e tourist visa india suspended canada

India stops new visas for Canadians, asks Ottawa to downsize missions as spat worsens

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• India cites security threats in suspending new visas
• Asks Canada to downsize diplomatic presence
• Canada says evidence India involved in murder of Sikh separatist
• New Delhi says Canada has not shared information on murder
• India says has informed some P5 nations about its position

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Krishn reports on politics and strategic affairs from the Indian subcontinent. He has previously worked at the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, an international investigative consortium; The Indian Express; and The Caravan magazine, writing about defence, politics, law, conglomerates, media, elections and investigative projects. A graduate of Columbia University's journalism school, Krishn has won multiple awards for his work.

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India suspends visa services in Canada as diplomatic fight grows

Meanwhile, high commission of canada adjusts staffing levels at consulates in india over threats.

'No specific information' shared by Canada on killing allegations, Indian official says

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India's visa processing centre in Canada suspended services Thursday as a rift widened between the countries after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said India may have been involved in the killing of a Canadian Sikh leader.

"Important notice from Indian Mission: Due to operational reasons, with effect from 21 Sept. Indian visa services have been suspended [until] further notice," the BLS Indian Visa Application Center in Canada said in a statement.

It gave no further details. BLS is the agency that processes visa requests for India, including for entry, tourist, student and employment visas. The centre has physical locations in cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver.

In 2021, 80,000 Canadian tourists visited India, making them the fourth-largest group, according to India's Bureau of Immigration. Canada is an attractive destination for Indians, especially students. In 2022, nearly 300,000 Indians were pursuing higher education in Canada.

Trudeau sidesteps question about India and visas

India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi cited unspecified security threats "being faced by our high commission and consulates in Canada."

"This has disrupted their normal functioning," said Bagchi. "Accordingly our high commission and consulates are temporarily unable to process visa applications."

Online threats cited

Meanwhile, the High Commission of Canada said it was temporarily adjusting its staff presence at its commission and consulate locations in India, due to "some diplomats having received threats on various social media platforms."

"Global Affairs Canada will continue to take all appropriate measures to protect the health and safety of all our personnel, including locally-engaged staff, and to protect our operations in India," the commission said in a statement.

"In the context of respect for obligations under the Vienna conventions, we expect India to provide for the security of our accredited diplomats and consular officers in India, just as we are for theirs here," the statement added.

India says Canada has reputation as ‘safe haven’ for terrorists, criminals

Trudeau told Parliament on Monday that there were "credible allegations" of Indian involvement in the assassination of Sikh independence activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who had been wanted by India for years and was gunned down outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, B.C., on June 18.

India on Thursday continued to call the allegations being investigated in Canada absurd and an attempt to shift attention from the presence of Nijjar and other wanted suspects in Canada.

• What does international law say about targeted killings?
• CBC Explains What is Khalistan: The Sikh separatist movement behind tensions between Canada and India

"If we're talking about reputational damage, if there is one country that needs to look at this, I think it is Canada and its growing reputation as a safe haven for terrorists, for extremists and for organized crime," said Bagchi. "I think that's the country that needs to worry about its international reputation."

Bagchi said there were 20 to 25 individuals it views as criminals that it has requested extradition for, but have not been acted upon by Canada. The time span for those requests wasn't immediately clear.

As to the Nijjar killing, Bagchi said Canada hasn't provided any information to back up its assertion.

"We are willing to look at any specific information. We've conveyed this to the Canadian side," said Bagchi. "We've made it clear to them that we are willing to look at any specific information that is provided to us."

Nijjar was working to organize an unofficial referendum among the Sikh diaspora on independence from India at the time of his killing. He had denied India's accusation that he was a terrorist.

The accusation has triggered reciprocal moves of censure and condemnation. The two countries have expelled diplomats this week, and India on Wednesday issued an updated travel advisory urging its citizens traveling in Canada and especially those studying in the North American country to be cautious because of "growing anti-India activities and politically condoned hate-crimes."

Indians should also avoid going to venues in Canada where "threats have particularly targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose anti-India agenda," the ministry said.

Crackdown in India

Demands for an independent Sikh homeland, known as Khalistan, started as an insurgency in India's Punjab state in the 1970s that was crushed in an Indian government crackdown that killed thousands. The movement has since lost much of its political power but still has supporters in Punjab, where Sikhs form a majority, as well as among the sizable overseas Sikh diaspora.

Canada’s connection to the Khalistan movement

India's National Investigation Agency said Wednesday it has intensified its crackdown on Sikh insurgents operating in India. It announced rewards of up to 1 million rupees ($16,230 Cdn) for information leading to the arrest of five insurgents, one of whom is believed to be based in neighbouring Pakistan.

The agency accused them of extorting money from businesses for a banned Sikh organization, the Babbar Khalsa International, and of targeted killings in India.

• Questions mount about security precautions for Nijjar after India's government linked to killing
• India warns travellers to Canada of 'politically-condoned' violence as diplomatic row worsens

"They also have established a network of operatives in various countries to further their terrorist activities in India," it said in a statement, without naming any country.

India accuses Pakistan of supporting insurgencies in Kashmir and Punjab, a charge Islamabad denies.

With files from CBC News

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India has suspended all visa applications for Canadians. Here’s what that means for travel

This article was published more than 6 months ago. Some information may no longer be current.

An Indian paramilitary soldier stands guard next to a police barricade outside the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi, India on Sept. 19, 2023. India has temporarily suspended all visa services for Canadians. Altaf Qadri/The Associated Press

UPDATE : On Nov. 22, India resumed issuing e-visas for Canadian tourists and business travellers after annoucing it would do so on Oct. 25 .

India is temporarily suspending all visa services for Canadians in the wake of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s bombshell allegation that New Delhi was involved in the killing of a Sikh leader in British Columbia.

Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi confirmed there is temporary suspension of all visa services for Canadians, including e-visas and visas issued in third countries.

BLS, the agency that processes visa requests for India, including for entry, tourist, student and employment purposes, posted on its website: “Due to operational reasons, with effect from 21 September 2023, Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice.”

The move has sparked confusion as to what the suspension will mean for Canadians planning to travel to India.

Here’s what we know so far.

What types of visas are affected by the suspension?

All types of visas are affected, including for work, business and tourism. Applications through the online e-visa program are also suspended. According to Mr. Bagchi, any application that would have to go through the high commission of India in Ottawa or another Indian consulate are included in the pause.

Can I still travel to India if I already have a visa, or have a valid Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card?

Those who already have an OCI card, a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card, or a valid Indian visa of any kind can still travel to India, because only new visa applications are affected by the suspension. There are no flight or travel restrictions at this time for a person who holds valid travel documents.

“The issue is not about travel to India. Those who have valid visas, those who have other kinds of documents like OCIs are free to travel to India. But the issue is of incitement of violence and the creation of an environment that disrupts the functioning of our high commission and consulates,” Mr. Bagchi said in a news conference.

I’m a permanent resident in Canada. Can I still visit India?

There are currently no changes to permanent residency policies for Indian citizens living in Canada, and permanent residents can still travel to India and back. That means all Indian passport holders can travel without issues or restrictions. On Sept. 20, the Indian government requested all Indian citizens living or studying in Canada register with the high commission or an Indian consulate to “better connect … in the event of any emergency or untoward incident.”

I have recently acquired Canadian citizenship. Does the suspension impact new OCI applications or passport surrender services?

Kubeir Kamal, an immigration consultant, says that new OCI applications are expected to be affected by the suspension. BLS International has not been able to confirm if they will continue accepting new OCI applications at this time.

According to the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, India does not allow dual citizenship with another foreign country. A person is expected to surrender their Indian passport before they can apply for OCI or PIO card. Mr. Kamal says that Indian passport surrender services are expected to operate in normal fashion.

Will in-process visa applications also be affected?

Yes, in-process visa applications will also be delayed seeing that all visa operations have been suspended until further notice.

I have booked a trip to India in early 2024. Is it likely that Indian visas will be issued again before then? Should I cancel now?

According to Mr. Kamal, it’s too early to tell if a traveller with a flight booked to India in the early months of 2024 should cancel their trip. “There is no way to speculate when the situation will deescalate and visa services will return to normal,” he said. Instead, he recommends following the official Twitter account of the High Commission of India in Ottawa for updates on the visa services.

Are there any travel advisories in place for Canadians who plan to travel to India?

Global Affairs Canada is urging travellers to “exercise a high degree of caution” when visiting India. Canada updated its travel advisory on Sept. 24 to include safety and security warnings about protests in the region. It advises travellers to avoid non-essential travel in parts of Northeastern India such as Assam and Manipur, and to avoid all travel to Jammu and Kashmir due to the threat of terrorism, militancy, civil unrest and kidnapping.

How are Canada’s consulates in India affected?

Canada’s embassy in New Delhi remains open , as do Canadian consulates across India, said Global Affairs spokesman Jean-Pierre Godbout in a statement. However, the Canadian government is reducing staff levels at its diplomatic missions in India, citing fear for the safety of its employees. This reduction in staff will likely mean disruptions for members of Canada’s Indian diaspora who maintain business or administrative ties with the country, explains Mississauga, Ont., paralegal Bobby Sidhu. “It’s definitely going to affect the lives of many, many Indian-Canadian citizens,” Mr. Sidhu said.

With reports from Steven Chase, Robert Fife, Abigale Subdhan and the Associated Press

Have a question about Indian visas? E-mail us at [email protected] and we’ll try to get it answered for you.

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India restarts suspended tourism and business e-visas for Canadians

NEW DELHI - India resumed issuing e-visas for Canadian tourists and business travellers on Nov 22, two months after it suspended such services following a row over Ottawa’s accusation of possible Indian government involvement in the murder of a Canadian Sikh separatist leader.

Though the move is likely to ease tensions slightly, relations between the two countries are not expected to significantly improve in the near future.

“E-visa services to Canadian nationals have resumed,” an Indian government official aware of the decision said on the condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak on the subject.

The official did not say if the decision will lead to a significant thaw in the relationship with Ottawa.

India issues e-visas only for tourism and business for Canadian nationals.

It comes a month after New Delhi had resumed visas under four of the 13 categories that had been suspended in September.

Ties between the countries nosedived after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Canada’s Parliament that his government was “actively pursuing credible allegations” linking Indian government agents to the murder of Mr Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, in a Vancouver suburb.

Mr Nijjar was a proponent of a decades-long but now fringe demand to carve out an independent Sikh homeland from India named Khalistan. REUTERS

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How does India's visa office suspension affect Canadian travellers?

The suspension of Indian visa services for Canadians this week has prompted uncertainty among many who had hoped to travel to India in the near future.

