INDIA VISA REQUIREMENTS + APPLICATION for Filipinos

If you plan to travel to India soon,  then you need to apply for the India Visa online.  India is a vibrant country, with amazing culture, jaw-dropping architecture, exquisite arts and handicrafts, rich history, and warm people. I can go on and on.  When I first visited some parts of South India during our Kerala blog express trip, I was really mesmerized.  It was definitely one of my most memorable trip, especially seeing elephants, deers and other animals in the wild. Yes, unknown to many Filipino tourists,  India has a plethora of protected national parks where you can catch a glimpse of tiger, elephants, wild buffalo, deer, rhinoceros, etc. living in the wild.  I hope to return to India in the near future, and explore more destinations.

So, how do you apply for the India Visa? But don’t worry, applying for an Indian visa is not as hard as it looks, compared to other countries requiring a visa, you don’t need tons of documents to submit.  Without further ado, here’s my India Visa Blog.  I wrote here the India Visa requirements and application for tourists to help you prepare. I decided to blog this since some readers are still confused, I am still getting inquiries about my old visa blogpost.

The  India E-Visa

The India E-Visa or the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) replaced the India Visa on Arrival. That means, Filipino tourists and other foreigners that will be traveling to India needs to apply online for an Indian visa or E-visa prior to their India trip. So please disregard my old blogpost for India Visa on Arrival, this is the new process.

There are 5 categories for the Indian E-Visa:

• E-Tourist Visa
• E-Business Visa
• E-Medical Visa
• E-Medical Attendant visa
• E-Conference Visa

For this India Visa blog, I will only discuss the details for the Indian E-Tourist Visa Requirements and Application process.

There are 3 types of India E-Tourist Visa and the visa fees varies depending on the visa:

• 1 Month India E-Tourist Visa:

 Validity: 30 Days (1 month)

Entries: Double Entry, non-extendable, and non-convertible

Visa Fee: $25 (approximately ₱1,268, SGD 34, MYR 103, AUD 37)

 This type of Indian E-Visa for tourists is valid for 30 Days (1 Month) and for double entry, meaning you can enter India twice, however, it is non-extendable or non-convertible. So, if you plan to extend your stay in India for more than 30 days or to apply for a regular India Tourist Visa after 30 days, you can’t do that if you have this type of India visa.

• 1 Year India E-Visa:

 Duration: 365 Days (1 Year) from the date of grant of ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization)

Entries: Multiple

 This type of India E-Tourist Visa is valid for 365 days or 1 year and you can enter India multiple times in a year. This is great if you plan on traveling to India a couple of times in a year.

• 5 Years India E-Visa:

Duration: 5 years from the date of grant of the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization)

Entries: Multiple

IMPORTANT: Even if you apply for the 1 Year or Five year of Visa, take note that you shall not exceed 90 days in India.

The only citizens allowed to stay in India for over 90 days are from USA, UK, Canada, and Japan, but they should not stay for over 180 days.

INDIA VISA REQUIREMENTS

What are the India Visa requirements for Filipinos tourists (Philippine Passport Holder)? Unlike other tourist visa for other requirements, you’ll be glad to know that there are only a few requirements for the Indian E-tourist visa.  Take note that the following requirements should be in digital files as you need to submit them online:

• Scanned Copy of Your Passport Bio Page (PDF file):

  First, make sure that your passport is still valid for at least 6 months and have at least 2 blank pages from the intended date of departure from India. Meaning, as long as you are in India, your passport should have at least 6 months validity. Then, you scan your passport’s bio page, make sure that your photo and your details (Name, Date of Birth, Passport Number, etc.) are clear and visible. The scanned copy should be in PDF file. Minimum size of file should be 10KB and maximum size is 300 KB.

• Photo (JPEG file):

  1 Recent photo front-facing photo with white background, eyes open, and no eyeglasses. Ensure that there are no shadows on the face or background. Minimum dimensions should be 350 pixels (width) and 350 pixels (height).  The file should be in JPEG and file size should be minimum 10 KB and maximum 1 MB.

Important: Do not crop your Passport image and upload it as your photograph.  You can have your photo taken at photography shops for less than ₱100, to make sure it’s clear. Then you can ask for a digital copy (if they allow it) or just scan it. Your India visa application can be denied if the photo you upload is not clear as specified.

