Please do not finalise your travel arrangements to India before ascertaining the visa requirements.
All foreign nationals, including children, require a visa to enter India.
Visa fees are non-refundable and subject to change without notice. The High Commission reserves the right on granting and deciding type/duration of visa irrespective of the fees tendered at the time of making application. Granting of Visa does not confer the right of entry to India and is subject to the discretion of the Immigration Authorities.
Visas can be applied for in person or by post at the High Commission of India in London. Visa applications from persons not ordinarily residing in the UK or from people of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan origin are considered only in the High Commission of India, London and Consulate General of India, Birmingham and their processing may take one week or in some cases much longer. Applicants not ordinarily resident in the UK and Sri Lankan nationals are required to complete an additional form. Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals have to file special visa application forms. In the following cases processing of applications will take longer: (a) British Nationals holding dual nationality or of other origin, (b) applicants not resident in the UK, (c) where clearance from India is mandatory, (d) visitors to restricted areas and (e) certain cases where documents may need to be verified. Visa Section will contact the applicant about the time of delivery for such passports. Please note that each application is examined individually and the time taken for issuing visas will vary from case to case.
Visitors to restricted/protected areas need special permits and for this purpose an additional form has to be completed. Please contact the High Commission of India, London if you wish to ascertain whether any of the places you intend to visit fall in the category of restricted/protected areas.
All types of visa application forms can be obtained free of charge in any of the following ways:
Specific visas are granted for a variety of purposes. The principal types of visas issued are mentioned below. Please contact the High Commission of India for further details if you are visiting India for purposes other than tourism, such as journalism, conferences, yoga, voluntary work, mountaineering or other expeditions. The visa application form is, however, the same. Separate forms are available for Pakistani and Bangladeshi Nationals.
Indian visas are also issued by the Consulate General of India in Birmingham and the Consulate General of India in Edinburgh. Persons wishing to apply at the Consulates should obtain the visa application form and other relevant details directly from them. Addresses and telephone numbers of the two Consulates are given below under section "Where to obtain Indian visas in the UK".
Additional requirements for different types of visas are given below.
Tourists wishing to visit India will normally be granted tourist visas, effective from the date of issue. Tourist visas are non-extendible and non-convertible. Travel Agents who have to visit India frequently may be granted tourist visas for a longer duration.
Business Visas are normally granted for 3 or 6 months. However, multiple-entry Business Visas for up to 2 years validity may be granted to technicians/experts going to India in pursuance of bilateral agreements or joint venture projects having government approval.
Student Visas can be obtained on furnishing proof of admission to recognized Universities/Institutions in India. Employment Visas can also be obtained on furnishing of proof of employment with companies in India.
Transit Visas are valid for halts of up to 72 hours in India within 15 days from the date of issue of the visa and must be obtained before departure. Transit Visas cannot be obtained from immigration counters at ports of entry in India. Evidence of onward travel to a destination outside India is required.
Entry Visas are issued to persons of Indian origin for a
duration of up to 5 years. These can be obtained, depending on the purpose of
visit and eligibility, on a case by case basis.
Please Note:
Persons holding long term visas (having validity
exceeding 6 months) are normally not expected to stay in India more than 6
months during each visit. Please refer to the boxed note further down for
requirement to register with the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO)/Foreigners
Regional Registration Office (FRRO).
Visa Exemption Letters for Minors
Visa Exemption Letters previously granted to children of Indian origin (for a maximum validity of 90 days from the date of issue) have been discontinued since 1 July 1999. Visa Exemption Letters issued in the past are hence no longer valid. All children holding separate passports are now required to obtain regular visas.
We advise submission of applications in person. No action will be taken on any communication received without the Sender’s name & full postal address on the outside of the envelope. We accept no responsibility in case of loss/delay of documents.
However, if you wish to apply for your visa by post, please follow the following procedure:
| 1 | Add £1.00 extra with each
application towards handling charges. |
| 2 | Obtain latest visa
application form and all other additional forms (where
applicable):
|
| 3 | Processing of postal application
forms may take up to 15 working days and in some cases
longer especially during September to February. In this regard please
also refer to the introductory information regarding time taken for
various categories of applicants. Posting of
application should be properly timed to ensure that visa would cover
duration of stay in India, allowing time for processing.
Validity of a visa starts from date of issue. Please check the latest
visa fees and estimated processing time before posting your application
form/passport/fee etc., to avoid delay or rejection of application due
to submission of incorrect fee/documents. Do not apply too early as visa
is issued on receipt of passport and is valid from date of issue and
not the date of travel. No refund or amendment will be made
after the application is processed and visa is issued. |
| 4 | Please send:
|
| 5 | Applications, which are
incomplete or not accompanied by correct fee/documents, will be returned
without processing. The High Commission of India will not be responsible
for any delay/loss caused as a consequence. |
| 6 | Applications should only be
addressed to the Visa Department of this High Commission to avoid
delay. The address:
The Postal Visa Section |
In some cases, postal applicants may be asked to come to the High Commission for a personal interview and their visa applications will only be processed after that.