The news came Thursday as India's visa processing centre in Canada halted services for Canadian citizens, with India saying it anticipates Ottawa will reduce its diplomatic presence in the country. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Parliament earlier in the week there were “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the June killing of Sikh independence activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

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"Due to operational reasons, with effect from 21 Sept. Indian visa services have been suspended [until] further notice," stated the BLS Indian Visa Application Center in Canada on its website.

Here's what the visa centre closure could mean for India's sizable diaspora community in Canada, which is now caught in the middle of rising diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

WHAT SERVICES DOES THE CENTRE OFFER?

With offices in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Brampton, Ont., Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Surrey, B.C., BLS is the agency that processes visa requests for India, including for entry, tourist, student and employment visas. 

Its services are divided into three main categories: passports, temporary visas and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards. Those eligible for OCI cards are persons of Indian origin who formerly held an Indian passport, along with their children and spouses.

It's essentially a "lifetime visa for India," the office states online. Cardholders are "granted multiple entry, multi-purpose, lifelong visa for visiting" the country.

But it cautions that OCI status is "not to be misconstrued as 'dual citizenship,'" as India forbids its citizens from holding citizenship of a foreign country simultaneously.

Under normal circumstances, it usually takes about two to three months for the office to process OCI applications, while single entry visas would only take about a week to approve, said immigration consultant Pragati Sharma.

It is not clear how many Canadians hold OCI status, but Indian media reports suggest there were roughly six million cardholders worldwide as of 2020.

ARE CURRENT OCI OR VISA HOLDERS AFFECTED BY THE OFFICE'S CLOSURE?

The suspension won't affect Canadian citizens who already hold OCI cards, or those whose single entry visas have already been processed, said Sharma, who operates Westlink Immigration in Winnipeg.

However, any Canadian who planned on travelling to India but had not yet been granted an OCI or visa is out of luck for now, she said. That includes those who already applied but had not yet seen their submission processed.

"There are lots of calls I was getting this week because of the situation. People are worried how this is going to impact their applications, those who have already submitted those applications," Sharma said.

"There is a rift between two countries and obviously they have taken some steps, so this is definitely going to impact Canadians."

HOW IMPACTFUL COULD THIS BE?

With Canada home to around 1.4 million residents of Indian descent, according to the 2021 census, travel between the countries is common.

In 2021, 80,000 Canadian tourists visited India, making them the fourth-largest group, according to India's Bureau of Immigration. Meanwhile, Canada remains an attractive destination for Indians, especially students. In 2022, nearly 300,000 Indians were pursuing higher education in Canada.

"This, of course, is going to affect those who are travelling in the next few months," Vinay Kanetkar, director of the University of Guelph's Canada India Research Centre for Learning and Engagement, said in an email.

The restrictions come at a time when many Indian expats often make the trip back home. Sharma noted that there are a series of Indian festivals which begin in October, including Diwali the following month.

"People tend to go back during these festival seasons and they like to visit their family. That would be a big issue," she said.

"They have to cancel those plans. Obviously, there will be uncertainty during this period."

Almost one in five recent Canadian immigrants were born in India, making it the leading country of birth for recent immigration to Canada, Statistics Canada said last year.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE TRAVELLING FROM INDIA TO CANADA?

Thus far, it appears India's suspension of services will have no effect on those seeking to travel to Canada, according to Sharma. That is despite India having urged caution for its citizens planning to visit Canada, citing security risks.

"I got so many calls this week, those people who have submitted an application for a study permit, work permit, like all those things, how this is going to impact them," she said.

"There is nothing as such I'm aware of, to be very frank."

— With files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 22, 2023.

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India suspends ‘all categories’ of visas for Canada citizens amid furious diplomatic row

Indian foreign ministry claims ‘security threats’ after trudeau’s explosive allegation of state-sponsored killing mean it cannot provide visa services safely, article bookmarked.

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India says it is indefinitely suspending visa services in all categories for all Canadian nationals due to “security threats” to its consulates, amid a furious diplomatic row between the two countries.

Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said they have suspended “all categories” of visas, including e-visas and for Canadian citizens applying from third countries.

And India has also moved to downsize the Canadian diplomatic presence in New Delhi, saying that Canada has more embassy workers in its capital than visa versa and that it wants to restore “parity”.

It comes after Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said there were “credible allegations” of the Indian state’s involvement in the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, triggering a furious tit-for-tat row.

Relations between India and Canada have nosedived after Mr Trudeau’s allegation over the June death of Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and president of a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.

“Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” Mr Trudeau told the Canadian parliament on Monday.

Canada also ejected an Indian diplomat who it identified as heading the intelligence wing of the Indian High Commission in Ottawa.

India has rejected the allegations as “absurd” and responded by ordering a similarly high-ranking Canadian diplomat in Delhi to leave the country within five days.

It has also issued a new travel advisory warning Indian citizens against travelling to certain parts of Canada.

Mr Bagchi said in a press briefing on Thursday that it is “incitement of violence, inaction by Canadian authorities and the creation of an environment that disrupts the functioning of our consulates which is what is making us stop temporarily the issuance of visa services.”

The confirmation by the foreign ministry came shortly after BLS International Services Limited, a company that manages the Indian government’s visas, said services have been suspended citing “operational reasons”.

Mr Bagchi on Thursday said Indian officials are in talks with their counterparts in Canada for the reduction in the number of people working in the Canadian High Commission in India.

“We’ve informed the Canada government that there should be parity in strength in our mutual diplomatic presence. Their number is very much higher than ours in Canada... I assume there will be a reduction from the Canadian side,” he said.

The Canadian High Commission demanded India ensure the security of its diplomats and consular officers in India following a heightened threat after Mr Trudeau’s statement. It said Canada had decided to temporarily “adjust” its staff presence in the country after some diplomats received threats on social media.

“In light of the current environment where tensions have heightened, we are taking action to ensure the safety of our diplomats,” the Canadian High Commission said in a statement.

Mr Bagchi said they take such matters seriously and the security will be increased but asked Ottawa to also protect Indian diplomats there.

Wednesday’s advisory from India’s foreign ministry urged those visiting Canada or already residing there to exercise caution due to “growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes”.

“Recently, threats have particularly targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda,” it said.

“Indian nationals are therefore advised to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen such incidents.”

Canada’s immigration minister Marc Miller rejected India’s concerns, saying: “Canada, by any standard, is one of the safest, if not the safest, country in the world that is governed by the rule of law.”

The growing rift centres around the murder of Nijjar, 45, who was fatally shot dead on 18 June in the parking lot of a gurdwara in Surry, British Columbia.

He was president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara and a vocal advocate for the Khalistan movement, which calls for the creation of a separate nation for Sikhs out of India’s Punjab state.

India, which sees the Khalistan movement as a threat to its national security, had designted Nijjar a wanted terrorist and issued a bounty of Rs 1m (£9,710) for information leading to his arrest. It accused him of leading a proscribed militant organisation and recruiting for criminal activities against India, charges his supporters strongly denied.

The issue of the Khalistan movement, which peaked in India in the 1980s with a violent insurgency in Punjab state, has long been a thorny issue in ties between India and Canada.

Canada has an estimated 1.4 to 1.8 million Indian-origin people, including the largest Sikh population in the world outside of India’s Punjab state.

Asked if Canada’s allegations about Indian state involvement in the murder of a Sikh leader would damage India’s reputation on the world stage, Mr Bagchi claimed it was Canada that should be worried about “reputational damage” from the episode.

“I think it is Canada and its growing reputation as a safe haven for terrorists, for extremists, and for organised crime. And I think that’s a country that needs to worry about its international reputation,” he said.

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India suspends visa for Canadians: Can Indians travel to Canada? Who will be impacted and who are exempted

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India resumes e-visa services for Canadians suspended since September

After a two-month-long suspension, India resumed electronic visa services for Canadian nationals, as per reports. The business, conference, and medical visa services resumed last month. India had suspended the visa services earlier after Canada allegedly supported Khalistani terrorists. 

India in September asked Canada to reduce its diplomatic presence after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited what he said was credible evidence of a potential link between Indian agents and the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, in a Vancouver suburb in June. Canada subsequently withdrew 41 diplomats. India denied any connection to the shooting.

Mutual recriminations since Canadian PM made the accusation in his parliament have strained ties between the two countries - close for almost a century and with extensive links through the Sikh diaspora - to their worst in memory.

Huge relief to tourism sector as India reinstates e-visas for travellers from UK

Suspension of visa services: Agency hired by India to scrutinise applications for Canadians withdraws notice

And while India's relaxation on visas may have raised some expectations of improved relations, it was not a breakthrough, as neither side has much incentive to hasten a return to normalcy, officials and experts in both countries said.

Neither New Delhi nor Ottawa looks likely to take dramatic steps to reconcile soon as Canada's murder investigation proceeds and Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares for Indian national elections by May.

"The relationship is in deep crisis, perhaps its worst ever," said Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington. "Each side may have a strong interest in the crisis not getting completely out of control, but that doesn't mean there are strong incentives to resolve the crisis."

Ajay Bisaria, India's ambassador to Canada from 2020 to 2022, said the relationship is in a "de-escalation phase" following "quiet diplomacy". Even with the reprieve, the visa curbs are expected to hinder the movement of tens of thousands of Indians and people of Indian origin who live in Canada or plan to study there.

Although both governments have spared business and trade links, the acrimony has delayed discussions on a free-trade deal and threatens Group of Seven member Canada's Indo-Pacific plans, where New Delhi is critical to efforts to check an increasingly assertive China.

Canada has the largest Sikh population outside Punjab, with 770,000 people reporting Sikhism as their religion in the 2021 census. India is by far Canada's largest source of foreign students, accounting for 40% of study permit holders - a vital source for Canada's fast-growing international education business, contributing over C$20 billion ($15 billion) to the economy annually.

(With input from Reuters)

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Consulate General of India Toronto, Canada

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Restoration of valid Tourist Visa

Consulate General of India

PRESS RELEASE

RESTORATION OF VALID TOURIST VISA

            The Government of India has further relaxed visa and travel restrictions to India keeping in view the improvement in the COVID situation in India-

-           All Regular (Paper) valid Tourist visa issued before March 2020, except 10 years Tourist Visa, shall stand restored with immediate effect. Canadian nationals will be eligible for fresh Regular Tourist Visa, except 10 years duration Tourist Visa.

-           Electronic Travel Authorization or e-Visa, issued to Canadian nationals before March 2020 will continue to remain under suspension.  Canadian nationals are not eligible for issuance of fresh e-Visa.

• Foreign nationals on Tourist Visa would be permitted to enter India only through designated Sea Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) or Airport ICPs by flights including those under the Vande Bharat Mission or ‘air bubble’ scheme or by any flights as allowed by DGCA or Ministry of Civil Aviation. In no case will foreign nationals be allowed to enter through Land border or riverine routes on Tourist Visa.
• Visa application can be filled online and duly filled forms are to be submitted along with required documents and fee to the nearest BLS center in this Consulate's Consular jurisdiction. All visa related information can be accessed at the BLS website: https://www.blsindia-canada.com
• Entry Visas for persons of Indian origin remain available but due to added documentation and scrutiny/verification requirements, processing time for such visas will be more than 45 days. Regular tourist visas will be processed in 30 days.