• Required Information:

  You will be asked for the following details upon your application online, so prepare it. You don’t have to book the flights and hotel yet, you can do that after your India visa is approved.

• •  Entry Point (Entry Airport or Seaport)
  • Hotel Address and Contact Number
  • Travel Dates

INDIAN VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

1.ENSURE THAT YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR AN E-VISA:

 You are visiting India for the purpose of tourism only (e.g. vacation, sightseeing, visiting friends or relatives).

Citizens of Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and East Timor are eligible for an India E-Visa.  Australia, Japan, South Korea passport holders are also eligible for the Indian Tourist Visa.

Your passport should have at least 6 months validity from the intended date of departure from India and have at least 2 blank pages for India Immigration stamping.  So, for the duration of your stay in India, your passport should still be valid for at least 6 months.

2.MAKE SURE THAT YOUR ENTRY AND EXIT POINTS IN INDIA ACCEPTS INDIA TOURIST E-VISA

 Before applying for an Indian E-visa, make sure you will enter India and exit India at the airport or seaport that accept India Tourist E-Visa.  Double check your airplane ticket or cruise ticket.

• Entry Airports in India that Accepts E-Visa:

• Seaports in India that Accept Indian E-Visa:

•  Exit Airports that Accept E-visa: 

If you are departing India, take note that these are the only airports in India that accepts E-visa. So you can only exit at these India airports:

• Exit Land Borders in India that Accept E-Visa:

• Exit Seaports in India that Accept E-visa:

3. PREPARE THE REQUIRED INDIAN VISA DOCUMENTS

 Complete the requirements for the Indian Visa, as I stated above, you need the following:

• Scanned copy of your passport bio page (your photo and personal details should be clear)
• Recent Photo (2×2 photo, front-facing, white background, no glasses, JPG file)
• Other  Requirements:
• Make sure that you also have the following information because you will need to input this on the Indian E-Visa application form online, but you don’t necessarily need to book the flights and hotels, you can do that once your India visa is approved already:
• • Hotel Address and Contact Number
  • Travel Dates
  • Entry Point (Entry Airport or Seaport)

4.APPLY FOR THE INDIA E-VISA ONLINE

 Once you’re done preparing your Indian visa requirements and you are sure that you are eligible for the India E-Tourist Visa, you can now apply online at  Indianvisaonline.gov.in 

Important: You can do it yourself (DIY), or if you’re not comfortable applying for an Indian Visa yourself online, you can ask for assistance (with a fee) from travel agencies nearest you or there are many travel agencies online. But since I wrote this India E-visa guide for you, I hope it helps.

5.MAKE YOUR PAYMENT

 After completing the form, you will need to choose a payment option.  There are 2 options so far: SBI e-pay or Axis Bank.

SBI e-pay is the payment aggregator service of the State Bank of India. They have multiple payments options and accepts International Cards (debit and credit cards) issued by Visa, Maestro, and Mastercard, both with or without 3D secure authentication. You can also pay via PayPal if you opt for SBI e-pay.

Meanwhile, Axis Bank facilitates online payments with Visa, Maestro, and Mastercard.

6.WAIT FOR YOUR INDIA E-VISA

You can check your e-mail after 72 hours for the status of your Indian E-tourist visa. So make sure that your e-mail is correct. You should be able to use the visa within 120 days from the date it was issued.  Please also double check your India visa status HERE  , make sure it is stated as GRANTED before your travel to India.  If you have further questions, you may contact the E-visa helpdesk at: [email protected].

7.PRINT YOUR INDIA E-VISA

You need to print the India E-visa and show it at the Immigration upon your arrival in India.

INDIA VISA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What are the reasons for the Indian visa rejection?

While I am not in the position to answer this, as I don’t work in the embassy, the decision is up to them, but some of the possible reasons are:

• Incorrect information
• Submitted requirements did not meet the specifications (e.g. photo not clear, scanned bio page is not clear)

So make sure your submitted requirements are correct and clear.

How long will it take to process the Indian E-visa?

The India E-visa processing may take 72 hours or more. You will be informed of your visa status (approved or rejected) via e-mail. So make sure you provide the correct e-mail address.  You may also check your visa status HERE. 

How early can I apply for an Indian E-visa?

