India Is Reopening For Tourists: Things To Know

If COVID ruined your plans for exploring the vibrant colors of India in the past two years, you are in luck. On October 15 the first tourists arrived in the country since a 19 month quarantine. As of next month, the Indian authorities will give out tourist visas to travellers coming in on charter flights. But before you book your tickets and start planning, it’s better to find out all the tiny details that can make or break your vacation.

Requirements for Tourist Visa in India

Not much has changed regarding the conditions to enter India for travellers despite the new Covid rules. There’s a standard procedure for most visitors. Needless to say, it’s always better to keep tabs on the official government portal to be the first to be aware of any recent updates.

Here’s the list of common documents you will need for your application:

• Passport
• 1 valid Indian visa photo that meets the requirements
• Hotel and round trip flight confirmation
• Copy of your passport with birth data in it
• A bank statement with sufficient funds to cover your stay

Should go without saying that if you are applying for an e-visa, all documents must be digitalized and translated where necessary. The list may vary depending on your country of application and personal situation.

How to submit your Visa application form correctly

While you may ask a travel agent to assist you with the application, the process isn’t that difficult to manage by yourself.

You can access your application form via the previously mentioned Indian Government website, where one of the first things would be choosing your country from where you apply. To move forward, these would be things to note:

• Fill in your personal data as requested by the ministry standard. Double check your name, address and passport details before submitting to avoid potential typos
• You can choose to print the application or go ahead with the electronic one. By choosing the latter you will need to submit your e-visa application as well as pay around $86USD right away
• IMPORTANT: check before selecting the online payment option, as it’s not available for all countries
• By paying online you also book your Embassy appointment as well. During the payment step you can choose the date and the time for it
• The system will issue a confirmation ID. Keep it to be able to check on your application status and for further communication with the consulate workers

COVID-19 tourist visa changes

To have a relaxing time, each tourist needs to meet the required coronavirus specifications:

1. Submit a translated negative PCR test no later than 72 hours before arriving and complete a compulsory questionnaire

2. Once you arrive at the airport, there’s another test to be taken for an extra charge. That goes for all European countries, Brazil, the UK, Africa and the Middle East.

3. South African, Brazilian, British tourists have to undergo a quarantine for 7 days once in India.

4. If you hold a proof of vaccination no quarantine is required, but the PCR test is still necessary. The vaccine must be taken no later than 15 days before travelling. You should have your certificate on you at all times.

Visa photo requirements

Do not disregard the photo specifications. Having an incorrect image enclosed may be the reason for rejection of your application. Avoid that by minding the following instructions:

• Photo has to be 350 to 1000 pixels in size
• JPEG is the only acceptable format
• Max weight of the image is 1mb
• Your head has to take up to 50% of the photo
• White background
• No additional changes to the image such as photoshop

How to take a photo for your Indian Visa at home

Speed up your application process by omitting the trip to the photo centre. Use a tripod or ask a friend to assist you and take the image. Once you’re happy with the result, use an online photo editor to edit and crop the photo. By entering “tourist visa” as the format and India as the country you allow the service to determine all specifications to produce a fully compliant image. You won’t need to manually edit anything, as the software already knows how to make your image fit the government requirements.

Make sure you comply with all COVID-19 rules and restrictions prior to travelling and once in the country to help yourself have a joyous trip to India.