Thinking of visiting
India in the near future?

2 December 2019

Unless otherwise stated, this information is for travellers using a full ‘British Citizen’ passport and has been prepared based on the foreign travel advice issued by the UK government. 

You’ll need to obtain a visa before travelling to India. India issues various types of visas, including transit visas and e-visas.

Make sure you get the right visa for your travel and that it’s valid for the purpose and duration of your stay. If you enter India on the wrong visa, you could be detained on arrival and you may be deported and blacklisted, meaning that you can’t enter India again.

Make sure you meet entry requirements. You can find further information on the Indian High Commission website or the Indian Immigration Bureau website.

If you’re applying for an e-visa, check you meet the eligibility criteria. If you do not hold a full ‘British Citizen’ passport, you may not be eligible for an e-visa. You can find out more about this on India’s e-visa website.

There have been changes made by the Indian Government on visa formalities for foreigners who are hospitalised in India when travelling on a short-term tourist visa. If you or someone you are travelling with is travelling on a tourist visa and is hospitalised, get in touch with the local Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) to check if visa conversion is required.

India’s Bureau of Immigration has announced that, with immediate effect, foreign nationals who arrive at an Indian port holding non-machine readable passports will be denied entry.

Finally, overstaying on your visa is an offence. Make sure you leave the country before your visa expires.

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