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India · Entry rules

Who needs a visa for India?

Entry rules for India by nationality, for short tourist or business visits, from the Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked .

In brief

Citizens of 3 countries and territories can visit India without a visa. 2 get a visa on arrival. 161 can apply for an eVisa or ETA online. Everyone else, 30 nationalities, needs a visa.

Visa-free
3
On arrival
2
eVisa or ETA
161
Visa required
30

About 6.4 bn people (97% of the world's other nationalities by population) need a visa arranged before they travel to India: a visa, an eVisa or a visa only with another permit.

Checked 31 Oct 2026Source: Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of IndiaSaudi Arabia and Timor-Leste: not verified (the source leaves them unclear)Report a change

Most commonHong KongUnited StatesNew ZealandSaudi ArabiaUnited KingdomAustraliaAll passports

India entry rules at a glance

GroupStayNationalitiesExamplesSource
Visa-free90 days, counting all stays in the previous 6 months1MaldivesBureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
Visa-freeNot stated2Nepal, BhutanBureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
Visa on arrival60 days, double entry, non-extendable2Japan, South KoreaBureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
eVisa, with conditions30 days on the 1-month e-Tourist visa; up to 180 days per calendar year on the 1- or 5-year e-Tourist visa; up to 180 days per visit on the e-Business visa162United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom, AustraliaBureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
eVisa, with conditionsBusiness visa valid 1 year, multiple entry1AfghanistanBureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
Visa requiredNot stated2Pakistan, BangladeshBureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
With another visa or permit60 days, double entry, non-extendable1United Arab EmiratesBureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
Visa requiredAs granted28Hong Kong, China, Nigeria, EthiopiaBureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India

Visa-free for 90 days, counting all stays in the previous 6 months: the Maldives

1 nationality

Tourism, business or medical treatment only.

Source: Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked Visa free entry can be availed by Maldivians whose purpose of visit to India is exclusively for Business/Medical treatment/Tourism and the stay in India does not exceed a period of 90 days.

Visa-free: Nepal and Bhutan

2 nationalities

Arriving from Nepal or Bhutan by land or air (national photo ID enough); a passport is needed from other places, and a passport and visa when arriving from China, Macau, Hong Kong or Pakistan.

Source: Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan visiting India from Nepal or Bhutan by land or air are exempted from the requirement of Passport and an Indian visa.

Visa on arrival for 60 days, double entry, non-extendable: Japan and South Korea

2 nationalities

Only at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports; not for travellers who, or whose parents or grandparents, were born or permanently resident in Pakistan.

Source: Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked Visa-on-Arrival facility is available for the nationals of Japan, Republic of Korea and United Arab Emirates (UAE); who intends to visit India for a period not exceeding 60 days for Business, Tourism, Conference and Medical purposes

eVisa for 30 days on the 1-month e-Tourist visa with conditions: the US, New Zealand, the UK and 159 more

162 nationalities

Not for travellers of Pakistani origin (parents or grandparents born or resident in Pakistan); apply at least 4 days before arrival.

Source: Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked If you hold valid passports from any of the following countries/regions, you are eligible for eVisa.

eVisa (business visa valid 1 year) with conditions: Afghanistan

1 nationality

Business, medical or entry visa only, through the separate Afghan online visa portal; no tourist visa category.

Source: Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked Afghanistan Nationals can avail following visa services: 1 Business Visa 2 Student Visa 3 Medical Visa 4 Medical Attendant Visa 5 Entry Visa 6 UN Diplomat Visa

Visa required: Pakistan and Bangladesh

2 nationalities

Bangladesh (90 days per visit on a tourist visa).

Pakistan: visa services for Pakistani nationals suspended since 24 April 2025; existing visas revoked from 27 April 2025.

Source: Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked Citizens of Bangladesh (except special categories) should be in possession of a valid Passport/Travel document and a valid Indian visa in order to visit India.

Source: Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, checked Reference Government of India’s decision (24 April 2025) to suspend visa services to Pakistani nationals.

With another visa or a residence permit, 60 days: the UAE

1 nationality

Visa on arrival only for UAE nationals who earlier held an Indian e-Visa or regular paper visa; at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad airports.

Source: Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked In case of UAE nationals, VoA will be available only to those who had earlier obtained e-Visa or regular sticker/paper Visa of India.

Visa required: Hong Kong, China, Nigeria and 25 more

28 nationalities

Apply before you travel at an embassy or consulate of India, or the visa centre it names.

Nationalities not listed above: the official source says so in as many words.

Source: Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked Foreigners except certain categories who are travelling to India are required to hold a valid passport and valid visa.

If you live in the UAE

Emirati citizens: evisa, 30 days on the 1-month e-Tourist visa; up to 180 days per calendar year on the 1- or 5-year e-Tourist visa; up to 180 days per visit on the e-Business visa (not for travellers of Pakistani origin (parents or grandparents born or resident in Pakistan); apply at least 4 days before arrival).

Visa on arrival only for UAE nationals who earlier held an Indian e-Visa or regular paper visa; at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad airports. Stay: 60 days, double entry, non-extendable. This applies to the UAE.

Source: Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked In case of UAE nationals, VoA will be available only to those who had earlier obtained e-Visa or regular sticker/paper Visa of India.

Where to apply

Apply for the eVisa only on the official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in. Look-alike sites charge extra for the same form. A visa is applied for at an embassy or consulate of India, or the visa centre it names, in the country where you live.

These rules cover ordinary passports and short visits; work, study and transit have their own rules. Our guides: India e-Visa: A Complete Guide for US Travelers, India transit visa: who needs one.

Most searched passports

FAQ

Do I need a visa to visit India?

It depends on your passport: 3 nationalities are visa-free, 2 get a visa on arrival, 161 can use an eVisa or ETA and 30 need a visa. Choose your passport above.

Do Hong Kong citizens need a visa for India?

Yes. Hong Kong citizens need a visa before they travel to India (Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked 31 Oct 2026).

Do US citizens need a visa for India?

Yes, but online: US citizens apply for an eVisa before they travel (30 days on the 1-month e-Tourist visa; up to 180 days per calendar year on the 1- or 5-year e-Tourist visa; up to 180 days per visit on the e-Business visa); not for travellers of Pakistani origin (parents or grandparents born or resident in Pakistan); apply at least 4 days before arrival (Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, checked 31 Oct 2026).

Can I apply for an India visa online?

Yes, if you are eligible: 161 nationalities can apply online for an eVisa or ETA. Apply only at indianvisaonline.gov.in.

Can UAE residents visit India more easily?

Some can. Visa on arrival only for UAE nationals who earlier held an Indian e-Visa or regular paper visa; at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad airports. Stay: 60 days, double entry, non-extendable. See “If you live in the UAE” above.

Sources and changes

  1. Bureau of Immigration: visa-free regime and visa on arrivalboi.gov.in · checked 31 Oct 2026
  2. Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of Indiaindianvisaonline.gov.in · checked 31 Oct 2026
  3. Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of Indiaindianvisaonline.gov.in · checked 31 Oct 2026
  4. Ministry of External Affairs, Government of Indiamea.gov.in · checked 31 Oct 2026
  5. Bureau of Immigration: country-specific guidelinesboi.gov.in · checked 31 Oct 2026
  6. Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of Indiaboi.gov.in · checked 31 Oct 2026
  7. Indian e-Visa (official portal)indianvisaonline.gov.in · checked 31 Oct 2026
  1. All groups checked against Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. No change since.

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