PASSPORT VALIDITY
Passport valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the date of intended departure from India should accompany visa applications. Paste one photo and staple the other one on the form at specified place. Foreigners holding other nationalities (other than the country where applying for visa), should submit proof of long-term (at least three years)/ permanent residence in the country (where applying). For citizens of other countries, a reference has to be made to their country of residence for which an additional fee is applicable and will involve extra processing time. Please refrain from making inquiries about the status of application during this time. Following visas are available from the Indian Missions abroad.

TOURIST VISA
As per the extant instructions of the Government of India, a Tourist Visa can only be granted to a foreigner who does not have a residence or occupation in India and whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sight seeing, casual visit to meet friends and relatives etc. No other activity is permissible on a Tourist Visa. The Tourist Visa is non-extendable and non-convertible. It is given for 6 months normally; rest specifically depends on the country of residence. The applicant is required to produce/submit documents in proof of his financial standing. Tourists travelling in groups of not less than four members under the auspices of a recognized travel agency may be considered for grant of collective tourist visa.

It has come to the notice of the Government that there has been abuse/misuse of the Tourist Visa. With a view to curb the abuse/misuse of the Tourist Visa, instructions have been issued by the Government imposing the following restrictions:-

•     In respect of foreign nationals holding Tourist Visas with multiple entry facility, there should be a gap of at least 2 months between two visits to the country on such a Tourist Visa.
•     If any foreign national is required to visit the country again within a period of 2 months of his last departure, such foreign national should obtain special permission from the Mission/Post concerned. The Mission/Post may consider such requests on merits of each case.
•     In all such cases, the foreign national should register himself with the FRRO/FRO concerned within 14 days of arrival. An endorsement to this effect will be made on the visa sticker.
•     If a foreign national applies for Tourist Visa frequently i.e within one month of expiry of the previous Tourist Visa, the Indian Missions/Posts abroad would refer such cases to MHA (Foreigners Division) for clearance before grant of fresh Tourist visa.

This restriction will not be applicable to PIO/OCI card holders and foreigners holding business, employment, student and other categories of visa.

BUSINESS VISA
Visa is valid for one or more years with multiple entries. A letter from a sponsoring organization indicating nature of business, probable duration of stay, places and organizations to be visited, incorporating therein a guarantee to meet maintenance expenses, etc. should accompany the application.

EMPLOYMENT VISA
Are issued to skilled and qualified professionals or persons who are engaged or appointed by companies, organizations, economic undertakings as technicians, technical experts, senior executives etc. Applicants are required to submit proof of contract/employment/engagement of foreign nationals by the company or organization.

STUDENT VISA
Are issued for the duration of the academic course of study or for a period of five years whichever is less, on the basis of firm letters of admission from universities/recognised colleges or educational institutions in India. Change of purpose and institutions are not permissible.

TRANSIT VISA
Are issued for a maximum period of 15-days with single/double entry facilities to bonafide transit passengers only.

MISSIONARIES VISA
Are valid for single entry and duration as permitted by government of India. A letter in triplicate from sponsoring organization indicating intended destination in India, probable length of stay, and nature of duties to be discharged should be submitted along with guarantee for applicant's maintenance while in India.

JOURNALIST VISA
Are issued to professional journalists and photographers for visiting India. The applicants are required to contact on arrival in New Delhi, the External Publicity Division of the Ministry of External Affairs and in other places, the Office of the Government of India's Press Information Bureaus.

CONFERENCE VISA
Are issued for attending conferences/seminars/meetings in India. A letter of invitation from the organiser of the conference is to be submitted along with the visa application. Delegates coming to attend conferences may combine tourism with attending conferences.

VISA REGISTRATION
All foreigners, including foreigners of Indian origin, visiting India on a visa that permits a stay of more than 180 days must register with the Foreigners' Registration Officer having jurisdiction over the place where the foreigner intends to stay within 14 days of his/her arrival. While any visitor planning a stay of more than 180 days must register within 14 days, some visas will be stamped with an indication of whether or not registration is required. Everyone with visa indicating that registration is required should be sure to register with the appropriate Foreigners Registration Office within 14 days. It is best to check with the office you will be registering with for up-to-date requirements, but generally you be asked to provide the following documents

•     Registration application form (4 copies back to back).
•     Request letter from the company in India.
•     Undertaking letter from the company in India.
•     Four Photographs.
•     Photocopy of Contract letter and appointment letter.
•     Certificate of incorporation of the company/RBI approval of the company.
•     Address proof of the applicant (Lease agreement copy).
•     Photocopy of passport and visa.

Note: All Applicant are required to come personally at MHA and FRRO office's.

VISA EXTENSION / CONVERSION
The power of Visa conversions and visa extensions to foreigners present in India, vests with the Ministry of Home Affairs. For this purpose the foreigners can approach the Foreigners Division, MHA, Jaiselmer House, Mansingh Road, New Delhi between 10 AM to 12 AM on all working days (Monday to Friday). The change of visa status from one category to another category is normally not allowed. It can be considered by MHA only in extraordinary circumstances. For this purpose, the foreigner should normally come in person to the office. In exceptional cases and where allowed, a duly authenticated representative may be sent. Foreigners not residing in Delhi may approach the FRRO/CHIO/FRO concerned who would forward their case in MHA for approval. Applications for extensions/conversions should be made well in advance

For the convenience of the foreigners, however, the FRROs/CHIO/FROs are empowered to make extensions / conversions for certain types of Visas without referring the same to MHA. The details of such powers vested with FRROs etc. are:-

    In case of foreigners of Indian origin/foreigner married to Indian citizen/foreigner staying in India for more than 20 years, extension can be given on entry Visa by FRROs for a period of 5 years.
    FRRO can extend the VISA for three months in case of Employment & Business Visas and forward the case for further extension up to 1 year, to MHA. After obtaining approval from MHA, FRRO can extend that VISA for further four years on year-to-year basis.
    FRRO can convert visa and grant extension of stay to foreign students studying upto 12th standard, whose parents are of Indian origin or whose parents are Indian nationals- on year to year basis. Same facility is also available for children of foreigners residing in India on long-term basis (studying up 12th Standard) on valid visas such as Employment, Business, Research, Entry Student etc.

FRRO can grant 15 days extension of stay on all types of visas on production of confirmed ticket for departure.

SPECIAL PERMITS
Some areas in India - usually border districts - are out of bounds for normal travellers due to political and security reasons. However, some of these are extremely beautiful and fascinating places, their remoteness lending them a special quality, and special permits may be procured if one wishes to visit them.
Permits are usually provided to groups and for a limited number of days. There is no extra charge for acquiring the permits and they may be obtained from the Indian Missions abroad or governmental agencies within India

DISCLAIMER
The contents of these pages are provided as an information guide only, in good faith. The use of this website is at the viewer/user’s sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked.The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or the user’s own government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.

Know more about Passport Visit : http://www.passportindia.gov.in
Know more about Indian Visa Visit : http://www.mha.nic.in