 You may apply online minimum of 4 days in advance of the date of travel, however, to avoid inconvenience, best to apply a few weeks before your intended travel date. The Indian E-tourist Visa is valid for 120 days, so don’t earlier than that.

Can I reprint my India E-visa since I lost it?

 Yes, you can. Visit this page.   But you will need your Port of Arrival (the one you indicated on your application form), Application ID, Date of Birth, and Passport Number.  So I would suggest you write down your visa application number.

Do I need to book my flights and hotel to apply for an India visa?

If you are applying for a 1 month India E-tourist visa, you don’t need to book your flights and hotel yet.  You can do that after your visa is approved.  But take note that the airline in the Philippines and the Immigration in the Philippines and India requires a return or onward ticket.  So make sure you book your return of onward flights prior to your trip.  The Immigration might also ask you for your hotel bookings and places that you will visit, so make sure you have a sample itinerary.

Do I need a travel insurance?

A travel insurance is not required, but I recommend you get one for your peace of mind and safety. It’s affordable. I usually pay around ₱1000 – ₱1,500. You can apply online or visit the nearest travel agency.

Do I need a Yellow Fever Vaccine?

The Yellow Fever Vaccine is only required for citizens of Yellow Fever affected countries or travelers arriving from these countries.  They must carry a Yellow Fever Vaccination Card at the time of arrival in India, otherwise, they will be quarantined for 6 days upon arrival in India. If you are coming from the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, or other Southeast Asian countries, you are not required to bring one.

What are the yellow fever affected countries? CHECK HERE.

INDIA VISA TIPS AND REMINDERS

• A bank account and flight and hotel bookings are not required when applying for an Indian E-Tourist Visa, however, the Immigration Officer might ask you about your budget, itinerary, hotel bookings, and return or onward flights.  A return or onward flight is required when leaving the Philippines, so once your India visa is approved, book your roundtrip flights and hotels.
• Your biometric will be mandatorily captured at Immigration upon arrival in India.
• You must travel on the Passport which you have applied for Indian Visa. Entry will be allowed into India on the new passport even if the India E-tourist Visa has been issued on the old passport, however, you must bring the old passport on which the India Visa was issued.

INDIA TOURS

Pocket Wi-Fi for India (Delivery or Pick up in India): RESERVE HERE

DELHI TOURS

•  Delhi Airport Transfer: RESERVE HERE
• Taj Mahal and Agra Fort Day Tour from Delhi: RESERVE HERE
•  Golden Triangle Tour from Delhi: RESERVE HERE
• New and Old Delhi Day Tour: RESERVE HERE

JAIPUR TOURS

• Jaipur Sightseeing Day Tour: RESERVE HERE
•  Cultural Walking Tour of Jaipur: RESERVE HERE
• Jaipur Nahargarh and Jaigarh Fort Half Day Tour: RESERVE HERE

CHENNAI TOURS

• Chennai Heritage Walking Tour: RESERVE HERE
• Chennai Aiport Transfer: RESERVE HERE
• Chennai Private Car Charter: RESERVE HERE

WHERE TO STAY IN INDIA

DELHI BUDGET HOTELS

For first-timers in Delhi, Karol Bagh is a popular area to stay because it has easy transportation and shopping.  Meanwhile, Paharganj is popular for budget travelers and backpackers. It’s quite noisy and crowded though. For families traveling, your best bet is South Delhi, which is more relaxed.

•  Wood Castle Hotel New Delhi

Location: Karol Bagh

CHECK RATES HERE OR RESERVE HERE

• Bloomrooms @New Delhi Railway

Location: Pahar Ganj

CHECK RATES HERE OR RESERVE HERE

• The Prime Balaji Deluxe @ New Delhi Railway

Location: Pahar Ganj

CHECK RATES HERE OR RESERVE HERE

• Hotel City Star

Location: Pajar Ganj

CHECK RATES HERE OR RESERVE HERE

• Orania B&B By Atsar

Location: South Delhi

CHECK RATES HERE OR RESERVE HERE

• Letsbunk Posh Hotel

Location: South Delhi

CHECK RATES HERE OR RESERVE HERE

• Hari Piorko by Backpacker Panda

Location: Karol Bagh

CHECK RATES HERE OR RESERVE HERE

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