INDIA ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
What documents are needed to travel to India?
If you want to travel to India, one of the main India entry requirements is to have an India visa. Nowadays, you can get the e-visa India online, when your nationality is one of the eligible ones. Those who aren’t must go to the nearest Indian embassy.
While a visa on arrival may be an option in certain situations, it often entails extended queues and wait times at the airport, making it advisable to seek alternatives whenever feasible.
The most convenient and expeditious method is to apply online. This method will give you the assurance of having the required travel authorization before reaching the border. You can apply for this Indian visas:
Multiple entries 30-day India tourist visa, with a validity of 30 days.
Multiple entries 1 year India tourist visa, with a validity of 1 year.
Multiple entries 5 years India tourist visa, with a validity of 5 years
Business evisa to India, with a validity of 1 year.
These visas allow you different lengths of stays in the country. The 30-day tourist visa allows you to stay in India for up to a 30-day tourist trip. The 1 Year India tourist visa and the 5 year India e visa allows stays for up to 90 days each time. The business evisa for India allows you to stay up to 180 continuous days for each visit.
Having an approved India visa will not be enough to grant entry into the country. The final entry always depends on the decision of Indian authorities.
India Passport Requirements
In addition to your evisa to India, you must have a passport. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry into India. It should also be machine-readable. Make sure it is valid since it is one of the entry requirements for India. Your passport must also have two blank pages for the visa.
Do I need vaccines to travel to India?
There are no mandatory vaccines to travel to India, except yellow fever if the traveler is arriving from an infected area.
We recommend being up-to-date with routine vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
These could be the Flu, Chickenpox (Varicella), Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR), Polio, Shingles and Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis. It’s also advised to be protected against Hepatitis A and B, as well as Rabies and COVID-19.
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the vaccines and vaccination certificates you may need on TravelHealthPro (from the UK National Travel Health Network and Centre).
Maximum amount regulations
While there is no set limit on the amount of foreign currency you can bring into India, you are required to make a declaration if the sum exceeds US$5,000 in notes and coins, or US$10,000 in a combination of notes, coins, and traveler’s cheques.
Upon departure from India, tourists are permitted to carry with them foreign currency up to the amount they initially brought in upon arrival. Since no declaration is necessary for bringing in foreign exchange or currency up to the equivalent of U.S. $10,000, tourists can generally take out of India with them, at the time of their departure, foreign exchange or currency not surpassing the aforementioned amount.
However, the India currency, the rupee, is not a convertible currency, so it is advisable to exchange any cash you have before leaving India.
Do I need a yellow fever vaccine for India?
Yes, you will need one if you come from an endemic country. You can check the map of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see what countries have yellow fever as an endemic disease.
Health related India travel requirements
While there are no obligatory health-related India entry requirements, citizens from Yellow Fever endemic countries must present the Yellow Fever vaccination certificate (they must be vaccinated against it). You can read more about health and safety with our India Travel Advisory, but here are some general recommendations for foreign visitors are:
- Purchase travel insurance. It’s not a mandatory India entry requirement, but it will give you peace of mind, if something were to happen. When getting a travel insurance make sure that your medical insurance plan provides coverage abroad. If you are traveling with medications, consult with the government of India to ensure that the medication is legal in India and always carry your medication in their original packaging along with your doctor’s prescription.
- Keep in mind that severe air pollution is a concern in India, especially in North India cities and during the winter months (October to February). Also Altitude sickness is a risk, especially in the north and northeast India, including mountainous regions in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and West Bengal.
- Bring strong insect repellent before going to India. Dengue fever and Chikungunya, mosquito transmitted diseases, occur all year round, but are more widespread during the monsoon season. Malaria is a risk in many parts of India, including major cities. Zika virus outbreaks may occur. Other insect-borne diseases include Japanese encephalitis and filariasis.
Other India entry requirements
A transit visa is not required by a foreigner passing through, in direct transit by air, and travelling onward through India, provided he/she does not leave the specified precincts of the airport. A transit visa is not required by a foreigner who does not leave the ship while it halts at an Indian port.
The use and possession of satellite phones, personal locator beacons, and handheld GPS devices are prohibited in India. If you need more information about India, what to take with you and what to expect, you can check out our India travel advisory page.
Do I need a PCR test to enter India?
No, you won’t need to have a PCR or COVID test when arriving in India.
COVID-19 requirements
It is advisable, according to Indian authorities, to arrive in India having received the full vaccination regimen (first two doses), even though presenting the vaccination certificate is no longer an India travel requirement. However, random COVID-19 screenings for 2% of passengers arriving on international flights are expected to take place at the entry airport in India.
You can check the guidelines for Internal Arrivals from the Government of India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
On the official website of Delhi Airport, there is a “Domestic advisory” search tool available. It allows you to check the current Covid regulations by Indian states, as well as the latest restrictions published for the country by the Ministry of Health (Advisory by MoCA/MoHFW/MHA).
To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, it’s important to regularly review the current entry requirements for India, as they may undergo sudden alterations. If you have any concerns regarding prescription medication or any other health-related doubts, reach out to your nearest Indian Embassy or Consulate.