India eVisa experience, timeline

[abbas.pasha]

Can somoene please help that for eVisa (1-5 yrs), what are the documents needed to be submitted. I dont have any reason to travel urgent, but I have aging parents there, and OCI takes 3 months to be processed. So I would need to have an eVisa handy. But can I get it without any Ticket ?

Look for Instructions for Applicant tab in: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html
OCI takes 2 months (at the max), but if you are applying from Ottawa and Vancouver it maybe a bit quicker.
Tickets are not required, but you only need to mention tentative travel dates.
However when you travel you need to purchase a return ticket
You can stay upto 180 days on eVisa if you have 1 yr or 5 yr visa

 

[Koushani]

Look for Instructions for Applicant tab in: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html
OCI takes 2 months (at the max), but if you are applying from Ottawa and Vancouver it maybe a bit quicker.
Tickets are not required, but you only need to mention tentative travel dates.
However when you travel you need to purchase a return ticket
You can stay upto 180 days on eVisa if you have 1 yr or 5 yr visa

Thank you Abbas. It helps because I dont have a travel ticket handy. It seems there is also a provision of emergency entry visa which can be obtained in a day.

https://www.cgitoronto.gov.in/sampark/enquiry.php?id=9

Now I at least can relax a little. Hoping to receive the OCI in 3 months.And I am from Toronto jurisdiction.

 

[abbas.pasha]

Thank you Abbas. It helps because I dont have a travel ticket handy. It seems there is also a provision of emergency entry visa which can be obtained in a day.

https://www.cgitoronto.gov.in/sampark/enquiry.php?id=9

Now I at least can relax a little. Hoping to receive the OCI in 3 months.And I am from Toronto jurisdiction.

For the emergency visa:

• You might have to provide the surrender certificate
• You may have to provide a strong reason to be able to apply for this special visa (birth/death in the family, medical grounds etc)

 

[systix]

On arrival in India they didn't ask about our previous citizenship, even though they can see place of birth as India and know. I was photographed and finger printed, so was my daughter. Immigration wasn't an issue as much as the overall airport experience in Delhi was. On the way back we arrived at the airpor, 4 hours prior to departure and made it to the plane only on the final call!

thanks for the inputs... another question, in the evisa application, it asks for "Have you visited india before". did you reply yes to that? If so, what visa type and visa details did you specify

 

[akbardxb]

thanks for the inputs... another question, in the evisa application, it asks for "Have you visited india before". did you reply yes to that? If so, what visa type and visa details did you specify

If this is the first time you are travelling to India on your Canadian PP, the answer is No.

 

[longclawatwinterfell]

How far in advance can we apply for the e-visa? I plan to get the 5 year one, but travel plans are in December. The following line in FAQs has confused me:

"For e-Tourist Visa (01 year / 05 years), e-Business Visa, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visa, applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival. Such application can be made 120 days in advance from proposed date of travel."

 

[abbas.pasha]

How far in advance can we apply for the e-visa? I plan to get the 5 year one, but travel plans are in December. The following line in FAQs has confused me:

"For e-Tourist Visa (01 year / 05 years), e-Business Visa, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visa, applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival. Such application can be made 120 days in advance from proposed date of travel."

That means apply by Aug(earliest) or 4 days before (latest) if you have to travel by December

 

[longclawatwinterfell]

That means apply by Aug(earliest) or 4 days before (latest) if you have to travel by December

Thanks Abbas. So basically e visa becomes invalid if we do not travel within 120 days of grant? I am skeptical about it as travel plans for people can change

 

[abbas.pasha]

Thanks Abbas. So basically e visa becomes invalid if we do not travel within 120 days of grant? I am skeptical about it as travel plans for people can change

I cannot answer that tbh..
I was merely interpreting how early and latest you can apply for one...
My personal take is once you enter a tentative travel date, and the visa is issued. If you do not end up travelled during that time and travel after that, it should not invalidate your visa

Maybe you can reach out to the authorities and get that clarified

 

[saravanaz89]

Hello,

can some one help here. I just got my Canadian PP and yet to surrender my Indian PP. I’m planning to apply for the eVisa to India as I have to travel in few weeks.
During the eVisa application, I see the below question
Any other valid Passport/Identity Certificate(IC) held?

since I have not surrendered my Indian PP , do I need to answer YES or no to the above question ?

thanks in advance

 

[lr108]

Hello,

can some one help here. I just got my Canadian PP and yet to surrender my Indian PP. I’m planning to apply for the eVisa to India as I have to travel in few weeks.
During the eVisa application, I see the below question
Any other valid Passport/Identity Certificate(IC) held?

since I have not surrendered my Indian PP , do I need to answer YES or no to the above question ?

thanks in advance

I will be applying for one soon. My guess is you'd have to go with a NO.
You cease to be an Indian citizen and so the Indian passport is not valid as soon as you become a citizen of another country since India doesn't support dual citizenship. That's the reason you need a visa to visit India (one can argue there is a loophole to use the Indian passport but technically one shouldn't). The passport surrender is only a formality to notify Indian gov and it's required to get your OCI.

 

[abbas.pasha]

I will be applying for one soon. My guess is you'd have to go with a NO.
You cease to be an Indian citizen and so the Indian passport is not valid as soon as you become a citizen of another country since India doesn't support dual citizenship. That's the reason you need a visa to visit India (one can argue there is a loophole to use the Indian passport but technically one shouldn't). The passport surrender is only a formality to notify Indian gov and it's required to get your OCI.

It’s not a loophole per say, better term would be limited opportunity to use the Indian passport upto 3 months as grace period.

 

[saravanaz89]

Thank you guys. I sent couple of emails to the evisa helpline , they asked me to call the helpdesk number. After a long wait i was able to talk to someone, and luckily that person was very kind and helpful. He told me we have to select NO for that question, and he explained saying that, it is mostly for other country passports (other than India). For example people having dual citizenship for other countries (ex - canadian PP & British PP). As Indian origin we have to select No for this.

 

[theyashthakker]

I have a question. We are planning to travel in January but do not have travel dates, considering we want to secure our evisa first (5 year etourist), they are asking for expected date of arrival which we dont know. Can we put any random date ? or will this cause an issue with immigration ?

 

[abbas.pasha]

I have a question. We are planning to travel in January but do not have travel dates, considering we want to secure our evisa first (5 year etourist), they are asking for expected date of arrival which we dont know. Can we put any random date ? or will this cause an issue with immigration ?

Haan