Visa Requirements for Indian Citizens
All About the Visa Requirements for Indians
When we talk about the visa requirements for Indians, we are referring to the entry policies that apply to Indians travelling abroad. These requirements will vary from country to country but can be broadly divided into 4 categories: visa-exempt, eVisa (Electronic Visa), Visa on Arrival (VoA) or embassy visa.
If you have a passport from India and wish to visit another country, you will need to verify the visa requirements for Indian visitors before you go. For some destinations, it can take several weeks to get the permit you need to travel there, so make sure you check the regulations well in advance of your trip.
What’s more, these general entry requirements are for people travelling for tourism, to visit relatives, or on a business trip. When you travel for other reasons, such as for work, or to study in the country, the requirements will be different, and it is likely you will need a specific visa.
In recent times, the Indian passport is ranked 84th for most freedom of movement on the global passport ranking system. This is according to the Henley Passport Index, which gathers data on every passport in the world and analyses the number of countries each passport can visit, either without a visa or with a Visa on Arrival to create a global ranking index.
Read on to find out more about the different visa requirements for Indian citizens, so you can start planning your next trip!
Contents
- 1 How Many Visa-Free Countries for Indians Are There?
- 2 What Are the Visa-Free Countries for the Indian Passport?
- 3 Which Countries Offer a Visa on Arrival for Indian Citizens?
- 4 Where Is an Embassy or Consulate Visa Required for Indian Citizens?
- 5 Countries Where a Visa Is Not Permitted
- 6 Countries with Upcoming New Visas in 2022
How Many Visa-Free Countries for Indians Are There?
Indian citizens may visit a total of 57 countries without a visa or with a Visa on Arrival (VoA). In some cases, you may also be able to get an Electronic Visa (eVisa), which means you can apply online from the comfort of your home and receive your travel document by email.
So what do these different entry requirements mean exactly?
- Visa-free: This is when you can travel to a country with just your passport, without needing to get any additional documents.
- VoA: This is when you do need a visa, but you can get it from border authorities as you arrive in the country.
- e-Visa: This is when your visa con be processed online in advance, and you don’t need to visit the embassy or consulate in person. This system is becoming increasingly used worldwide.
In any case, the length of stay permitted varies from destination to destination, but it tends to be between 1 and 6 months. If you decide to stay longer than the number of days allowed, you will need to visit an immigration office in the country and apply for a specific entry pass.
Popular Destinations to Visit With an Indian Passport
Would you like some inspiration for your next trip? Check out these incredible destinations and read up on the visa requirements for Indian citizens by clicking on the link.
What Are the Visa-Free Countries for the Indian Passport?
Are you looking for a hassle-free holiday? Here is the list of visa-free countries for Indians:
Barbados | Bhutan | British Virgin Islands |
Cook Islands | Dominica | El Salvador |
Fiji | Grenada | Haiti |
Indonesia | Jamaica | Macao |
Mauritius | Micronesia | Montserrat |
Nepal | Niue | Qatar |
Senegal | Serbia | St. Kitts and Nevis |
St. Vincent and the Grenadines | Trinidad and Tobago | Vanuatu |
These countries offer the easiest solution for a great holiday, minus the headache of getting a travel authorisation. It also makes them top options for a spontaneous getaway, as you won’t need to worry about getting any permits before travelling.
Although you don’t need a travel authorisation for these countries, you may need to show other documents or fulfill certain criteria to be allowed to enter. This is why you should always check the specific criteria for the destination that has captured your attention.
Here are some of the most common visa requirements for Indians:
- Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months.
- You should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport.
- You must be able to provide evidence of return flights or onward travel tickets.
- You must show proof you have the financial means to cover the cost of your trip (e.g. bank statement, proof of employment).
Remember: the list of visa-free countries for India only applies to leisure trips and business trips, and in most cases, different requirements apply to those travelling to study or work in the country.
In addition, the length of stay granted to visitors varies from country to country. For instance, Serbia and Indonesia allow Indian visitors 30 days, meanwhile you can stay in Fiji for up to 4 months.
If you are planning an extended trip, you will be pleased to know that Indian citizens can stay in Nepal and Bhutan for as long as you wish. In the latter, the entry exemption applies only to the areas of Thimphu and Paro, while you will need a special permit to visit other areas.
Spectacular Bhutan is notoriously difficult to visit when it comes to permits and visas, so you should feel very lucky that this country requires no visa for Indian passport holders, if you are interested to visit!
What’s more, you can learn more about the visa-free countries for Indians on this page.
Which Countries Offer a Visa on Arrival for Indian Citizens?
Here is the list of countries that provide a Visa on Arrival for Indian passport holders:
Bolivia | Botswana | Cambodia |
Cape Verde Islands | Comores Islands | Ethiopia |
Gabon | Guinea-Bissau | Iran |
Jordan | Laos | Madagascar |
Maldives | Marshall Islands | Mauritania |
Mozambique | Myanmar | Palau Islands |
Rwanda | Samoa | Seychelles |
Sierra Leone | Somalia | Sri Lanka |
St. Lucia | Tanzania | Thailand |
Timor-Leste | Togo | Tuvalu |
Uganda | Zimbabwe |
Although you won’t need to get your travel permit before your trip, the process of getting a VoA can take some time when you land, as there tend to be queues.