March 16, 2022

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• India resumes visa services in Canada, excluding tourist & e-visa service for Canadians

• Manas Dwivedi ,
• ETTravelWorld
• Updated On Oct 26, 2023 at 12:30 PM IST

Canada visa in India: In-person operations halted, application process normal, delays expected

Widespread panic among Indian travellers ensued when certain media reports suggested that Canada was suspending visa and consular services at Canadian Consulates in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chandigarh. However, it is crucial to note that only in-person operations are impacted, and visa applications will continue to be processed. VFS Global also said VACs across 10 cities continue to operate normally.

• By Manas Dwivedi ,
• Published On Oct 26, 2023 at 12:27 PM IST

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India restores five and 10-year tourist visas with immediate effect

The government also said it would restore valid regular (paper) long-duration (10 years) tourist visas for us and japanese nationals, as well as permit issue of fresh visas..

The government on Wednesday restored all valid five-year e-tourist visas - suspended since March 2020 because of the Covid pandemic - to nationals of 156 countries with immediate effect, news agency ANI reported. Nationals of these countries will also be eligible for issuance of fresh e-visas for tourists as per existing rules. 

The government also said it would similarly restore valid regular (paper) long-duration (10 years) tourist visas for US and Japanese nationals, as well as permit issue of fresh visas to citizens of both countries.

"The government took the step keeping in view the improvement in the Covid-19 situation in the country and considering the need for further relaxation of visa and travel restrictions," the home ministry said, according to ANI.

Foreign nationals on tourist and e-tourist visas can enter India only via designated sea or air immigration check posts, including those under the 'Vande Bharat Mission' or 'air bubble' scheme, or by flights as allowed by the civil aviation ministry.

In no case will foreign nationals holding tourist or e-tourist visas be allowed to enter via land or riverine borders, the home ministry said.

The instructions will not, however, be applicable to Afghanistan nationals who will continue to be governed by separate instructions issued by the home ministry regarding grant of e-emergency x-misc visa.

Last week the government said regularly scheduled international passenger flights - outside of 'air bubble' deals - would resume from March 27 .

The civil aviation ministry said these flights would continue to be subject to rules set up by the health ministry for international travel as applicable.

"After deliberation with stakeholders and keeping in view decline in the Covid caseloads, we have decided to resume international travel from March 27. 'Air bubble' arrangements will also stand revoked... With this step, I’m confident the sector will reach new heights!" aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia tweeted.

(with input from agencies)

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India Suspends Visa Services in Canada: Who Can Travel, Who Will be Impacted & Exemptions | Explained

Curated By : Majid Alam

Last Updated: September 22, 2023, 11:06 IST

New Delhi, India

High Commission of Canada in India, at Shantipath in New Delhi. (PTI Photo/Kamal Singh)

All Canadian nationals who intend to visit India and do not have a visa will be affected by the suspension of visa services

Amid the diplomatic rift between India and Canada, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has announced temporarily suspending issuance of visas to Canadian citizens in view of “security threats” faced by its high commission and consulates in Canada.

The relations between the two countries turned sour after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged ‘involvement of Indian agent’ in the killing of a Khalistani separatist on Canadian soil.

MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, while announcing the visa restrictions, said, “You are aware of the security threats being faced by our High Commission and consulates in Canada. These have disrupted their normal functioning. Accordingly, our High Commission and consulates are temporarily unable to process visa applications. We will be reviewing the situation on a regular basis.”

He added that suspension of visa facility in Indian missions in Canada will also be enforced for third-country applicants who may choose to apply for visas through Indian missions in Canada.

A notice by BLS International, a private firm hired for initial scrutiny of visa applications of Canadian nationals, said, “Due to operational reasons… Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice”.

Here is all you need to know about who gets affected and who all will be allowed to travel and how long will the visa restrictions last.

Who Will be impacted?

All Canadian nationals who intend to visit India and do not have a visa will be affected by the suspension of visa services. This will include Canadian citizens, tourists, business travellers and students who were intending to travel to India.

Moreover, the relatives and family members of India citizens who were planning to travel to India to visit family or friends will also be affected.

Will Indian-origin Canadians will be impacted?

Indian-origin Canadians who have a valid Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card or a long-term visa for India will not be impacted by the suspension of visa services, according to The Indian Express. The OCI cards holders enjoy lifetime entry into India, and can live and work in the country indefinitely.

What happens to Canadians already having a visa?

The Indian government has announced suspension of visa services. But those Canadians having a prior Indian visa will not be impacted by the decision. As of now, their visa is valid and they can travel to India.

Will It Affect Tourism?

Yes. Tourism experts in India were expecting a large number of tourists from Canada to visit in the winter months as foreign tourism was boosting after the Covid-19 pandemic. It was being believed that after 2-3 years of restrictions, the coming season would have been very busy.

What happens to Indians currently in Canada?

India has advised all its nationals living in Canada and those contemplating travelling there to exercise “utmost caution” in view of growing anti-India activities and “politically-condoned” hate crimes.

How Long will the Restrictions Remain

Though the government has announced suspension of visa services temporarily, there is no mention of timeline. The suspension is expected to remain the way till the political and diplomatic relations between the two countries evolve.

MEA Spokesperson Bagchi has said the situation will be reviewed regularly.

Human Ties Between the Two Country

Canada accounts for one of the largest Indian diasporas in the world. Indian-origin population accounts for 3 percent of Canada’s population.

The country has 1.6 million people of Indian origin, more than 700,000 NRI’s and a Sikh population of more than 7,70,000 (about 2 percent of total population). Since 2018, India has been the largest source country for international students in Canada.

• Canada visa row
• Justin Trudeau

India Restores All Tourist Visas, Paper and Electronic, with Immediate Effect after 2 Years of Suspension

In March 2020, India – the second most populous country in the world – took several measures to combat the pandemic,  like cancellation of scheduled/regular international flights, suspension of tourist visas, and nationwide lockdown. With foreign countries having vaccinated their populace and the COVID graph being flattened in India, the government has relaxed the pandemic-induced restrictions for international arrivals since February 14, 2022. All the previously issued tourist visas to India, in both paper and electronic formats, have been restored for eligible foreign citizens starting today, March 16.    

The tourist visa and regular  international flights to India had been suspended for the past 24 months. When the second wave started receding, India resumed issuing e-visa in certain categories, except tourism. India’s e-tourist visa or electronic travel authorization (ETA) resumed to be issued to foreign nationals, including those of Indian origin, in November 2021. But the 5-year and 10-year long tourist visas issued before October 6, 2021 continued to remain suspended until this day. Since November 15, thousands of fresh tourist visas have been issued for only 30 days of stay in India on a single entry.

With immediate effect, the government of India has reinstated valid 5-year e-tourist visas for the nationals of 156 countries and valid 5-year regular tourist visas (paper) for all countries, given the resumption of scheduled international flights to India from March 27, 2022. This generous move is aimed at scaling up the number of foreign tourist arrivals so as to support the tourism economy of the country.

Starting March 16, 2022, the citizens of the eligible countries can also apply for fresh regular (paper) tourist visas to India with 5-year validity. The issuance of fresh visas is subject to certain restrictions that the government may impose from time to time.

There is good news also for those who hold a valid 10-year-long regular tourist visa to India, which had been suspended since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 . But the long duration regular tourist visas have been restored only for the citizens and nationals of two countries, the United States and Japan, as of now. Currently, the issuance of fresh tourist visas with 10-year validity is subject to country-specific restrictions. Only the US and Japan nationals are eligible for the fresh issuance of long duration tourist visas for the time being.

Not all foreign nationals/citizens of Indian origin are OCI or PIO card holders. The continued suspension of the previously issued valid tourist visas not only agitated them, but also led to the cancellation of their travel to India. Some of them had to obtain a regular X entry visa at an additional cost.

The tourist visa to India is granted to foreigners for four reasons: recreational and sightseeing, visiting family or friends, short business trip, and medical treatment for a short duration . Applications for India’s e-tourist visa must be submitted neither later than 4 days nor earlier than 34 days before the date of planned arrival. India’s tourist visa fee for foreigners varies from country to country. India’s e-tourist visa can be availed by citizens of as many as 169 countries. A tourist visa to India comes with validity up to 10 years. The electronic travel authorization allows a double-entry to India for 60 days, whereas a regular (paper) tourist visa to India allows more than 60 days of stay at a time.

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293 thoughts on “ india restores all tourist visas, paper and electronic, with immediate effect after 2 years of suspension ”.

Do you know the target date when this is going to resume? Also, what happens to the already existing Tourist VISA, already stamped in the passport and a valid one? Any ideas?

Hi Rajesh! The existing tourist visas to India are invalid. The government of India has not given any tentative date of resuming tourist visas.

Hi Indiaeagle, I have a Business visa from India, it expires in 2023. It is an actual page in my passport, it is not an electronic Visa.- Is it okay to travel on the same visa to India Now.

Hi Charles! India has reinstated all visas, paper and electronic.

It is my understanding that the UK is excluded from the list? Took my breathe away when i realised we had been dropped off the list with no explanation! Any idea what that is all about?

It would seem not all countries, The UK has been singled out for some reason. And i cannot get an answer as to why from anyone?

please let me know when u have an asnwer to this question… [email protected]

Last night it was on the news that the existing valid 10-yrs visas unexpired are null and void for travel to India. New visa has to be requested to travel to India. It’s a shame that people paid for 10-yr visa, which is still valid for some more years, have to pay again to get a fresh one. It reflects a begger’s attitude on the part of India. The unexpired-visa should be honored till it is expired, which will reduce the mad-rush to get a fresh visa (to India) and will reduce animosity towards the administration.

I totally agree with you Ajit, it means money down the drain for visa holders, also shorter stays for us Indophiles who have friends and family there and want to do workshops, health spas, etc. This really sucks and yes, it is as bad as when Modi canceled the Rs. 500 notes, of which I heard nothing even as I worked in the South Asia Center of an Ivy League University with top Indian economists from India! but got to India with Rs. 10,000 from previous stay, so I wouldn’t be burdened with currency exchange, and I lost that large amount, kind of sucks. I wish the Indian tourism was a little kinder to us who have supported the Indian economy over the years with our travel and study spending.

I think there is no fees to apply for new e visa. I applied for my daughter and no fees was to be paid. But it’s only valid for 30days.

Unfortunately UK people cannot get e-visa (although many other nations can) and I am one of the unfortunates who paid for a five year visa, used it once the first year it was issued, and now they have invalidated it. I have spent a fortune in India over the last 20 years and it does leave a very sour taste in the mouth. I am still waiting for flights to open before I will shell out another shed load of cash, I was due to go in 4 weeks’ time.

