India Visa Types

In 2019 almost 11 million foreign arrivals came to India. Most of them needed a visa to enter the country.

People who plan to visit India must apply for various visa types depending on travel purposes. The Indian government has its visa policy and differentiates incomers in terms of their nationality, occupancy, skills, or travel purposes. Travelers may choose from:

• An Employment Visa
• Business Visa
• Project Visa
• Entry visa
• Tourist Visa
• Research Visa
• Transit Visa
• Conference Visa
• Medical Visa

Read the article to learn more about mentioned visas. Check how long they stay valid and decide what type of India visa you should choose.

Employment Visa

This type of multiple entry visa is addressed to qualified professionals coming to India to take a job. These may be engineers, consultants, artists, chefs, sportsmen, or technicians. The document stays valid for the contract (up to 5 years).

If you were offered a job in India, it is the type of visa you should apply for. Please remember to attach proof of employment and conditions of a contract to the visa application form.

Business Visa

You should apply for this document if you want to visit India for business-related purposes. These may be business meetings, board meetings, presales or postsales activities, negotiations, purchasing or selling industrial products. The India visa of this type allows you to enter the country multiple times. It remains valid for 5 years. The application is complete only if an applicant provides documents confirming the relevance of the trip.

Project Visa

The government of India implemented this visa for professionals working in the steel and power sectors on the execution of ongoing projects. By completing a visa application and obtaining approval, you become allowed for multiple entries within 1 year. The applicant must provide a letter from the employer describing the project and another confirming award of the project.

Entry visa

Indian embassy requires this type of visa from travelers of Indian origin, their children, dependants, or foreigners who are married to Indian citizens and wish to arrive in India or stay longer in India when their tourist visa expires. Documents required to obtain the entry visa are an Indian passport, proof of marriage, or birth certificate in case of the spouse/ children of the person of an Indian person. The travel permit is valid for a maximum of 5 years.

Tourist Visa

The India visa allows travelers to enter the country for tourism-related purposes like holidays, visiting family members, pilgrimage, sightseeing, etc. This multiple-entry tourist visa is issued for 5 years and the maximum time a traveler can stay in India is 90 days per visit. Applicants wishing to obtain a tourist visa must submit a valid passport and proof of secured financial standing to the application.

Research Visa

This visa is directed to visitors who intend to conduct scientific research in any field, research professors, scholars, and other people attending the research. The application form and supporting documents must be submitted at least one week before traveling to India. The travel permit remains valid for 5 years. The required documents and information are:

• a research subject
• a list of places to be visited
• A proof from the Indian University/Institution that secures admission for the research purpose
• a proof of financial resources for research expenses

Transit Visa

A foreign traveler who intends to pass through India to another location outside India will need a transit visa. The document is granted for 15 days, and an applicant must provide a copy of a return or onward journey ticket.

Conference Visa

Those who want to attend an international conference or seminars must undergo a conference visa application process. It is a single entry travel permit granted only for the conference duration. Besides the general documents required, an invitation from the conference organizer and a letter from the employer is requested.

Medical Visa

Medical Tourism in India is developing fast. Low treatment costs and the availability of specialized hospitals and medical centers are attractive for those looking for treatment abroad. That is why the Government of India launched a medical visa for travelers who arrive in India for treatment-related reasons. Here is the list of visa holders' most popular medical activities.

• Consultation with Doctor
• Hair, Skin Treatment
• Orthopedic treatment
• Oncology treatment
• Internal surgery
• Cardiac treatment
• Diabetes treatment
• Mental health condition
• Renal treatment
• Joint replacement
• Plastic Surgery
• Ayurvedic treatment
• Radiotherapy
• Neurosurgery

The medical visa is valid for up to 1 year. Besides the basic documents needed to obtain a visa like a passport, photographs, etc., an applicant must also provide a medical Invitation letter from India and medical documentation of the patient.

e-Visa type

There are five India e-Visa types that can be treated as Single or Multiple-entry categories: Tourist, Medical, Business, One-Year, and 5-Year. The Tourist one is a single-entry option valid for 30 days, the Business is a multiple-entry type valid for 1 year and can be used to stay in India for up to 180 days, the Medical visa is valid for 4 months with a Triple-entry possibility, the One-Year enables visitors to go to India for traveling purpose numerous times during its validity, and the Five-Year is a multiple-entry visa for leisure as well. The whole process of applying is very intuitive and convenient.