India, with its rich culture and varied landscapes, attracts many tourists from all over the world every year. To facilitate entry to its territory, the Indian government has introduced the e-Visa system, a fast and convenient option for travelers. However, it's important to understand the subtleties of this system to avoid any inconvenience during your trip.
The 30-day e-Visa: Pay attention to the application date
The 30-day tourist e-Visa is a popular option for travelers wishing to discover India over a short period of time. However, it is crucial to plan ahead when applying for this visa. In fact, its validity begins as soon as it is issued, and not on the date of entry into India. In other words, once edited, you must arrive in India within 30 days, regardless of the arrival date indicated on the form.
Too many travellers want to do the right thing, and make their requests far (too) in advance.. In this case, the e-Visa becomes null and void and it is impossible to apply for a new 30-day e-Visa until the previous one has expired...
If you apply too early in relation to your planned travel date, you risk ending up with an expired e-Visa before you've even had a chance to use it. This can be particularly frustrating and potentially costly if you have to cancel or postpone your trip.
The solution: Opt for the one-year e-Visa
Fortunately, there is a solution for travelers who find themselves in this tricky situation. Instead of waiting for the first 30-day e-Visa to expire, you can apply immediately for a one-year e-Visa. It may be more expensive, but it will cover your travel dates and, above all, allow you to embark. It is valid for 1 year from date of issue, and allows stays of up to 90 days in India.
On the application form, you must indicate the number of the 30-day e-Visa already issued and currently valid. The authorities may send you an e-mail asking for the reason for the change. Reply promptly, being as honest and pragmatic as possible you've got the date wrong.
Alternative: The visa in the passport
If for any reason you can't or don't want to opt for the one-year e-Visa, there's still another option: apply for a traditional visa in your passport. This usually requires a trip to the Indian embassy or consulate, and an appointment. Although more time-consuming and potentially more complex, this option may be preferable for some travelers, particularly those planning a longer stay or with specific needs.
Still ambiguous about validity dates of 30-day e-Visas
This is nothing new, and is at the root of 80% of the exchanges we have with travelers: travelers tend to think that their 30-day e-Visa is invalid because the dates entered on it are not those of their trip.
Don't panic, this is usually a normal situation.
For example: you travel to India from October 29 to November 20, 2024.
- You apply for a 30-day e-Visa on October 14 and indicate your travel dates.
- India will issue a document the following day, October 15, with these dates DATE OF ISSUE OF ETA : 15/OCT/2024 And DATE OF EXPIRY OF ETA : 14/NOV/2024
- You think the ETA is invalid because you leave India on November 20, not November 14 😰
The dates indicated on the ETA are the dates between which you must enter in India.
From the date of entry, you have 30 days in the country.
In this case, you must arrive in India between October 15 and November 14. Perfect timing, since you're arriving on October 29! When you arrive, you'll get a stamp in your passport allowing you to stay until November 28, regardless of whether the ETA shows an expiry date of November 14. Leaving India on November 20, all's well!
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