Ajit Singh: You are right on brother. The whole world changes rapidly but India and it’s politicians and official are still maintaining “Begger’s Attitude”. When they buy things they want cheap and when they sell things it more than American sell their things in America. They are not only beggers but also very corrupt. It is in their DNA. Avoid going to India. Be a Pakistsani or a Bangladeshi. They are much much better than those corrupt Indians. Amen.

Very well said, Ajit. It is a beggar’s attitude. Indian government should either refund the money or honor the remainder of time left on already valid Visas. Without a mad rush, obtaining an Indian Visa is treacherous.

I have a previously issued 10 year visa. Will it be good?

Hi Mary! All the tourist visas issued before October 6, 2021 are currently invalid. You need to apply for a fresh tourist visa.

All the countries (US,UK,AUS…) should cancel / invalidate Indian citizens visas and make them reapply for new visas also.

Why is it invalid? Could anyone give a clear answer? It was suspended or whatever due to covid19, not it’s over, so it should be back to where it is until the expiry of its validity. I have still 7 years left on my 10 year visa (me, my wife and my daughter). Paid a substantial amount in visa fees and the trouble that we had to go through, financially and physically, in order to obtain it. Now 2 years after the so called suspension, its all down the drain! Just curious, how do these people justify this wonderful action? Shame on you whoever is responsible for this nonsense.

so From what i understand from this is that everyone has to apply for new visas to india but what if i would like to stay for 5 months? I am a us citizen and would like to visit family friends there

Will existing tourist visas remain valid once new tourist visas are resuming ?

CHO! There is still no clarity on this.

Can we go to India for longer than 30days an can we get a year tourist visa yet.Dee

Hi Denise! Currently, a tourist visa is being issued only for 30-day stay in India. If you are looking to stay more than 30 days in India, you can apply for a regular entry X visa.

I have a multiple entry tourist visa issued in 2016, valid for ten years until 2026 and you say this visa will not be valid for entry into India now. This is very upsetting. So I have to apply for a new tourist visa?

Hi Coralie! Currently, new tourist visas are not being issued. The existing tourist visas are suspended. However, the government of India is planning to end the suspension of the tourist visa.

Any definitive date yet?

Hi PVP! Not yet. As soon as the date is announced, we will update the information here.

How about eTourist visa for minors below 5 years, both parents are fully vaccinated but the child is not?

Hi KP! Are you traveling from the US to India anytime soon?

I heard that by the end of the month of September 2019 they are planning to reconsider the suspension on the tourist visa

Can US citizen holding indian type “T” tourist visa apply for OCI card ?

Hi Prabh! The tourist visa has nothing to do with the OCI card.

Any word yet on the visas and when can go to India from USA.. I have a Visa that was issued in 2017 and it’s good for 10 years – till 2027… Will I be able to use this one ???? Or am I going to be forced to get a new visa (which seems unfair)…. Also would like to know the date that they are going to start allowing me to enter India with my visa… I am vaccinated… My friends there are continually asking me when I am coming…

Hi Bkaur! We are keeping a watch on the upcoming updates regarding the date of resuming the tourist visa. The tourist visa will be resumed anytime in this month.

Great news! I am very much upset with the Govt of India for suspending the valid tourist visa which I obtained in 2019 which is good until 2028. I had to go through hoops to get this. Taking time off, going to the local consulate, filling up forms, paying fees, showing proof of everything they asked for. I missed to see my uncle who was in death bed at that time. Because of the delay, I missed his funeral as well. Please dont tell me I could have obtained an emergency visa!!!!!! I already applied for a tourist visa, and it was the second time I had to apply. Anyway, I got my 10 year tourist visa, went in April of 2019, and the second time Jan of 2020. Came back to USA and now, I want to go to India for 12 days to visit my family. My initial assumption was that since I had a valid 10 year visa, all I have to do is fully vaccinated, show the PCR testing which is 48 hr before travel and follow mask rules and that is all. Now, what I heard is I have to re-apply for the Indian visa again? By paying another $300+ dollars??????? C’mon!! Dont you think this is a bribery at the govt level???????? There is no logic behind this other than govt of India taking advantage of COVID-19 and fully engaged in making money!! What else is there???? I am the same person fully vaccinated, and will be tested for PCR before travel, with a valid 10 yr multiple entry visa on hand…..why do I have to re-apply for another visa?

I applied for the new e-visa and didn’t have to pay for it… I had to type my current visa that they suspended, into the application.. I had gotten my 10-year visa in 2017… They were very quick coming back with my approved e-visa and it states on the visa I can only stay 30 days from the date of arrival.

means i have valid 10 years visa issued before October 2021 and i am applying for E Visa i do not have to pay the fees for E visa corrct?

Hello, I have tourist visa taken 2019 valid till 2029, but I didn’t pay attention last year that the visa has been suspended but I bought ticket went to board the flight, then they said this visa is no good, so couldn’t go, the ticket was wasted, didn’t get refunded as it was purchased the 3rd party website. Am I able to visit now in 2022(October or November)?with the same visa from USA to India

Hi Gautam! Yes, you can use your valid visa to travel to and from India.

Hi James, I am exactly in the same situation, got in 2019, went once coming back in 2020 after 2 weeks. It is kind of stealing money without delivering the services or goods. Isn’t it? And we can not complain to anyone. It is beyond frustrating.

bkaur, my situation is the same. It is frustrating that we do not get reimbursed for services (Visas) canceled by the Indian Government due to no fault of ours.

Hi, I am Indian citizen residing in US, my 4 year old american citizen son is having Indian visa of type X-Misc with multiple entry. Can he travel with me in November?

Regards, Utpal

Hi Gokul! Your son’s visa does not have a ‘T’ (tourist) mark, he can travel to India.

I read that India will be issuing free tourist visas for the first (forget the number) of people when tourist visas resume. Is it for e-visa or 10 yr visa? Thanks

Hi Kay! It is e-tourist visa, most probably.

Hi, we are planning to travel in Dec. Both parents have OCI, plus vaccinated. How ever 3 kids, all under 5. 2 have tourist visa, one need to apply for evisa or tourist visa. None of the kids are vaccinated. Can you advise?

Hi Jacob! All of you, including the kids will have to take an RT-PCR test prior to boarding the flight to India. Kids don’t have to be vaccinated for travel to India. Hope India will lift the tourist visa ban this month or November.

I’m a 21 yr. old male with both PFIZER vaccine shots and my 3rd booster. I plan to travel to India in early Jan for tourism. Do you think I will able to go/should go ahead and book a flight now or hold off?

Also, what is the status of state to state quarantines?

Hi Gabo! India is going to welcome foreign tourists soon. We hope you will be able to visit India in January 2022. Currently, no institutional quarantine in India.

When India opens for charter flights, is it possible to fly in via commercial to a neighboring country and gain access via tourist visa this way? It’s been some time since we have been able to see family and it looks that a phased opening will place commercial near the end.

Hi Cody! From November 15, you will be granted a tourist visa to travel to India on non-chartered passenger flights.

Hello! Most welcome news about Tourist visas because I have a flight to Chennai from NYC on November 16! I have a 10 year tourist visa that I have used 3 times. Will I be able to travel on that?

Hi Richard! There is still no clarity on whether the existing tourist visas will be honored by the government of India. Please be advised to check with the Indian embassy or consulate in your jurisdiction.

I called the Indian Embassy in D.C. and they don’t know either. They said to call back on October 15th. If something changes between now and then will you please post the info?

Hi Richard! Most probably, you need to apply for a fresh tourist visa.

Well, you were right, it is official, a fresh visa is needed. The next snag is they will only be good for thirty days. I am considering trying for an e-business visa. I am a tour guide and I have been working with an Indian company to promote tourism from the US. I’m not familiar with this type of visa. I’m wondering if they are only for major corporations or inclusive of my type of business as well. Do you have an opinion about this?

Why Richard needs to apply for fresh visa? He already paid and applied for it? What is changed? Is this a money making scheme for the government of India that drives this policy? Sounds very stupid! It is obvious that bribe is practiced and encouraged at the government level! Once a visa is issued that visa should be good for the time period. Why suddenly change the rules before the time period expires? You are going to say, “it is the rule from the government”. Well, that rule, whoever come up with it need resign and the government needs to honor those visas that were issued which is valid through its expiration date! That is what is democracy! Right now, the government is practicing autocracy!! I thought Indian government is for the people, of the people and by the people! Swindling money by putting excuses on COVID-19 pandemic is stupid and idiotic!

I emailed them 2 times with the same question and both times received a one word response, Yes! But that is the embassy in Washington not the civil servant at the airport immigration counter if you know what I mean.

Setu Puthran Fri, Oct 8, 7:06 AM (3 days ago) to me

I must ask the same question again regarding my existing 10 year Tourist visa issued in 2016 and valid until 2026. Will I be able to enter India with this visa when regularly scheduled flights resume? Yes

How soon American Citizens can travel to India with tourist visa?

Hi Kishan! From November 15. American citizens can travel to India on a tourist visa.

Problem is, we are not allowed to use the visas we have that are 10-year visas.. I don’t understand why they will not let us use the visas we already paid for… if they want us to only be there for 30 days.. put that restriction on the visas we already have.. but to force us to buy new visas seems quite unfair… when our visas are already paid for…

Hi Indian Eagle – my family members (US citizen) have multiple entry tourist visas (type T) that are valid till 2024. Will those visas be reinstated or will they have to get fresh new tourist visas to travel after Nov 15th? If they have to get new fresh tourist visas – can they apply for it online or will they have to send all the documentation to the nearest embassy/consulate or will there be provision for issuing the visas on arrival at the airport (as they used to back in pre-covid times)?

Hi Amrinder! We are still waiting for further details from GOI, such as whether the existing tourist visas will be reinstated or not. Unfortunately, there is yet no clarity.

All the press release indicate that – existing unexpired travel visas (both regular or e) are invalid and thus re-apply starting Oct/Nov 15. Seems like yet another scheme to profit off the pandemic ??

“2. The Government of India has restored all existing visas, which had been suspended earlier, including electronic visa except e-Tourist Visa, Tourist Visa and Medical Visa. All those who hold such valid visas (other than e-Tourist Visa, Tourist visa and Medical visa) need not apply to the Consulate for revalidation of their existing visa. In other words, only those who hold e-Tourist visa/Tourist visa (regular) and Medical visa need to apply for a fresh visa.” https://www.cgisf.gov.in/page/entry-visa-services/

“Fresh tourist visas are necessary for travel, even if you already hold valid tourist visas issued earlier. For now, tourist visas are only valid for travel by air or sea route,” it added.

