India is a fascinating country that attracts the attention of everyone who visits it. If you want to travel to it, you must apply for a visa and meet certain requirements. In this article, we give you information on how to apply for and obtain a visa, and we offer you key tips for your trip.
Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.
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Visas
All foreign people who want to enter India need a visa. However, there are different types:
e-Visa
The e-Visa, also known as Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) or Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is a permit by which you can travel to India without having to apply for a visa at the embassy or consulate.
This person is allowed to go to the country for three specific reasons: Tourist, short-term or business doctors. Therefore, the visas that can be obtained are:
- eTourist Visa
- eBusiness Visa
- e-Medical Visa
The countries that are entitled to this procedure are the following:
- A: Albania, Germany, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan
- B: Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Burma, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burundi
- C: Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Vatican City, Colombia, Comoros, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba
- D: Denmark, Dominica
- E: Ecuador, El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, Eritrea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United States, Estonia
- F: Philippines, Finland, Fiji, France
- G: Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana
- H: Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary
- I: Indonesia, Ireland, Iceland, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Israel, Italy
- J: Jamaica, Japan, Jordan
- K: Kenya, Kiribati
- L: Laos, Lesotho, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
- M: Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malawi, Mali, Malta
- N: Namibia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, Norway, New Zealand
- O: Oman
- P: Netherlands, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal
- R: United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Rwanda, Romania, Russia
- S: Samoa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Marino, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Suriname
- T: Thailand, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tajikistan, East Timor, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu
- U: Ukraine, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan
- V: Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam
- Y: Djibouti
- Z: Zambia, Zimbabwe
Likewise, the requirements to be eligible for the e-Visa are these:
- Passport with a minimum validity of six months from the date of arrival in India and with at least two blank pages
- Return ticket
- Enough money for the stay
- Recent photograph
- Each member of the family must have their own passport
This permit must be requested at least four days before the start of the trip. It is done through the official website of the e-Visa, which you can access by clicking at this link.
The steps to apply for the visa are simple. The form is filled in, the visa is paid online and later it is received by email. Payment may take up to four hours to confirm.
The duration of the visa is 60 days and it is not extensible. It can be requested up to two times in the same year. For tourism and business, you can choose double entry, triple for medical treatment.
If the visa application is accepted it will appear as status Granted. The authorization must be printed and carried throughout the trip, as it could be required by the country's authorities.
As for the cost, for most nationalities such as Spanish, Chilean, Peruvian, Colombian or Venezuelan it has a price of $ 50. However, for Argentines and Uruguayans it is free.
Other visas
If you want your stay to be longer or the reason for your trip is another, you will need to apply for a different visa. To do this, you must first fill out an online application and then continue the process at the Indian Embassy or Consulate. The types of visa are:
- Tourist
- to stay in the country as a tourist for a maximum of 5 years. It is multi-entry, non-renewable, and no paid business or activities can be conducted. Proof of financial solvency and return ticket may need to be shown.
- Work
- to work in India. Its initial validity is one year, but it can be extended. The necessary documents are a formal letter of appointment from the company and the original employment contract, among others. In the case of being a volunteer in the country, this visa is also required.
- Student
- It is multiple entry and its validity will depend on the duration of the course. The basic requirements are the admission letter from the institution and proof of financing of the stay. However, depending on the specific situation, more documents may be requested.
- Transit
- to travel in India for a maximum of 3 days. It is a single entry valid in 15 days. Flight ticket and visa are required for the final destination.
- Entry
- for Indians or people married to Indians. It is valid between 1 and 5 years. It is also requested for learning yoga.
Likewise, other special permits that can be found are for carrying out projects, for research or for speakers.
You can enter the official website where to start the visa application by clicking at this link.
In Spain you can carry out this procedure at the Embassy of India, located at Avenida de Pío XII, 30 in Madrid. There are also honorary consulates in Barcelona and Tenerife, but its activity is more limited.
Sanitary requirements
It is important to know what vaccines it is advisable to get before traveling to India, as well as other health recommendations that it is advisable to follow.
Vaccines
There is no compulsory vaccination to enter India, except for that of the yellow fever in those people who come from or come from a country where this disease is found. In this case, the vaccination card must be carried. If not, you have to spend six days in quarantine.
On the other hand, the recommended vaccination for all travelers visiting this country is the following:
- Typhoid fever
- Hepatitis A
- Tetanus-diphtheria
- MMR (measles, rubella and mumps)
Also, depending on the travel situation, it is advisable to get other vaccines. For example, if you are going to spend a long time, especially in rural areas, it is advisable to have the vaccine against Japanese encephalitis and rabies up to date.
Likewise, other vaccines that must be taken into account are those for hepatitis B, cholera (especially if humanitarian aid is to be carried out) and poliomyelitis, among others.
Other Recommendations
It should be borne in mind that sanitary conditions in India are quite poor, with the exception of private hospitals in large cities, whose cost is quite high. Therefore, it is extremely advisable to have hired a travel insurance with high coverage.
It is not advisable to approach stray animals, as it is quite possible that they have the disease of rabies. Also, you have to drink bottled water and be careful with your food. It is recommended to pay special attention to hygiene measures, since swine flu cases have increased in the country.
Two diseases that must be taken into account are dengue and malaria, transmitted by the mosquito. Malaria is more frequent in areas below 2.000 meters of altitude, while dengue occurs mainly in summer. Therefore, it is advisable to have insect repellent.
On the other hand, Delhi. It is one of the most polluted cities in the world, so children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems are not continuously exposed to the air. Likewise, it is best to stay in places that have air purifiers, especially in winter.
Practical tips
The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation offers some recommendations that should be taken into account when traveling to the country. First of all, it is necessary to know the existence of scams to tourists on the part of taxi drivers who want to take them to other hotels. Therefore, tour packages or accommodation offers from unknown persons should be rejected.
Also, do not accept drinks from strangers, since there have been cases of people who have been drugged to steal or abuse them. Similarly, there is no catch rickshaws o bicycle taxis at night.
In India, around summer, the monsoon season occurs, in which the rains are abundant and can cause floods. It is convenient to find out when it occurs in the area that we are going to visit.
On the other hand, women who plan to travel Alone the country should know that the cases of sexual assaults on foreigners have increased. For this reason, it is better not to travel without company, as well as avoid places with little traffic, go out at night or take means of transport alone.
Regarding the areas to avoid due to terrorism, conflicts with other countries or insecurity, the following stand out:
- Cashmere
- Jammu
- Northeast States
- Border with Pakistan
- West bengal
- Assam
- Manipur
Questions from users
What is the best time to travel to India?
India is a large country, so the ideal time to visit the country depends on the area we want to see. In general, it is better to go in winter and you must take into account when the monsoon is in each part.
Is it advisable to travel to India with children?
If you plan to travel as a backpacker, it is not advisable to go with small children or babies due to the difficulties of the trip. However, if you go with everything organized, it can be feasible and even quite interesting for the little ones.
Is it advisable to travel to India without knowing English?
If you don't know English, it is quite difficult to communicate with people, as it is the language used with tourists. In this article you will find more information on this topic: What language is spoken in India?
Is it possible to enter India with a dog?
IF YOU WANT TO By planeYour pet can only accompany you if you are going to spend a minimum of two years in India. In the case of going by car, this requirement does not have to be met.
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