Aside from the waiting time, the process is simple: you will need to fill out a short form and present it with your passport to border officials, who will proceed to grant you a visa in the form of a stamp in your passport.
Alternatively, you may be able to get your entry pass beforehand online with an eVisa. In this case, we highly recommend you follow this route to save you time when you arrive at your destination. After all, nobody wants to spend their holiday in immigration queues. Destinations that offer the eVisa service to Indian travellers include Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Tanzania.
Once you have decided on a destination, don’t forget to check the specific requirements for the eVisa or Visa on Arrival for Indian citizens, and what documents you will need to provide to authorities to be issued one.
Finally, most countries in this list allow Indian nationals to stay for 30 days in the country. There are a few exceptions where you may be granted less time and some destinations which allow Indian citizens with a VoA or e-Visa to stay for 90 days, such as Kenya and Tanzania.
Where Is an Embassy or Consulate Visa Required for Indian Citizens?
Here is the list of countries that require Indian passport holders to get a visa from an embassy or consulate to enter:
Afghanistan | Aland Islands | Albania |
Algeria | American Samoa | Andorra |
Antarctica | Argentina | Aruba |
Austria | Azerbaijan | Bahamas |
Bangladesh | Barbados | Belarus |
Belgium | Belize | Bermuda |
Bonaire | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Botswana |
Brazil | British Indian Ocean Territory | British Virgin Islands |
Brunei Darussalam | Bulgaria | Burkina Faso |
Burundi | Cameroon | Canada |
Cayman Islands | Central African Republic | Chad |
Chile | China | Christmas Island |
Cocos Islands | Congo | Cook Islands |
Costa Rica | Croatia | Cuba |
Curacao | Czech Republic | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Denmark | Dominican Republic | Egypt |
Equatorial Guinea | Eritrea | Estonia |
Falkland Islands | Faroe Islands | Finland |
France | French Guiana | French Polynesia |
Gambia | Germany | Ghana |
Gibraltar | Greece | Greenland |
Guadeloupe | Guam | Guatemala |
Guernsey | Guyana | Honduras |
Hungary | Iceland | Iraq |
Ireland | Isle of Man | Israel |
Italy | Japan | Jersey |
Kiribati | Latvia | Lebanon |
Liberia | Libya | Liechtenstein |
Lithuania | Luxembourg | Macedonia |
Mali | Malta | Martinique |
Mayotte | Monaco | Montenegro |
Montserrat | Morocco | Namibia |
Nauru | Netherlands | New Caledonia |
Nicaragua | Niger | Niue |
Norfolk Island | North Korea | Northern Mariana Islands |
Norway | Pakistan | Panama |
Papua New Guinea | Paraguay | Peru |
Philippines | Pitcairn Islands | Poland |
Portugal | Puerto Rico | Republic of Cyprus |
Reunion | Romania | Saint Barthelemy |
Saint Helena | Saint Martin | Saint Pierre and Miquelon |
San Marino | Saudi Arabia | Seychelles |
Sint Maarten | Slovakia | Slovenia |
Solomon Islands | South Africa | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
South Korea | Spain | Sudan |
Suriname | Svalbard and Jan Mayen | Swaziland |
Sweden | Switzerland | Syrian Arab Republic |
Taiwan | Tokelau | Tonga |
Turkmenistan | Turks and Caicos Islands | United Kingdom |
United States | United States Virgin Islands | Uruguay |
Vatican City | Venezuela | Wallis and Futuna |
Yemen |
Indian citizens must get an embassy visa for around 155 countries. Embassy visas take the longest to process and require the most paperwork, compared to the other kinds of entry authorisations.
To get this kind of document, you generally start with getting an appointment at the nearest embassy of the country you wish to visit. This is followed by filling out forms and collecting documents to present at the embassy. After the appointment, you will normally have to wait several weeks before you can collect your passport along with your travel visa.
The documents you will need to provide, and the processing times, can vary considerably from one destination to the next. As such, make sure you check these thoroughly before making your appointment.
Countries Where a Visa Is Not Permitted
If you are travelling on an Indian passport, you will be pleased to know that no country is off limits for your nationality. However, some countries have very strict and thorough policies when it comes to visa requirements for Indians, which can complicate your travel plans.
For some countries, you will need to provide additional documents that could include the following: proof of employment, bank statements, an invitation letter, your birth certificate, your marriage certificate, and even your tax records. Others still, you can only visit through an organised tour.
For this reason, we always recommend checking the entry requirements before you start planning your trip. You may just decide to choose a destination with more straightforward entry policies.
Countries with Upcoming New Visas in 2022
Recently, more countries, such as Oman, joined the list of visa-free countries for India, and the list keeps growing.
What’s more, with more countries rolling out Electronic Visa systems, we can expect the list of countries that require an embassy visa to get smaller and smaller.
In terms of the best value visa for Indian citizens, the Schengen visa is easily the winner, so it’s not surprising that India is one of the top countries to apply for Schengen visas. The great thing about this permit is that once you have it, you gain access to 26 different countries, and you can get a permit that lasts for up to 5 years.
There have also been talks about the possibility of introducing an urgent travel Schengen visa for Indian passport holders for emergencies, short notice business trips, or similar purposes. So keep an eye out for updates!