Hello, I have a booked flight on Nov 14th, reaching India Nov 16th. When and where can I apply for fresh tourist visa? How long does this process take?

Hi Sreena! Please be advised to visit https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html for the application procedure.

Per release, The Indian Bureau of Immigration/Indian Missions/Posts abroad may grant fresh single entry e-Tourist/Tourist visa for 30 days. Existing e-Tourist Visa/ Tourist Visa shall remain suspended.

Hi Sanjay! Thank you very much for throwing light on this.

Hi can I travel with my minor son (5 year old) to India on a regular tourist visa. Do I still need to get either OCI or entry visa? Has the ban been removed?

Hi Reetika! From November 15, foreign citizens, including those of Indian origin, can travel to India on a tourist visa. Indian government will start issuing fresh tourist visas from November 15.

It’s not fair to make us get new Visa’s. Many people have 5-10 year Visa’s. Reinstate them ! Why are we even having hassles to travel. Can’t the scheming ever stop? Or India will keep doing this unfair ness.

@Panshi, Like I said, the system needs to profit off the pandemic somehow.. it didnt make any sense why existing student visas, business visas are reinstated valid, but not tourist e/visas..

Hi Indian Eagle. Namaste

I have an existing US, 10 year visa to India.

Will India *refresh* this VIsa, already in our passports , 10 year Visas that we already have? for Tourist?

15 Nov onwards, In November, if we come in on a now, new visa? Will it be a fast e-Visa on Entry ?

And, wait for the refresh of existing Tourist Visas?

Tourists can relax and support India states in : services, by taxi, food , herbal treatments, and accom and transportation, tours’ with the longer stay Visa.

India is such a beautiful country and 30 days, for many who have the 10 year, seems is cutting off the opportunity to see all that India has to offer, and India is so large and amazing.

Thank you, CC

Hi CC! Reportedly, the existing tourist visas will not be restored for travel to India. You will have to apply for a fresh tourist visa.

Does not make any sense. What is fresh visa? I have 10 years tourist visa for India stamped in U.S passport in 2018, hopefully be valid until 2018 without any hassle. Hope the confusion be clarified by an appropriate authority. Thanks

My family members have existing tourist visa for India valid till 2027 (paper visa issued on passport). Will those be valid for travel to India after Nov 15?

Hi Amar! As per the report, the existing tourist visas will not be revalidated for entry to India.

So, we have to reapply for new visas and are just out the money for the rest of the years our visas are for… My visa is good til 2027 also… I am wanting to go to India around Dec 5 time frame.. Are we not going to be allowed in till January 2022… When will we be able to apply for new visas if they aren’t going to allow what we have to be used?

Hi Bkaur! As of now, you will need to apply for a fresh visa that will be valid for only 30 days. The window for the visa application will open on November 15.

also be advised that the departing airline will just enter your apparently valid existing visa into the records, but the immigration in India will deny entry on the invalid visa and will deport you back

Do you have any idea when they might allow other durations of the tourist/e-tourist visa to India? Usually I travel to India for 90 days because my partner lives there. I was hoping for the same duration now after 2 years apart.. I have asked the embassy but no one gives me any clear answers!

Thanks in advance

Hi Melissa! Whenever there will be further updates, we will share through our article.

How do you know “existing tourist visas will not be revalidated for enty into India”?? Are you sure of that? I know right now all they are offering is 30 day short stay visas which do not interest long term travelers like myself. So far all the articles I’ve read say existing tourist visas remain “Suspended ” I have not seen that those visas issued before the pandemic are voided entirely.. it’s it not possible that India will come to its senses and reinstate preexisting tourist visas for those people who wish to spend their money there for longer than 30 days?

Hi Joshua! As of now, fresh tourist visas will be issued with 30-day validity. We are not saying that the existing visas will remain suspended. For the time being, the existing visas won’t be revalidated for entry into India. Maybe, the existing visas will be restored for travel to India in the future.

I was reading all the above Q&A about multiple tourist visa . I am carrying the Ten years on my passport will expire in 2027 from Canada. If they are not planning to reinstate ,they should reimburse or issue visa with no charge. Otherwise people wasted the hard earned money in the drain.

I have the same problem.. I have a 10 year visa I paid for and it don’t expire until 2027 and I think it is unfair to invalidate them and make you pay for another one to only be valid for 30 days.. I have 6 more years left on it… I’ll bet a lot of people are probably carrying a 10 year visa who aren’t going to be happy with this …

Ditto! I have 6 years left on my 10-year multiple entry visa and feel cheated. What could possibly be the rationale to force these visa holders to apply for a fresh visa? Is it to restrict the length of stay in India and the number of entries?

I received my 10 year on feb 27th 2020. I never have been to india. This is such a scam

Hi Indian Eagle

I am planning to travel to India with my family (US citizen) on Nov 20th. We have existing tourist visas for India. However per the comments above, it seems that those visas will not be valid and we would need fresh visas. Should we be applying for emergency entry visa or should we be applying for tourist visa? The embassy website doesn’t allow for applying for tourist/e-tourist visa right now. So, it unclear what process we should follow. Can you please guide us what we should do?

Thanks, Vipan

Hi Vipan! You will be able to apply for e-tourist visa on November 15 and after.

The fresh tourist visas are issued for 30 days free of charge.

Can I, a US citizen apply for an India evisa from Sri Lanka with a US Passport?

Good luck to the tourists who were dreaming about making a journey to India from november 15th. First step : apply for a Tourist visa. Now the Indian gov allows only one month visa. Of course valid from the date of issuing and not from the day of arrival. That means maybe 3 weeks left in India. Second step : enter in the jungle of « fresh » (!) and less « fresh » « health guidelines » to fly to India. Incredible : no vaccination accepted, all tourists must have a PCR test, they seem to trust a PCR test (valid 3 days) more than a vaccine. Third step : fill up the « health » form of the Delhi airport with a lot of more or less mysterious details and numbers. Fourth step : on arrival, the unfortunate tourist must undergo a second test at his own expenses !! Fifth step : enter in the even more bushy jungle of « health guidelines » for the Indian states you wish to visit. Unbelievable : every state has its own guidelines ! If you travel to Kerala for instance, you shall have to undergo a 10 days quarantine. That means maybe 11 days left in India. To enter some other states, you shall have to download the « Aarogyasetu » app, which is impossible without an Indian telephone number. If you survived the path of the obstacle, you will be allowed to meet a population encouraged to become suspicious of venomous foreigners. The time has not yet come for the Indian tourism industry to recover from the terrible wounds inflicted by the government. If they want to attract tourists, it would be advisable to issue more bearable « fresh » guidelines since november 15th.

Whoever comes up with these rules must have an IQ of room temperature. Why suspend the existing tourist visa and reissue new. We have tourist visas expiring in 2029. Why go through the hell of a process again and pay the fee.

Hi Ashok! Maybe, the existing tourist visas will be revalidated later.

Ashok, you got the point – “.. pay the fee”. thats the magic mantra. tourist visa or e-visa is biggest percent of visas issued and a major source of tourism revenue

Ashok, a very good question! Why go through the hell of a process again and pay the fee???? Ah! That is the key word… “FEE”. Which means, income for the government of India! Bunch of stupid people gathered around a an office which is paid by the tax payers and created a scheme to swindle money in the name of pandemic! They knew verywell that there is a huge demand for people wanting to be with their loved ones and separated for many months! These goons taking advantage of such demand!! They are simply thugs and need to be in jail!!

My friend and I are US citizens and want to go to a friend’s wedding in India. We need tourist visas and saw the news that they open Nov 15. We were planning to fly out on Nov 15 evening from New York. My questions are:

1. are we able to get the visa earlier on our passports but use it after Nov 15 or do we need to apply on nov 15?

2. does india do visa on arrival?

if you can provide any guidance, that would be greatly appreciated

Hi Solanki! India will start issuing both paper tourist visa and e-tourist visa on November 15. You can apply for e-tourist visa or visa on arrival.

Hi….am I right in reading that the e tourist visa reissues will start from 15 Nov ? I am a Canadian and do not see it available yet. I need to plan my sons wedding in India in December hopefully…..any updates when the e tourist visa to Canadians will be available?

Hi Shridhar! India has already started issuing fresh tourist visas (both paper and electronic) for travel on or after November 15, 2021.

From Nov 15th, can tourist fly into India on any flight or are there restrictions on which bubble flight who can take? Me and my husband will be traveling with OCI where we can fly only on certain airlines but our adult US citizen kids on e~tourist visa. Can we all fly together on any airlines? Are Vande Mataram bubbles have to be followed from Nov 15th? Any clarity? Thanks so much!

Hi Rani! Both OCI cardholders and US citizens can fly together on Air India, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, British Airways, Turkish Airlines from USA to India. Please be advised to call our travel advisors at 01-800-615-3969 for the best itineraries for your hassle-free travel on air bubble flights.

It seems that only 30-day tourist e-visas are being offered at the moment. Does anyone know when the 60-day visas will be reinstated?

Is it possible to leave India for a week to somewhere like Dubai or Nepal and then come back with a fresh 30-day tourist visa so I can extend my stay? I typically stay for 2-3 months, and I thought I’d be able to do the same this time after waiting so long. My flight is leaving November 19th. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

I need to know the same thing if I can use the 30 day visa then leave to a nearby country reapply for another 30 days and return to india

I read this on the Consulate General of India in Houston, Texas.. Does this mean that ones of us who have tourist Visas that don’t expire til 2027 or 2029 )or other dates) can use the visas we have? their site also doesn’t mention 30-day visas … we need more information

i. Government of India has restored most of the visas, which had been suspended earlier.

ii. Below is the list of some of the categories where in case the applicant has a valid regular paper visa (and not an electronic visa), there is no need for a fresh visa:

a) Entry (X) Visa b) Business (B) Visa c) Employment (E) Visa d) Student (S) Visa

People reading this forum & comments – be aware that Indian govt doesnt care at this point to reinstate the previously issued tourist visas.. since Oct 15 new T e/visas are being issued already. very clever on their part to invalidate only tourist visa/e-visa… aam aadmi visa.. if either K/B/E/S were invalidated imagine the uproar from the companies and universities.. best bet was to punish the common man who will fret, complain and eventually pay the money to seek new visa

no logic or reasoning. it cannot be to limit entries or visits or stay. if so, why is that not applicable to other classes. how about OCIs? why not put an entry stamp saying stay limited for 30days using existing VISA rather than new visa.. either way you may eligible for visa-on-arrival.. so whats the logic?

I wish they would put out what people are going to required to do in order to fly into India for a visit. There is a family there who is waiting for my visit and keep asking me when I am coming.. I have NO idea what I am required to do… I have a visa that don’t expire til 2027… This is what India needs to address with information on their embassy sites… I can’t afford to buy an expensive ticket and than find out my visa is no good… How sad that india wants to do this to people who want to come for a visit…

just apply for OCI. that’s what i did. That way you don’t have to worry about visas.my tourist visa wont expire until 2029. its Indian government, they wont make anything easy. they just want money.

