Getting an Indian Tourist Visa in the U.S.

Jurisdiction: 

Area of Law: 

Indian Visa

A visa is an indication that the person holding the document is authorized to enter the country that issued it.  However, the possession of a visa is not in itself a guarantee of entry.  Rather, the issuing country may revoke a visa at any time.  The principal purpose of a visa is to enable the host country to verify the identity of the visa applicant before their entry into the country. 

 

India Tourist Visas

 

India is a popular travel destination for tourists.  India requires that United States travelers show a valid passport and a valid Indian visa when both entering and exiting the country.  These visas must be obtained at an Indian Embassy or Consulate prior to entering the country as there is no way to have a visa issued upon arrival, and anyone not having both of these items will be subject to immediate deportation upon arrival.

 

Indian tourist visas are issued based upon your jurisdiction.  The time it takes to process your visa depends on this jurisdiction.  The turnaround time for applying for a visa can take anywhere from two to three days, if your jurisdiction is New York, all the way to ten to twelve days for people residing on the west coast.  Be sure to allow at minimum of 2-3 weeks for processing and delivery of your visa.

 

Indian tourist visas are valid for anywhere between six months to ten years.  However, all Indian tourist visas must be used within the first ninety days or it will become invalid.  Most of the time, these India tourist visas will allow for multiple entries during a five year period, however, there is no guarantee that you will be issued one that will remain valid for more than a ninety day period.  The Indian consulate has sole discretion as to how long your visa will remain valid.

 

How to Apply

 

In order to qualify for an Indian tourist visa, you have to first fill out the application, which can be found online.  After the application has been completed, you must print and sign it.  Other requirements are as follows:

 

Passport - Your passport must have a minimum validity of six months from the date of application and have at least two visa pages left blank.  It must also be the actual passport, not a copy.  Minors traveling to India must also have a copy of the picture and signature pages of both of their parents’ passports.

 

Photographs – The Indian consulate requires two identical passport size photographs taken from the front against a light background.  Glasses are not allowed to be worn in the photo.

 

Proof of Address – Applicants must provide a photocopy of either a state issued identification or a major utility bill for proof of address.

 

Copy of Birth Certificate – The specifics of this requirement vary based on the applicant’s nationality at birth.  U.S. born applicants require a birth certificate; Indian born applicants require either a birth certificate, an old Indian passport, or a school leaving certificate; and all others may submit any government document (including birth certificates) from the country of origin that has the parents’ names, date of birth, and nationality.  For applicants born outside the U.S. and India, the document must be translated into English and notarized.

 

FeesFees vary based on the type of visa and the citizenship of the applicant.  Most U.S. applicants will have to pay $73 for a six month visa and $163 for a five or ten year visa.

 

There are other considerations for special cases.  U.S. Green Card holders must submit a copy of their U.S. visa or Green Card. Applicants applying from the U.S., but are only in the United States on the authority of a short term visa must apply from their country of origin.  However, in case of emergency or special circumstance, an application could be made at the Indian Embassy in Washington D.C. or Consulates General of India located in the U.S.