Visa Requirements for Citizens of India

Visa requirements for Indian nationals are entry restrictions that the authorities of other countries place on travelers from India. The Indian passport is currently ranked as the 84th most powerful in terms of travel freedom, according to the Henley Passport Index.

Visa requirements may vary for citizens from India depending on the territory they are planning to visit, the purpose of the visit and the expected period of stay inside their borders.

There are approximately 40 countries around the world that Indians can visit without obtaining a visa or with a visa on arrival at the border checkpoints.

The majority of visa-exempt countries for nationals of India allow travelers to gain entry to their borders for purposes such as tourism, business, or to transit to another country.

The period of permitted stay depends on the visa policy of the destination and may vary between 1 and 6 months. Indian citizens may also travel to Nepal and Bhutan visa-free for an unlimited period of stay.

For some other visa-free countries for Indian passport holders, it may be necessary to pre-register for an electronic travel authorization to receive permission to enter their borders.

Travelers who are planning to visit these territories for longer period of stays, as well as to visit visa-required countries, need to obtain travel authorization. This may vary between an electronic visa, a visa on arrival, or an embassy visa.

Travelers from Indian that are planning a trip to any territory not on the visa-free country list for Indian passport holders, are required to get an approved visa to travel.

There are currently around 210 countries on the visa required country list for Indian nationals. The travel authorization required will depend on the territory of destination, as well as the purpose of the visit and the length of intended stay.

This can vary between an embassy visa from a consulate of the destination territory, a visa on arrival from a border entry point, or an eVisa through an online application.

Indian passport holders are required to obtain a visa before departure from India for around 160 countries from an embassy or consulate. For another 30 countries, citizens from India have the option to submit an electronic visa application, which greatly expedites the process.

Approximately 20 countries offer Indian travelers the option to obtain a travel document in their destination, by completing a visa on arrival application. However, some of these territories also offer an eVisa option, which eliminates the need to wait in long queues at a border checkpoint.
Find below all of the main destinations for which Indian nationals require a visa.

Electronic Travel Visa Authorization systems permit Indian nationals to apply for either an electronic visa waiver or an eVisa for their country of destination, eliminating the need to apply for a travel document in person.

Some of the visa-free countries for Indian passport holders require travelers from India to submit an electronic visa waiver registration to pre-screen potential security risks. Other visa-required territories have established an online eVisa to expedite the application process.

To obtain an electronic travel visa authorization for Indian citizens, it is usually necessary to fill in a simple online application with personal and passport information, as well as to answer some security related questions. Once approved, an eVisa or online visa waiver is often electronically linked to the traveler’s Indian passport.

An electronic travel visa authorization for nationals of India may permit either a single entry or multiple entries and allow the holder a stay of between 8 and 120 days, depending on the country of destination.

Many electronic travel authorization or eVisas for citizens of Indian are valid for multiple years from the date of issue, which means that travelers do not need to submit a new application before every trip.

Find below a list of the countries that Indian citizens can visit by submitting an Electronic Travel Visa Authorization.

A visa on arrival for Indian passport holders is a type of travel document that Indian citizens may obtain upon arrival at border checkpoints in certain territories.

Indian nationals who are traveling to a visa on arrival country may go directly to a border checkpoint to obtain a visa on arrival application form from an immigration officer. This often involves the need to wait in long queues.

After completing the form with personal, passport, and travel information, it is normally necessary to pay a visa on arrival fee, which may only be accepted in cash and in the local currency.

The majority of the territories for which Indian nationals can obtain a visa on arrival permit a stay of between 7 days and 3 months with this kind of travel document.

Some of the countries for which Indian passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival, also have an electronic visa application available. This option allows travelers to apply for a visa before departure from India and greatly expedites the process, eliminating the need to wait in line at the border.

Below you can find a list of all the countries where Indian citizens can obtain a visa on arrival.

An embassy visa for citizens from India is a type of travel document that needs to be applied for in person at the nearest embassy or consulate of the destination country before departure.

An embassy visa may be issued for a range of different purposes, such as to study or work, and for different permitted periods of stay. It may also be as approved either a single or multiple entry visa.

To obtain an embassy visa, the applicant is usually required to schedule a consular appointment for a visa interview.

Embassy visa requirements for Indian passport holders often state that it is necessary to bring a completed visa application form to the appointment.

It is often also necessary to bring a range of supporting documentation depending on the purpose of the intended stay, as well as to pay an embassy visa fee.

Travelers from India who need to apply for an embassy visa are advised to so do well in advance of the intended date of arrival in their destination, as in some cases it may take several weeks for the application to be processed. The specific processing time can be confirmed by the individual government diplomatic office.

See below a list of the territories for which an embassy visa is required for Indian nationals.

For short periods of stay in a number of countries across the world, a travel authorization or a visa is not required for Indian passport holders.

There are currently over 20 visa-free territories for Indian citizens, including a number of islands in the Caribbean sea. Purposes for which this entry is usually permitted include tourism, business, or transit to another destination.

The period of visa-exempt stay permitted depends on the country of destination, but can vary between 1 and 6 months. Indian nationals are granted an unlimited period of stay in Nepal and Bhutan, and may either use an Indian Voter ID Card or thier Indian passport to gain entry.

To gain entry any of the other territories the visa-free country list, travelers are required to present a valid Indian passport at a border checkpoint.

To visit these same countries for other purposes or longer periods of permitted stay, travelers are usually required to apply for a visa in person from the nearest embassy or consulate of their destination in India.

Below you can find a complete list of the main visa not required destinations for citizens of India.