Some good news. My husband who has a 10 year visa just applied for an e-tourist visa. He did not have to pay for it. He emailed them with a screenshot asking why it said it has already paid for and they confirmed he did not have to pay and it was already paid for. GOI did not say why. I assume that it’s because having a 10 year visa it should be free?

Hello! That’s good, indeed. We request you to share the email confirmation from the GOI with us at [email protected] .

It is not free because of holding 10 year visas. Government of India plans to issue 500000 evisas free of charge (per Finance Minister).

That’s hardly news. Indian Government announced months ago the first 500 thousand visas would be free of charge. Exciting news would be that India has decided to lift the suspension on our existing tourist visas and let those of us waiting to return long term finally come back..

Hey guys, there is no such thing as “FREE” for GOI. Their intention is to make people so confuzed and in the process make as much money as possible!!

For fresh tourist visa can we still get multiple 10 years visa or currently they are giving just for 30 days.

Hi BK! The fresh tourist visas issued by the GOI currently are valid for 120 days from the date of issuance and it entitles you to a 30-day stay in India.

Hi BK! The government of India is currently issuing only a single-entry tourist visa for 30-day stay in India.

Hi there. Is this still the case (e-visa only), or has issuance of multi-entry visas resumed?

Hi Katie! Currently, the government of India is issuing single-entry tourist visas for stay up to 30 days in India.

My elderly parents would like to go back to India. But mom has valid tourist visa and not well going back and forth to emergency , with many health complications, but cannot go back to India. Its a sad and tough situation.. Not sure what to do.. Our Indian government should have exceptional option for elderly.

Sorry, I don’t understand why India is currently issuing 120 day tourist visa but you can only stay 30 days? What sense does that make? Why the 30 day limit? I have friends there and want to do tours and 30 days isn’t enough. Thanks

the visa is only valid for a single use of 30 days and must be used within a time window of 120 days from date of issue. And agreed. 30 days is pointless for most of us and hopefully they reinstate preexisting and normal visas soon..

Hi Indianeagle, Thank you for your service. Just a clarification to my previous question…. 1. Can US citizen with tourist visa starting Nov 15th travel to India by AIRINDIA? 2. Can US citizen with OCI also travel by AIRINDiA? Just want confirmation, thank you so much!

YES and YES. Frankly, your questions are stupid.

Hi Rani! A US citizen with OCI and a fresh tourist visa can travel by Air India on or after NOV 15.

Is the paper visa is also for 30 days? can we get multiple paper tourist visa? When we can apply for Paper tourist visa.

I am canadian citizen and want to travel in Dec, however, the e-visas for canadians are still not open yet. On Nov 15th, will they open the e-visas for CANADIANS as well,?? And if so, is it only going to be issued for 30 days?

Please let me know ASAP, very stressed out.

Hi Gurpreet! Don’t worry! The e-tourist visa application window may open for Canadians in the fist week of November.

So will it be only for 30 days though? I need it aleast for 6 months. I have already booked my flight from Dec to Feb… Please reply!

Please let me know ASAP.

Hello, I have gotten an e-visa starting November 15th. I’m starting my flight from USA on November 14th and landing in India on November 15th. Is this okay to do even though I am starting my travel from USA a day early?

Hi Kuma! All new tourist visas are valid for travel starting on November 15. In our knowledge, it applies to travel right from the country of departure. Please be advised to check with the airline whether they will onboard you on NOV 14.

I have an e-visa granted to visit India beginning Nov. 15th. My flight is scheduled to leave on Nov. 13th, but I land in India on the 15th. Is this allowed?

Hi Kuma! May we know when the e-tourist visa was granted? In our knowledge, the tourist visas granted before OCT 6, 2021 are currently not valid.

Hello, do you know if evisas will be reinstated for British passport holders? I have my wedding in February in Goa, I do not know if I can continue with it as most of my guests are from the UK and would not be able to get visas.

Please advise me kindly. Thank you.

Hi Mahua! As of now, there is no such update whether the previously issued e-tourist visas will be reinstated later. They can apply for a fresh e-tourist visa.

I would like to know this too as we also have a holiday booked for February and currently struggling to obtain a visa.

Hi Indianeagle team, Thanks for the service , I have T -1 visa issues in 2019 valid for 10 years, can I travel Dec 1st week to India? Thanks Priya

Hi Priya! Currently, all tourist visas issued before OCT 6, 2021 are invalid for travel to India. Maybe the previously issued tourist visas will be revalidated later.

If I apply the e-visa on indianvisaonline after 15 November, lets say on 16th of November, will there be an option to get the e-visa for more than 30 days. I (India) need to make my baby travel for more than 30 days, hence was looking for an option. Not sure if I apply for an entry visa, how long exactly its going to take.

Hi Manish! If you want your baby to stay more than 30 days in India, you had better apply for a regular entry visa.

I planning to visit Chennai leaving on 12/31/2021. I have a OCI card issued with old passport and haven’t updated the new passport details. The consulate site says that you can use the OCI card with old passport till 12/31/2021. Since it is touch and go to be safe I want to apply for e-tourist visa as well. The website for applying for visa keeps saying unavailable. Any idea when the site will be open to apply for visa. Thanks

Hi Peter! You can apply for an e-tourist visa here https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html . Please note a fresh tourist visa is valid only a single entry to India and 30-day stay in India.

Hi – I am a US Citizen and I applied for a Tourist eVisa on 05 Nov 2021, to visit my father who is very sick

– My flight for SFO-DEL is booked for 15 Nov’21

– It has been 6 days since my eVisa application was accepted and I still do not have a eVisa.

Does someone know why?

Are there steps that you can recommend which will allow me to get a Visa (ASAP) and be able to fly out on 15 Nov?

Many Thanks!! Sonny

Hi Sonny! In our knowledge, you will get a visa on arrival if your application for e-visa has been accepted.

My husband and I are Indian passport holders and our son(2.5 year old) is an American passport holder. We entered India from the USA in June 2019 by applying for X-1 visa(valid till 2024) for my son.

Currently all 3 of us are permanent residents of Australia. I’m planning to travel with my son to India from Australia in January 2022 with his valid X-1 visa. I wanted to know if the X-1 visa is still valid under current covid guidelines. Much appreciated.

Hi Sarah! The X-1 visa is still valid.

Hi indianeagle,

Any updates on the tprurist visafor canadians?? I heard they are still excluding Canada for indian tourist visa? Please let meknow ASAP. Plzzz

Hi Gurpreet! You got the correct information. Canadian citizens are barred from applying for a tourist visa to India.

I am applying for a paper tourist visa to India. I do not qualify for an e-visa as even though I was born in United States and also am a U.S. citizen, my grandmother was born In Pakistan.

After I filled out the whole application online it said to make an appointment at the VFS in NYC. On the VFS website it says they are not processing visa applications at this time.

Has anyone else filled out the application for a paper tourist visa? what is the procedure

Hi Jaden! In our knowledge, the government of India is currently issuing only e-tourist visa.

It is now November 15th. When can I apply for a 5-year tourist e-visa?

Hi Cathy! Currently, the government of India is issuing e-tourist visas with 120-day validity period, during which you can stay only 30 days on a single entry to India.

Are us citizens living in the us barred from applying for Tourist E Visa online?

Hi Vijay! US citizens are not barred from applying for an e-tourist visa to India.

Hi l have 10 year visa can we go to india

Hi Vishal! If your tourist visa was issued before October 6, 2021, it is currently invalid.

Hi, There are confusing ionformation I hear. I got my 10 yr multiple entry visa in 2019. Are they going to honor this visa for me to travel to India. I am a U.S. Citizen. Can somebody clearly let me know? It is November 16, 2021. What is the correct information? Please!!

There are many people in your situation. I got my visitor visa in 2019 which is valid for 10 years. Currently India govt. is not honoring that visa. There is no rhyme or reason why they are doing it. You have to apply for a new e-visa where you can only stay for 30 days. I hope they will restore our 10 year multiple entry visitor visas soon.

Ashok, good information you have. However, I tried to apply for e-visa yesterday, the response came and said my application is not approved as I may be eligible for a new visa! WTF!! this is what I am saying…some goons in the government holding us all hostage..because, they need money and in the process scew us all at the same time!!

Hi James! If you have a multiple-entry visa without the ‘T’ (tourism) mark on it, it may be honored for your entry to India. Please be advised to check the Indian Embassy as well.

Mr. Indianeagle, then why issue me a “T” tourism visa in the first place? They collected money and my time !! Scew the Indian Embassy..bunch of morons run that place!!

Wait what….? “James! If you have a multiple-entry visa without the ‘T’ (tourism) mark on it, it may be honored for your entry to India. Please be advised to check the Indian Embassy as well” We’ve all been WAITING for India too reinstate our long term multiple entry tourist visas. It appears your saying here that India may honor them…. that’s like opposite of what you’ve been telling us. And contrary to everything the Indian Government has thus far said on the subject. Please clarify what you mean?

Hi Any idea when the evisas will be re-instated for UK citizens just had to cancel my flight because of this. It’s getting beyond a joke all this political wrangling.

If I want to stay in India longer than 30 days on a tourist visa, can I apply for more than one single-entry tourist visa? So can I enter with one 30-day visa, leave for 1-2 days and then re-enter with the 2nd 30-day visa?

Hi Melissa! In our knowledge, you cannot apply for more than one tourist visa to India together.

Hi Indianeagle,

We are travelling to india with new born 2 month old baby (US citizen) and both parents are indian citizens on Nov 23rd and baby got e tourist for 30 days, we are planning to stay about 80 days in india for multiple reasons. So applied for paper tourist visa for 6 months but still we got 30 days only. So what are the options here to stay 80 days because i already purchased roundtrip tickets from Nov 23rd to Feb 13th. I cannot return in 30 days for sure

Thanks, Rakhi

Hi Rakhi! You can apply for a regular entry X visa for your baby’s stay in India for more than 30 days. Please note your onward flight is just 5 days away.

Me and my wife are Indian citizens and our daughter is a US citizen having multi entry ‘X1’ visa issued in 2018 and valid till 2023. Is she allowed to travel with us with the existing visa under current guidelines.

Hi Yusuf! The multi-entry X1 visa is valid for travel to India.

We are planning to visit India from Dec 11-Jan 2 (22 days) and have our tickets booked. We have applied for OCI in mid-October but am unsure if we will receive them in time for our journey. I am planning to apply for e-tourist visa which I understand is for a single-entry 30-day stay to be used within a period of 120 days from the date of issue.

I am wondering if we should go ahead and apply for the visa right away or wait until early December.

