foreigner in direct transit by air needs no transit visa while staying within the specified precincts of the airport, for up to 24 hours; after that a transit visa is needed.1 The Bureau of Immigration publishes no list of the Indian airports where you can transfer airside, so check with your airline. Sea passengers need no transit visa if they do not leave the ship while it is in an Indian port.1

A Transit Visa is not required by a foreigner passing through, in direct transit by air, and travelling onward through India, provided he/she does not leave the specified precincts of the airport up to 24 hours, After 24 hours, a Transit Visa is required.Bureau of Immigration, transit via India · checked

Leaving the airport: the transit visa

  • The Transit Visa (TR) is for travelling through India to a destination outside India, and the e-Visa (e-TRV) can be used for transit.4
  • A transit visa is normally valid for a single journey, with entry within 15 days of issue, and never longer than the visa for the final destination.1
  • A transit visa covers direct transit only, with a stay of no more than 3 days per visit; a longer stay needs a visa of the appropriate category.1
  • If the journey is not made within the visa's validity, a new transit visa is needed; the validity cannot be extended except in emergencies such as strikes, disruption, bad weather or illness.1
  • A traveller who needs to enter India twice in transit on the same journey can get a two-entry transit visa, with up to 3 days per journey (MHA, August 2020; Wayback capture of 3 May 2025).5
  • The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 defines a visa as an authorisation for a foreigner to enter, transit through, stay in or exit India.6

Foreigners whose sole purpose to travel through India to a destination outside India requires a Transit visa.Bureau of Immigration, transit via India · checked

The e-Transit visa

  • The e-Transit visa is valid for 30 days from the first arrival in India and allows multiple entries.2
  • For the e-Transit visa, upload a confirmed ticket to India and an onward ticket, and a visa or entry permit for the destination country (or that country's passport if you are a dual national).2
  • Holders of Pakistani passports, and travellers of Pakistani origin of any nationality, cannot use the e-Visa and apply for a regular visa at an Indian mission.2
  • The e-Visa, including the e-Transit visa, is not available to diplomatic or official passport holders or laissez-passer holders.2

If you hold valid passports from any of the following countries/regions, you are eligible for eVisa.Government of India e-Visa portal · checked

No visa needed

  • Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal: Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan coming from Nepal or Bhutan need neither passport nor visa, only a government-approved photo ID; they need a passport and an Indian visa when entering from China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan, and a passport when entering or leaving India from or to a third country. Maldivians: business, medical treatment or tourism only, up to 90 days within 6 months.3
  • Visa on arrival: nationals of Japan, South Korea and the UAE can get one for business, tourism, conference or medical visits of up to 60 days; transit is not among the listed purposes.3

Fee and how to apply

e-Transit visaNot stated: the official e-Visa fee tables publish no e-Transit fee2
Transit visa (TR)Not stated by the official sources we read
How to applyBoth regular visas and e-Visas are applied for online at indianvisaonline.gov.in.7For a regular transit visa, fill in the online form, then print and sign it and submit it with the documents and passport at an Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) or directly at the Indian mission on the appointment date.8
When to travelWithin 15 days of issue, on a single journey, unless the visa says otherwise1Up to 3 days in India per visit1
On arrivalForeign nationals entering India must complete and submit the e-Arrival Card.7

Apply on the official site. The Government of India does not authorise any agent or intermediary to charge fees for emergency or express visas, e-Visas or the e-Arrival card.7

FAQ

Do I need a transit visa for India?

Not to change planes if you stay within the airport for up to 24 hours. To leave the airport, or to stay longer, you need a transit visa: the e-Transit visa online if your passport is on the e-Visa list, otherwise a regular transit visa through an Indian mission. Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan need no visa.

Can I stay in an Indian airport for 24 hours without a visa?

Yes, in direct transit by air, if you stay within the airport's transit area. After 24 hours, a transit visa is required.

How do I get an Indian transit visa?

Both regular visas and e-Visas are applied for online at indianvisaonline.gov.in. For a regular transit visa, fill in the online form, then print and sign it and submit it with the documents and passport at an Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) or directly at the Indian mission on the appointment date. If your passport is on the e-Visa list, the e-Transit visa is applied for online.

How long can I stay in India on a transit visa?

A transit visa covers direct transit only, with a stay of no more than 3 days per visit; a longer stay needs a visa of the appropriate category. The e-Transit visa is valid for 30 days from the first arrival in India and allows multiple entries.

Can Pakistani citizens get an Indian e-Transit visa?

No. Holders of Pakistani passports, and travellers of Pakistani origin of any nationality, apply for a regular visa at an Indian mission.

How much is an Indian e-Transit visa?

Not stated: the official e-Visa fee tables publish no e-Transit fee. The official pages we read state no fee for the regular transit visa either.

Sources

Official sources only. Each was checked on the date shown.

  1. Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs (India): who needs a transit visa and transit visaboi.gov.in · checked
  2. Government of India e-Visa portal (Ministry of Home Affairs): who needs a transit visa and e-Transit visaindianvisaonline.gov.in · checked
  3. Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs (India): who needs a transit visaboi.gov.in · checked
  4. Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs (India): transit visaboi.gov.in · checked
  5. Ministry of Home Affairs (India), Foreigners Division: transit visamha.gov.in · checked · read from an archived copy of 3 May 2025
  6. Government of India, Ministry of Law and Justice (Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, published on mha.gov.in): transit visamha.gov.in · checked · read from an archived copy of 18 Feb 2026
  7. Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs (India): applyingboi.gov.in · checked
  8. Government of India, Indian Visa Online (Ministry of Home Affairs): applyingindianvisaonline.gov.in · checked

More: India entry rules by nationality · transit pages · all visa guides.

About this page

By the Visa Almanac editorial team. Every rule, fee and date on this page comes from the official sources listed above, each read on the day shown; where they are silent, we say so. Editorial policy · Change log

Updated
1 Nov 2026
Last checked
Official sources
8
Was this page helpful?Report a change

Visa Almanac is an independent reference, not a government website. We don't issue visas or sell visa services.

Rules change without notice. Always confirm with the official source linked on each page before you travel.