India E Visa

Hi everyone – question on business visa for India. In the past, I have used the VFS Global process to obtain a Business Visa. However, looking at the Australia Smart Traveler website this morning, this has pointed me to a website for a e Visa (https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html ) . Has anyone used this? It looks more appealing then going through VFS for a single visit visa.

Cheers

I used it in September (eBusiness visa), works fine, as long as you can get past the usual annoying form you have to fill in and attach the right size picture, etc! Just note when you arrive in India to go to the special line for eVisa. Unlike having a normal visa you have to go into a special line for an eVisa upon arrival (at least in Mumbai). We didn't do this and wasted a good 40 mins or so in extra waiting time...

Sometimes the “special” line may say “Visa on arrival”, this is where you want to line up compared to the rest of the Indians. I think the online visa is far more quicker, make sure you have the photos with the right size for upload, then it is pretty straight forward. Much better than the old days where you had to wait for 14 days.

I’ve just used it, it’s nice and easy, but you have to get into the separate “Evisa” queue, which (in Delhi at least) means you don’t get to use the business class fast lane. But the the e-visa queue is usually shorter than the main queue anyway.

Just note that the e-visa is only an option if you are flying in to major Indian ports. I often fly into Coimbatore (smaller city) and there is no option for this visa type there.

Personally I like having the hard copy visa in my passport. I'm sure the e-visa works fine but I'd rather not run the risk of having to run up against Indian bureaucracy if something did go wrong. Also from memory the e-visa queue was pretty substantial the last couple of times I arrived in BOM.

Thanks Everyone for your input - greatly appricated

Used e-visa 3 weeks ago entering Mumbai, no issue at all. There is a separate line at the far enfd of the immigration hall for e-visas but processed with no issue.

Works well - but be aware - when I completed my online application it asked my expected arrival date in India - which I provided. But when the visa was issued the date I had given for arrival was on the visa as the "Last permitted date of entry"!!! This was going to be a problem as my flight was scheduled to arrive at 23:50.

If you have a Kiwi passport (or US) you can get a 10 year multi entry visa. Just need a letter 'inviting' you from company in India.