Couple of questions for those of you who applied for the recent e-tourist visa: 1. Does it clearly state on your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) that your arrival in India should be between DATE 1 and DATE 2, where the two dates are 120 days apart? 2. Also, is DATE 1 the date when the visa is issued? I presume the date of issuance is typically about 72 hours after you submit the application.

Hi Siva! You can wait for the first few days of December before applying for an e-tourist visa.

Thank you Indianeagle for your quick response.

I’m an Indian citizen and a green card holder. My husband is US citizen. We got legally married but our traditional ceremony is still due and got postponed due to pandemic. We are traveling to India in January for 4 months for this ceremony and to spend time with family.

Since my husband’s 10 year visa is not valid anymore and he is not yet eligible for OCI, the only option I found is Entry X visa. We fall under Texas consulate but I couldn’t find any guidance on where or how to apply for this visa after a lot of research.

First of all, am I applying for the right category of visa for my husband and how long does this application process take? Also could you help point me at some resources on how I can apply this with Consulate of India in Houston?

Thank you so much for answering all the questions here. I highly appreciate this!

Hi Sravani! Being legally married to an Indian national, your husband is eligible for an entry X visa to India. If your husband’s existing visa is a tourist visa (paper or electronic), it is currently not valid. If he does already have an entry X visa (paper, not electronic), he can use it to travel to India. Please visit this link https://cgihouston.gov.in/pages/MTk4 .

What is an X Visa?

What Is An X Visa?

X Visa, also known as Entry Visa, is a form of visa provided for foreigners visiting India. According to the Government of India, an X Visa can be granted to the following people:

Spouse/children of a foreigner of Indian origin. A person of Indian origin, who wishes to visit India for holidays and other purposes. Dependents of foreigners who come to India on visas like business, student, research or employment etc.

hello, we are going india for two and half months. but i heard , they are only offering 30 days. we are going in my brother marriage and my dad passed away.we have to do our paper work . please advise us. we are going in January to until mid of march .

Hi Gagan! If you are talking about a tourist visa to India, a tourist visa currently entitles you to 30-day stay in India on a single entry. You can apply for an entry X visa.

Hello Indianeagle,

My family and I are US citizens with 10 year tourist visas. I understand these visas are currently suspended. I have heard that if we apply for a new 30 day tourist evisa it will cancel our 10 year tourist visa. Do you know if this is correct or will our previous visas be honored once suspension is lifted? Thank you!

Hi Sean! We’re sorry. We have little knowledge of what you wrote about.

Hi My wife and my child are planning to go to India End of January. My wife and I are Indian Citizens, my daughter is born in USA. She has a US passport. We are planning to stay there for 80 days; I believe the best visa for this is the Entry X Visa. I do not see the 1 or 5 year Tourist visa option on the consulate website, only 30 days is available. What is the cost for the ENTRY X visa? It is very hard to find the information on the Consulate website. I am applying at the New York Indian Consulate.

Hi Dheepak! A one-year multiple entry visa to India for US citizens costs $162.90, including service fee, reference fee, consular fee and ICWF fee. A 6-month multiple entry visa to India for US citizens costs $125.90. Please note the fees may have increased due to the impact of the pandemic.

So, international travel back to normal on 15 December, but no restoration of the 10-year tourist visa. What is your sense? Will the Indian government eventually reinstate those ‘currently invalid’ visas? Or will they be permanently cancelled? And when? I know you don’t know, but I’m wondering what your prediction is. Thanks. Michael

Hi Michael! Unfortunately, the resumption of normal international travel to and from India is postponed until a further notice.

I am US Citizen with a multiple entry X-1 visa issued in 2018. This visa is valid until August 2023. Per Indian Embassy in US ( https://www.indianembassyusa.gov.in/extra?id=79 ) “Government of India has restored most of the visas, which had been suspended earlier, except Tourist Visas (e-Tourist and regular Tourist Visa) issued before 6 October 2021 and e-Visas of all other types issued before 30 March, 2021. The details of currently permitted categories are available at PERMITTED CATEGORIES FOR TRAVEL TO INDIA.”

Per above note, I assume I can travel on my valid X-1 visa issued in 2018.

Hi Mahesh! If you hold the entry X-1 visa in paper, it is valid for your travel to India.

Hi, I noticed this question was asked by others but not answered, so perhaps you do not know. Years ago my 30 day e-visa was expiring, so I flew to Nepal, applied for and received a new 30 day e-visa and returned to India. I wonder if this would be possible now. Thank you.

Hi Steve! We are trying our level best to respond to queries as many as possible. If you are referring to an e-tourist visa, all tourist visas issued before October 6, 2021 are currently invalid for travel to India.

I applied for a 12 month tourist visa and got a 30 day single entry tourist visa. I am going for 60 days to India. can I apply for a Entry X visa when they have issued the 30 day tourist visa?

Hi Ajith! You can apply for an entry X visa.

Thanks for the quick response. Do you know the Visa and the ICWF fees. Is the entry visa issued for 6 months or a year? Thaks agin

Hello, my daughter applied for an evisa and she got it approved, but it’s validity is only for a 30-day stay. She need to stay in India for 35 days; she has travel planned leaving US on 01 Jan 2022 and returning from India on 06 Feb 2022. Can she get her evisa extended in India? Or, is there any other visa she can apply for now that will enable her stay in India for 35 days?

Hi Raghunathan! Currently, e-tourist visas are not extendable. In order to say for more than 30 days in India, she can apply for a regular entry X visa.

Hello, my son has a US passport and lives in Australia. India has established an air bubble with Australia. My son has an e-tourist visa issued on 13-Nov-2021. He is booked on Sydney to Delhi direct flight arriving in Delhi on 22-Dec. He will stay in India for 28 days. Can you let me know if he will be allowed entry in to India on his e-tourist visa? Indian government’s civil aviation website which describes air bubble countries mentions this regarding who can enter India from Australia: “All foreign nationals holding a valid Indian visa as per extant guidelines”. I wasn’t sure if the e-tourist visa issued on 13-Nov-2021 qualifies for an entry in India. Thanks.

Hi PK! Tourist visas issued after October 6, 2021 are valid for travel to India and 30-day stay in India. Hence, no worries.

I would love to visit India again. I have endless plans queued up, like mountain biking from Manali to Leh and riding the “Chaiyya Chaiyya” train from Coimbatore to Ooty.

I will gladly return to India when my 10 year multiple entry tourist visa is reinstated. I will not apply for a new Indian visa during the validity period of my existing visa. I will travel to other destinations while this situation is in flux.

Likewise, “suspending” (but really cancelling) a 10-year visa I was never able to use is frankly absurd.

Hopefully the pandemic winds down for good and normal travel becomes possible again. Perhaps at that time Indian immigration will come to their senses and allow perfectly valid long-term visas to be used again.

I was wanting to visit India in Feb./Mar. 2022, but my 10-year visa was suspended. The Gov’t. Of India took fees for my visa which has over 5 years of validity left. If the Indian government is going to suspend something I paid for they should prorate the balance of validity and refund my money. What they are doing is completely inhospitable and unethical. It creates a poor image for the tourism industry in India which prior to now was stellar.

I’ll spend my money in countries more hospitable until the Gov’t. Of India gets its act together.

I just got back from India in Nov but emergency came in and I have to go back and my Visa is till Feb 28th 2022. I am Actually coming back by 24th of Feb but I am worried if something happen, flights get canceled then my Visa will be canceled. Should I get E VISA? be on safe side. Advise please.

Hi Moninder! May we know what visa you currently have?

Hi I have green card and my 3 year old is us citizen so how can he stay in India more than 30 days right now?

Hi Lajju! He needs a regular X entry visa to stay in India more than 30 days on a single entry/visit.

Hi – i have multiple entry tourist visas (type T) that are valid till 2024. Will those visas be reinstated ? I need to travel to see family in early March, 2022.

Can somebody explain me why they suspend multiple entry visa? When they are allowing tourist visa for 30 days stay, what is the purpose of doing this other than earning money. I don’t think they’re doing this because of the safety issue.

This is totally unfair and unethical.

Hi Ann! Any tourist visa (with T mark) issued before October 6, 2021, are invalid for travel to India. If you have a single/multiple-entry regular X visa, you can use it.

Thanks for reply.

My visa is on one page of my passport and it shows Visa Type: Tourist No. of Entry : Multiple

Each stay not to exceed 180 days .

I am not sure it is T or X visa, how I can find out this ? Also do I need to apply for e-visa for my March trip?

Any word on when long-term tourist visas will be available? The Indian govt sites haven’t been updated since last year. I need to go to India but 30 days is too short.

Do you know if entry visas are available for people other than Indian-origin travelers?

Hi Arpi! There is yet no update on when long-term tourist visas will be made available.

hi, I applied for a 30 day tourist visa and there was no payment option but they recieved the application and said expect a response within 72 hours.

is the tourist visa free?

Hello, i am a US citizen and currently have X-1 visa which expires next year. Can i travel to India or do i need to apply for visa again? thanks Rajni

Hi Rajni! You can travel to India using the X-1 visa.

When are you going to open Indian Embassy for apply for Tourist visa I’m very Desperate to go india please let me know

Hi Jay! You can apply online for a tourist visa to India.

I bought a 5 year tourist e-visa in 2020. I traveled that year with my wife who is from India. We are in USA. Is my visa valid or do I need to reapply for a new one as I will be visiting the end of April? I know the visa had been suspended but thought they now were only issuing 30 day visa.

Hi James! With immediate effect from today, India restored all long-duration valid tourist visas for the nationals and citizens of the United States.

Wooooo Hoooooo!!! 😎✈

I have a 10-year-old visa (expiring in 2 years), and I am a U.S citizen. Does that mean that my Indian Visa is valid and I no longer need to get an e-visa to travel to India?

Hi Yogita! Yes, being a US citizen, your 10-year-old tourist visa (regular/paper) stands reinstated with immediate effect.

Thank you. Can you tell me around what day and time (IST) did they reinstated the long-term visas?

Hi Yogita! Indian government restored valid 10-year paper tourist visas and valid 5-year tourist visas, both paper and electronic, for US citizens with immediate effect from March 16.

CAN SOMEONE HELP – TOURIST VISA? I have a T-1 visa – Tourist Visa for individual tourists, 10years, valid till 2028. This Tourist visa was suspended since 2 years. As I have to travel to India in last week of March, I applied for the ENTRY Visa which is valid for 1 year on March 11, 2022. My application for Entry Visa reached India Consulate March 16, 2022. And the news today is that India restored the 10 year Tourist visa. Now what is the consulate going to do, let me keep my 10 year Tourist visa or going to give me 1 year Entry visa. No way to retrieve application for Entry visa. The 1 year Entry Visa makes no sense now and it will be disappointing if they cancel my 10 year Tourist visa.

Hi Eva! Even if you are issued an entry visa, it should not affect your existing tourist visa.

