How long can you stay on a tourist visa in India?

Indian government issues tourism visa for those who are not Indian citizens and are planning to visit the country for leisure. There are several rules and regulations set down by the Indian government regarding eligibility, validity and time of stay.

Citizens of Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives do not have to acquire a visa before entering India. The visa formalities are rather straightforward and it is easy to attain a 30-day tourist visa on arrival. Some countries like the US are exempted from visa on arrival facility. For an extended period-tourist visa, you will have to apply in prior. The validity is from the date of visa approval which is unlike the short-term visa which is valid 30 days from the date of landing in the country.

Eligibility for Tourist Visa

•    Individuals of Indian origin must apply for an Entry Visa. The tourist visa is also restricted to the family of a person of Indian origin.

•    The government has strict rules that the tourist visa is solely for recreation and a person who is applying for it should not possess any business, job or property in the country.

•    This even applies to volunteers who work for charity. They should apply for an employment visa.

•    People who want to travel for treatment must apply for Medical Visa.

How Long Can You Stay on a Tourist Visa in India?

The validity of a tourist visa is a maximum of 180 days. The validity is counted from the date of issuing.

There is a special provision for US citizens whereby the validity of the visa can be extended up to 10 years. But the time span for a continuous stay in India is a maximum of 180 days. Even if you have an extended tourist visa, you will have to exit the country and apply for re-entry. There are no provisions to extend the duration of stay for the tourist visa.

Restrictions

•    The visa category cannot be changed once you are in the country. So be clear about your purpose and apply for the corresponding visa.

•    After exiting from the country, it is not possible to get a re-entry into India for the next two months. This rule applies even if your visa is still valid. In extreme emergency cases, a written letter from the embassy or consulate may help.

•    Frequent applications for tourist visa will be strictly scrutinized before granting it.

Now that you know how long you can stay on a tourist visa in India, make sure that you leave the country before the time expires. Else you may be fined or even detained by the officials.