TOURIST VISA Registration/Extension

1:- Eligibility:- A Tourist visa is granted to a foreigner whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sight seeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, short duration medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine etc. and no other purpose/ activity. [Short term yoga programme means a yoga programme not exceeding 6 months duration and not issued with a qualifying certificate/ diploma etc.

2:- Validity :- Validity of a tourist visa will be as specified below:

(a) Multiple entry Tourist Visa may be granted for a period of 10 years to the nationals of USA, Canada and Japan with a stipulation that “continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days and registration not required.

(b) In respect of nationals of other countries (except for nationals of 33 countries mentioned below), Multiple entry Tourist Visa may be granted for a period of 5 years as a default option. Grant of 5-year Tourist Visa will be with the stipulation “Continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 90 days and registration not required”. However, in the case of nationals of UK, continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days.

(c) In respect of nationals of 30 countries i.e. (1) Iran, (2) Egypt, (3) Libya, (4) Qatar, (5) Iraq, (6) Syria, (7) Sudan, (8) Tunisia, (9) Kuwait, (10)Yemen, (11) Algeria, (12)Bahrain, (13) Turkey, (14) Morocco, (15) Kyrgyzstan, (16) Turkmenistan, (17) 4 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), (18) Lebanon, (19) Afghanistan, (20) Saudi Arabia, (21) Uganda, (22) Congo, (23) Ethiopia, (24) Nigeria, (25) Belarus, (26) Somalia, (27) South Sudan, (28) Kazakhstan, (29) Uzbekistan and (30) Sri Lanka, duration of visa will be decided by the concerned Indian Missions/ Posts subject to a maximum of 5 years with the stipulation “continous stay during each visit shall not exceed 90 days and registration not required”.

(d) In respect of nationals of Bangladesh and China, provisions as available in the bilateral agreements/ policy guidelines, as issued from time to time, will be applicable

(e) Tourist visa is not available to Pakistan nationals

(f) In the case of foreign nationals of Pakistan origin, Tourist Visa will be granted for a period of 3 months with single entry

3:-Conditions of Tourist Visa :- Tourist Visa shall be non-extendable and non-convertible to any other type of visa except in specific cases. Regarding conversion of Tourist Visa to other categories of visa, please see the general policy guidelines relating to Indian visa on this website.

4:- Repeat visits :- There shall be a gap of at least 2 (two) months between two visits to India on a Tourist Visa in respect of nationals of Afghanistan, China, Iraq, Sudan, foreigners of Pakistan origin and Stateless persons. In case any foreign national falling in this category and who has not been issued a 5-year Tourist Visa at the discretion of the Mission is required to visit India again within a period of 2 months after his/her last departure due to any exigent situation, such foreign national may be granted a fresh Tourist Visa. The applicant should furnish an undertaking on the following lines:-

(a) That the purpose of his/her visit is because of an emergent situation

(b) That he/she is not engaged in Business activities, nor in Employment or pursuing studies/research etc. in India.

5:- Group Tourist Visa :- Foreign tourists travelling in groups of not less than four members, under the auspices of a recognized travel agency can be granted Group Tourist visa for group tourism in India. The Group Tourist Visa will be granted only on the online mode under the IVFRT. In order to avail of this facility, the travel agency concerned shall mandatorily fill in the applications online on website www.indianvisaonline.gov.in. The Mission/ Post concerned will issue Group Tourist Visa (T- 2) after necessary checks