I am in the similar boat as you. My Entry Visa application reached VFS on the March 14th. Two days later India restores the existing visas. I already have the 10 years tourist visa valid till 2027. I went to the VFS website and contacted them through the email and told them the situation. They emailed me back saying they’ll dispatch my application back to me and I’ll receive a refund within 10-15 business days. Let’s see what happens. I haven’t beed issued the Entry Visa since I withdrew my application early in the process, but even if they would have issued it, my existing tourist visa wouldn’t have been affected.

We have 5 year e-visas from UK have they been restored also?

Hi David! In our knowledge and as per the latest reports, the 5-year e-tourist visas are restored for 156 countries including the UK.

Hi I have a 10 year paper tourist visa issued in 2017 valid till 2027,is it reinstated for citizens of Canada? is it valid to travel? Thank you.

Hi! As of now, the 10-year paper/regular tourist visa is restored only for the US and Japan citizens.

HI, I am a US citizen, I have a 10 year regular tourist visa issued in 2019. Is it restored and valid or do I have to apply for a fresh visa? Thank you.

Hi Cynthia! Long duration 10-year tourist visa (paper/regular) have been restored for US citizens. Hence, you don’t need a fresh visa.

My mum has a 5 year paper visa for her UK passport which was valid until September 2022. It was obviously cancelled during Covid but I’d like to know if it’s now valid again.

Hi James! Recently, all 5-year tourist visas, paper and electronic, have been reinstated for travel to India until their actual expiry date.

i have a 10 year visa issued in 2016 and i am from Canada. So we have to apply for visa again; will they refund us for the 10 year visa? They should not be charging us again for the same thing.

I have 10 year visa to India but my passport has expired so I got new passport, do I need to get the visa transferred to new passport or just take old passport with new one to India.

I have same issue as Bal Singh, have one yr of visa left of my 10 yr visa in expired passport, have just renewed my us passport. I tired to apply online for 10 yrs paper visa but after filling out 3 pages it said “ invalid Request” . So question is can I still go to India with both my passports since I still have one year valid visa in my expired passport?

Hi Solanki! Your visa (though on the old passport) is valid until it expires. Hence, you can with both old and new passports.

My Daughter is in India on E visa with 30day validity. She also have T visa which has validity for another 8 years. She went to india prior to March 16th. Would her stay in india be okay now since old visa has been reinstated.

Hi Rinku! In our knowledge, she won’t be charged with overstay as her long-duration tourist visa has bee reinstated.

I am little confused by misleading info on Indian visa restoration. It says all ten year visa are now restoring. But also says tourist visas issued before Oct 6 2021 are not. What it means. What visas are still suspended. Pls advise

Hi Suresh! The tourist visas issued before October 6, 2021 were suspended until March 15, 2022. Those tourist visas have been reinstated with effect from March 16.

Thanks very much.

You’re welcome! FYI, we at IndianEagle.com, a leading and trusted travel-booking partner, are offering cost-to-cost airfare deals for US-India flights.

Thank You this helps. I have a Tourist Visa for my son which was issued on sep 2014 and is valid till Aug 2024, we are planning a visit to India next month, so we should be good then correct?

Hi Altafur! The tourist visa is valid for your son’s travel to and from India.

i have two months left on my multiple entry tourist visa issued in July 2012,can i still go to India for two months and also can i extend my tourist visa in India if i want as my mother is not well, please reply

Hi Sonia! You can travel to India and can request the extension of your regular/paper tourist visa through an online application on India’s e-FRRO portal.

Hi I was issued a10 year paper tourist visa issued in 2017 valid till 2027,is it reinstated for citizens of Canada? is it valid to travel? Thank you.

Hi Bini! Most probably, the 10-year tourist visa has not been reinstated for the citizens of Canada.

HI I have 10 years visa valid until 2028 as US Citizen. My understanding this is reinstated for US and Japan only. Please confirm if i can travel to india on that visa, and i do not need e-visa. thanks

Hi Raj! Being a US citizen with a 10-year tourist visa to India, you can travel to India without needing an e-visa.

Hi, my son has 5 years multiple entry visa which is issued in July 2019, is it valid to travel India?

Hi Shaveta! All 5-year tourist visas, regular and electronic, have been reinstated for travel to and from India.

i have Tvisa issue 2018 valid upto 2028 can i travel with that visa now or get new

Hi Akunjappy! Having a valid tourist visa, you can travel to India without needing a new one.

My son has 10 year Visa and Canadian citizen. Is his visa is still valid? Can he travel to India?

Hi Chetna! Currently, the 10-year tourist visas to India stand restored only for the nationals of USA and Japan.

Hi Indian Eagle, can you give a link for the embassy website in USA that states same? Have a 10 year visa from 2017 from USA, thanks!

Hi Eileen! 10-year-long visas to India have been reinstated for US citizens.

I have a T – 1 Multiple visa which expires in 2027. Do I need a new visa to travel in October 2022.

Hi Jeanne! If you are a US national, your 10-year-long tourist visa is valid for travel to India.

Dear Indianeagle, Would you have any information regarding when UK nationals will again be eligible to use the e-Visa process? I have read it may be soon, September or October, in time for the peak travel season.

Hi Sandy! Both you and we are on the same page regarding this. As of now, we don’t know anything beyond this.

Hi Basudha! 10-year tourist visas to India have been restored for US citizens.

I was issued an e-visa in 2019. This was a 5 year visa. We are traveling to indian on Nov 17, 2022. Am I ok to travel with this visa that expires in 2024?

Hi Ravi! Yes, you can travel with this visa.

Hello, I am a US Citizen and have 10 year multiple entry visa (stamped in my passport) issued in 2014 valid till 2024. Can I use that to travel or do I need to apply for e-visa ?

Hi Girish! You can travel with your 10-year multiple entry visa.

Hello, I am a US citizen with a 5 year X-1 (entry) paper visa, that was issued on August 08, 2018 and expires on August 07, 2023. Given that it’s a 5 year visa, is it no longer valid, and do I have to apply for a new Indian visa?

Many thanks!

Hello, I am a British citizen with a five e-visa, was a granted in 2020 and valid for 2025, and would like to travel in first week in FEB 2023, do I need to apply for new visa or can I use same existing Valid e-visa. Many thanks, please reply.

Hi Suresh! As per the latest update, India will soon resume the e-visa facility for British citizens. There is no mention of whether British citizens can use their existing 5-year e-visa to travel to India. Kindly contact the Indian Embassy or Consulate.

Hello, I am a British citizen with a 5year e-visa, was a granted in dec 2019 and valid unti dec 2024, and would like to travel to India in Feb 2023, do I need to apply for new visa or can I use same existing Valid e-visa. Many thanks, please reply.

AS OF NOW IT LOOKS LIKE EVISAS FOR UK HAVE BEEN REINSTATED.

Hi, my US born daughter has a 10 year M entry regular passport stamped tourist visa but her passport is expired so we have her new passport and old passport (with visa sticker). Will she allowed to visit India with this situation? Also she has an OCI Card issued in 2017 however not renewed due to a new guideline of not requiring renewing OCI until 20 years. Can she use that OCI card to entry into India? Please reply, many thanks.

Hi Ketan! The OCI card for those below 20 years need not be reissued until they are 21. But a scanned copy of the new passport and her latest photograph must be uploaded on the OCI portal online. FYI, she can travel with her new passport and the old passport with the 10-year tourist visa stamped on it.

Thank you for your answer and it helps! I have already finished uploading new passport and her latest photograph on the OCI portal online and going to have along with me the successful acknowledgment print. Let me know if still I am missing anything.

Hello, I have US citizen minor kid and she got a INDIA entry visa M entries with 5 years of validity. Is it good for India travel for duration of less than 6 months?

Hi Ketan! In our knowledge, your kid can travel to India using the 5-year entry visa. However, be advised to contact the Indian Embassy/Consulate and confirm the same.

I already contacted them but have not received any response. I have received her ENTRY VISA in NOV, 2022 and all of the existing visa and new visa process has went back to normal processing. Please let me know if you have any official records showing that NEW and existing India visa would be good for travel.

Hi, I’m a Canadian with a 10 year paper visa from 2016. Since Dec 7th it seems the UK and other commonwealth countries have been reinstated but I can get a clear answer on this and no embassy will speak over the phone and BLS is abysmal. Is this valid for travel?

Hi Tess! The government of India has restored e-visa facility for Canadians. All 10-year tourist visas issued to Canadians before March 2020 have not been reinstated yet.

Hi, I have a visa that was issued April 4 2017 The expiration date on that visa is April 19 2027 . I am going to india In February will this visa be accepted?

Hi Salsabin! We are not able to address your query without knowing what visa type you do have. Kindly specify what type of a visa to India you have.

Hello, I am a U.S citizen and my partner is Japanese. We each have Indian tourist evisas issued before the pandemic valid until 2025. Can we enter India now on these visas? And how many days can we stay per entry? Also, we entered India on business visas during 2022 and stayed for 6 months. Does that invalidate our previously issued long term tourist visas? Thank you.

Hi Sadhu! Your use of a business visa does not invalidate your long-term tourist visa which is valid until 2025. You can use the tourist e-visa to travel to/from India.

My daughter has a 10 year tourist visa stamped in her Canadian passport in 2016. Is it still valid? Thanks

Hi Joshi! In our knowledge, 10-year tourist visas to India have not been restored for Canadian passport holders. Hence, they need to apply for a fresh e-visa or paper visa for travel to India. However, it is recommended that you do also check with the Indian Embassy or Consulate in Canada.

My daughter has a 10 year indian tourist visa stamped in her American passport in 2016. Is it still valid? Please reply as soon as possible We need to travel India asap.

Hi Lakshmi! 10-year Indian tourist visas are valid for US citizens. She can travel.

Hi, I have American passport and got my 10 years VISA on 24/10/2016, Can I use it.? I am planning to visit India at the End of this Year.

Hi Mahendra! You can use the visa as all 10-year tourist visas to India have been restored.

Hi, I am a Canadian Citizen, and hold a valid 5years eVisa starting Jan , 2020 until Jan 2025. Last year it was invalid, but i hear that it is instated again. Can you please guide if it is true and i can travel with my eVisa which was bought in yr 2020 ?

Hi Murli! India restored the e-visa facility for Canadian passport holders, not the e-visas issued to Canadian citizens before March 2020. If your e-visa was issued before March 2020, it is invalid.

Hi I have 10 yr visa obtained in 2018. Valid till 2028. Has it been restored to visit India or I have to apply new? I am Canadian Citizen.

Hi Gurmel! All 10-year tourist visas to India have not been restored yet for Canadian citizens.

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Document Checklist: Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor Visa) – Applicants in Canada (IMM 5721)

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Document Checklist: Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor Visa) – Applicants in Canada [IMM 5721] (PDF, 0.9 MB)

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