August 24, 2023
Visa for India from UK
A visa for India from the UK can be obtained online through a simple application procedure initiated by the government of India in 2014.
British citizens are able to apply for several types of India e-Visa: a tourist visa, business visa, conference visa, medical visa, and medical attendant visa.
A tourist visa has three options of validity period: for 30 days, 1 year, and 5 years. A business visa remains effective for 1 year. The eConference visa allows a 30-day stay, and a medical/medical attendant visa is available for visits up to 60 days. A conference, medical, and medical attendant visas all stay valid for 4 months.
Nationals of the UK can apply for an India visa via a few easy steps: it is required to complete a form, attach the supporting documents, and make online payment. The approved Indian visa will be sent directly to the email address specified in the form.
Note that not all entry ports in India support electronic visas, so British citizens must use one of the permitted ports.
Types of Indian e-Visa
UK passport holders can apply for various India visa types. The types differ according to the purpose of travel and the validity period:
- Tourist 30-day visa
- Tourist 1-year visa
- Tourist 5-year visa
- Business visa
- Conference visa
- Medical visa
- Medical attendant visa
India visa application for British citizens
UK citizens can apply for an India visa online in a straightforward and quick way:
- Fill out the India visa application form. You need to provide certain information, such as name, surname, birth date, passport number, travel dates, etc.
- Attach the required documents. Check which documents are mandatory for your type of visa and make digital copies of those documents.
- Pay the India e-Visa fee. The processing fees can be covered via online payment methods available on the website. After a successful payment, an applicant receives an email with an individual application number, which can be used to check the application status.
Once approved, the India e-Visa will be delivered to the applicant’s email in an online form. UK citizens need to make a hard copy and bring it to the entry point.
India visa requirements
Required documents
All British citizens willing to visit India must prepare the following documents:
- a UK passport that does not expire within at least 6 months from arrival in India
- an applicant’s face photo
Moreover, in some cases, additional supporting documents may be required:
- a letter from letter from the institute or organization or hospital concerned
- a letter from the concerned company in India
- an invitation letter to foreign sports teams and sports persons to visit India (for sport-related activities)
- political clearance and event clearance from Indian authorities (for attending a conference/seminar/workshop organized by a ministry or department of the government of India)
Requirements on arrival
UK citizens traveling to India must show upon arrival:
- a valid UK passport
- an active India e-Visa
- yellow fever vaccination proof (if traveling from a country with a high risk of yellow fever transmission)
Indian visa validity period
The validity period varies between Indian visa types. Indian tourist visa is issued in three options: as a double-entry visa valid for 30 days , a multiple-entry visa valid for 1 year, and a multiple-entry visa valid for 5 years.
A business visa to India allows numerous visits during the 1-year validity period. The eConference visa is single-entry, remains effective for 4 months, and allows a 30-day stay.
Medical visa and medical attendant visa permit three visits in a span of 4 months of validity period, with each visit for up to 60 days.
India e-Visa fee and processing time
Processing time
Normally, a 30-day tourist visa and 1-year tourist visa get approved within several business delays, while processing time for other India electronic visa types may last for about a week.
Note that sometimes delays occur, and the reasons for it may be various: from holidays and technical issues to errors in the application. Make sure to thoroughly check the application form so it is entirely complete and correct.
India visa fees
The price of an India e-Visa for British citizens depends on the selected visa type: for example, a tourist (30 days) visa costs 79 EUR; tourist (1 year) visa – 129 EUR; tourist (5 years) visa; eConference visa, medical visa, medical attendant visa – 149 EUR; business visa – 179 EUR.
The processing fee can be covered by a debit/credit card or PayPal. Choose whichever method is more convenient to you.
Transit information
UK citizens do not need to obtain a tourist visa to India if they only pass through it to another country and:
- they hold an onward ticket to their destination country
- their stay in India does not exceed 24 hours
- they do not go out of the transit zone of the Indian airport
British citizens who do not satisfy these requirements must apply for an Indian visa online.
Entry ports accepting Indian e-Visa
Since only certain entry ports in India accept e-Visas, UK citizens must enter India through one of the ports below:
Airports:
- Ahmedabad
- Amritsar
- Bagdogra
- Bengaluru
- Bhubaneshwar
- Calicut
- Chandigarh
- Chennai
- Cochin
- Coimbatore
- Delhi
- Gaya
- Goa
- Guwahati
- Hyderabad
- Jaipur
- Kolkata
- Lucknow
- Madurai
- Mangalore
- Mumbai
- Nagpur
- Portblair
- Pune
- Tiruchirapalli
- Trivandrum
- Varanasi
- Vishakhapatnam
Seaports:
- Chennai
- Cochin
- Goa
- Mangalore
- Mumbai
Julia
Julia's expertise lies in providing professional content, simplifying the visa application process for travelers worldwide. Her dedication to delivering valuable and accurate information, combined with her love for exploring new cultures, inspires others to discover new horizons and embark on their own adventures.
