Passport & Visa System in India

Foreign Nationals visiting India are required to possess a genuine and valid national passport or any other internationally recognized travel document bearing photograph of the foreigner.

Nepal and Bhutan nationals if entering India from Nepal or Bhutan border respectively do not require passport. They are required to possess, authorized identity proof. But if they are entering India from a place other than their own country then possession of passport is a must.

Nationals of Maldives do not require a visa for entry into India for tourism purpose and stay up to 90 days.
The Consular Passport and Visa division is responsible for issuance of passport and visa to persons of Indian Origin. You can download a form as well as browse for information on at http://passport.nic.in/.
Foreigners are advised to ensure that they are in possession of valid Indian Visa before they start their journey to India as there is no provision of 'Visa on Arrival' in India.

Categories of visas with specific endorsement of numbers of entries allowed and duration of stay in India are mentioned on the visa depending upon request and subsequent decision of the visa issuing authority. In case doubt, please seek clarification from any of the Indian Missions abroad.

For visitors to the country, visas are available from the Indian missions in each country. Six month multiple - entry visas are now issued to most nationals regardless of the intended duration of stay.

Generally a tourist visa is given for 6 months while a business visa can be issued for one or more year with multiple entries.

Transit visas are issued for a maximum period of 15 days with single / double entry facilities to bonafide transit passengers only.

Conference visas are issued for attending conferences, seminars, or meetings in India. A letter of invitation from the organizer of the conference needs to be submitted along with the visa application.

Student visa is granted to persons who wish to come to India for study purposes. The duration of the visa would depend upon the duration of the academic session to be undertaken by the applicant in India. Extension of the visa is granted by the Foreigner's Regional Registration Office (FRRO) on considering the merits of the case.

Business Visa is required by persons visiting India on business. It is necessary to provide a letter from the applicant's overseas employer stating the exact purpose of the visit, and the expected duration with the application. A letter of invitation from the Indian Company should also be provided. Business visas are normally Multiple Entry and may be granted for up to two years.

Last but not the least. Tourist visa is not extendable.

The fee structure depends on the nationality of the passport holder and type/duration of visa applied. It ranges from $5 to $50 for a visa with one - year validity.

Tours which offers trekking and mountaineering expeditions to India.

Where the proposed tour includes any point above 6000 meters, visa may be given only after receiving the formal clearance from the Indian Mountaineering Federation.

Trekking and Mountaineering - Where the proposed tour is for areas below 6000 meters. The visa applications should be accompanied by an itinerary indicating days and places to be visited along with their height, a map of the proposed area with the distinct markings of the places to be visited and a copy of the brochure outlining the tour highlights. These details are required to ensure that the proposed tour does not violate the mandatory conditions laid down by the IMF.

Trekkers please note that it is forbidden to enter Restricted and Protected Areas without the correct documentation.

Mountaineering - Permission for mountaineering must be obtained from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, Anand Niketan, Beneto Juarez Road, New Delhi 110 021.

Mountaineering can be undertaken after obtaining a written permission from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), Government of India. Expeditions from abroad also have to pay a peak royalty or fees to climb a peak.

Agent you hired will make all the arrangements including transport, food, porters, camping equipments etc. and will also process all formalities.

The Indian mountaineering Foundation will assist in liaising with the Indian Air Force (for helicopters) in case of accidents and in conveying weather forecasts to the expeditions etc.

Nepal Mountaineer Rules - Mountaineering team desirous of climbing the peak must receive permission from Nepal Mountaineering Association. Permits are granted on a first come first serve basis. The permit is valid for the period of one month and extendable by two weeks. The maximum number of persons allowed in a group is 12. Individual or party granted a climbing permit shall be accompanied by a Sirdar or Guide, who must be registered with NMA and will assist in all the arrangement as per rules laid out by Nepal Mountaineering Association.