Postal applications for Indian visas can also be made to the Consulate General of India in Birmingham or the Consulate General of India in Edinburgh. Please contact these Consulates directly for their requirements and other relevant details. Addresses and telephone numbers of the two Consulates are given below under section "Where to obtain Indian visas in the UK".
| REGISTRATION WITH THE FOREIGNERS REGISTRATION OFFICE (FRO)/
FOREIGNERS REGIONAL REGISTRATION OFFICE (FRRO)
Persons of Indian origin holding multiple entry X-visas, visiting India to meet relatives or for social purposes, are required to register with the FRO/FRRO within 14 days of first arrival only if they intend to stay continuously for more than 6 months. This registration is required during the first visit after the visa is issued. Subsequent travels using the same visa do not require registration. Children below the age of 16 years are exempt from this requirement. All other visitors to India, including those of Indian origin, holding any other category of visa valid for more than 6 months should register with the FRO/FRRO within 14 days of arrival in India. |
The High Commission of India holds Visa Surgeries at various locations around the UK. For more information on dates and location of these surgeries, please call the Visa section on 020 7836 8484.
Last updated 31 December 2001
Please refer to Additional Charges and Notes below for special
fees applicable to nationals of certain countries.
| Tourist visa | Fee £30.00, This is a short duration visa for the purpose of holiday or visiting relatives. |
| Business visa* | Fee £30.00, valid up to 6 months, £50.00 for 1 year and £90.00 for 2 years. A letter explaining the nature of business and duration from UK Company and a letter of invitation from an Indian Company should be submitted. |
| Conference visa | Fee £30.00 valid for 3 months, Single Entry. A letter of invitation from the conference organiser should be submitted. |
| Transit visa | Fee £8.00 (Single/Double Entry), valid for halts of up to 72 hours within 15 days from date of issue. This visa is issued only for changing of flights en route to another country. Evidence of onward travel outside India is required. |
| Entry visa* | Fee £90.00, valid for 5 years is issued to people of Indian origin only. |
| Long term visa* | Fee £90.00, valid for 5 years. This is a settlement visa for the people of Indian origin. |
| Student visa* | Fee £30.00, for
student visas valid up to 6 months Fee £50.00, for student visas valid up to 1 year Fee £55.00, for student visas valid for more than 1 year Letter of admission from the recognised educational institution with duration of the course required in all cases. |
| Journalist visa | Fee £30.00, valid for 3 months, Single Entry. A letter from the employer should be submitted where applicable. |
| Employment visa* | Fee £50.00, Valid for 1 year. An employment contract signed by both the parties should be submitted. |
| Transfer of visa | Fee £4.00, This is for transfer of 5-year visa issued by this mission or other missions in U. K, from an expired passport to a new passport. Both the expired and new passports have to be submitted in original along with a separate application form. |
* Please refer to note in box above concerning requirements to register with the FRRO/FRO
Additional Charges (payable in addition to the normal Visa Fees):
| £15.00 | To all applicants holding US passports. |
| £25.00 | Applicants arriving to submit applications beyond Visa Counter hours (08:30–12:00 Hrs on working days) on emergency grounds. |
| £10.00 | Non UK passport holders. Proof of stay of at least one year required to be produced for exemption. |
| £30.00 | Service charges for applicants holding Russian passports. |
| £5.00 | Service charges for applicants holding Romanian passports. |
| £1.00 | For all applications received by post |
Note:
| Business Visa | £3.00, single-entry valid
for up to 6 months £8.00, multiple-entry valid for up to 1 year |
| Employment Visa | £3.00, single-entry valid
for up to 6 months £6.00, multiple-entry valid for up to 6 months £8.00, multiple entry valid for up to 1 year |
| Transit Visa | £3.00, single or double entry |
| Tourist, Student, Conference and all other types of Visas | £3.00, single-entry valid
for up to 6 months £6.00, multiple-entry valid for up to 1 year |
Click here to download visa application forms
| Indian Visas can be obtained in the UK from the High Commission of India, London or other Consulates at the addressee mentioned below : | |
| High
Commission of India India House Aldwych London WC2B 4NA Working Hours: Queue numbers are issued to visa applicants between 8.30 a.m. and 12.00 noon Mondays to Fridays, except holidays (click here for holidays in 2002). |
|
| Consulate
General of India, Birmingham 20 Augusta Street Jewellery Quarter, Hockley Birmingham, B18 6JL Please contact the Consulate for the current
working hours for Visa Services |
|
| Consulate
General of India, Edinburgh 17 Rutland Square Edinburgh, EH1 2BB Please contact the Consulate for the current
working hours for Visa services |
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