A Full Guidance And Documentation On India Tourist Visa For US Citizens!

August 28, 2017

There is no need of Indian visa for the Indian citizens or for the citizens of the neighboring countries like Nepal and Bhutan. But the travelers, who live in other countries, really require a visa to travel in India. A visa is a type of travel document that is provided to the traveler for the citizenship of the country.

The most vulnerable things that you must know are what type of visa you should apply for, the validity of your visa and Visa fee. But when you want to travel India for tourist purposes such as recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends/relatives, a ‘TOURIST VISA’ is required.

So, here are the following steps for a detailed understanding of what are the requirements of India Tourist visa for US Citizens.

How to Apply for a Tourist Visa:

You can now apply for your visa online by following the below steps. All you have to do to fulfill the requirements of your application form, place your current photograph in the required field and attach all the other relevant documents with your form. Then submit it to the closest service center.

Step 1:

Check on the Indian Government site and click on the “Regular Visa Application” option.

Step 2:

After that, Online Visa Application form will open. So, read and follow the site instruction to fill the form with the required information.

Step 3: Photographs:

When your form is completed, print it, sign it, date it and attach the official passport photos in the required field.

Post the current photograph on the visa application form but ensure that the photo on a visa application is not same as the photo on your passport.
Attach the colored photograph and it should be in square shape or in 2 by 2 inches. But do not staple and tape the Photographs.
You can also upload a photo in the form online.

Step 4: Proof of state residency:

Attach the following documents as your proof of address with your application:

A photocopy of driver license/ID of your state is the best proof of address. The address on the ID is same as the address on your visa application.

You can also attach the photocopy of the most recent major utility bill like Water, Gas, and Electric/copy of a valid and current lease containing the signature of your landlord.

Step 5: Other General Information:

Make sure that everything you mention in the application form is correct. After attaching the documents, select the “Verified and Continue” option for the further information.

After that, a confirmation box will appear on the next page that contains the Applicant Name and File Number. But the Indian Embassy does not permit any application if you filled it with incorrect information and handwritten corrections also are not accepted.

If you want to correct the information after the print, then apply for a new online application form.

Step 6:

Pay your visa fee online or by cash/money order at the time of your appointment.

Step 7: Submit your application

You can submit your application at the India visa center. Or, you can also mail the application form with your passport and other required documentation to the specified address.

Step 8: Track the status:

Track the status of your application on the website. Visas typically take seven to nine Tourist days to process and return.

Other India Tourist Visa Requirements:

Applicants under the Age of 18:

You must have a copy of the child/Minor’s birth certificate.
Carry a copy of signed passports of your parents.
A minor child should sign their name inside the signature box under the photo on the first page of the application.
The visa application must be signed by both parents.
A copy of a parent’s driver license/utility bill for the proof of residential address in the US.
If they have a copy of the canceled India Passport, then they may complete a Renunciation certificate and submit it.

For Atlanta: Copy of both sides of Permanent Resident Card, Tourist Authorization Card or passport pages showing valid, long term US visa either parent is a foreign citizen.

For San Francisco:

Must have original, notarized Parental Authorization for Minors
And also a copy of each parents’ bank statements. It will count as acceptable documents when Parents’ joint account statements will have both parents’ names.

Eligibility:

A tourist visa is valid for those who would like to visit India on the purpose for tourism or other non-business related purposes.

You are required to possess a valid passport with a valid Indian visa before you start your travel to India. Every visitor, including minor children, must have a valid Indian visa to travel India.

Duration & Validity:

Generally, Tourist Visa is issued with multiple entry endorsements.
The validity of Tourist Visa starts from the date of visa issuance not from the date of entry into India.
The duration of stay for visitors is up to 6 months from the date of entry.
Tourist Visa validity could be up to 10 years.

Short term visas that are less than 10 years duration are only granted to applicants who:

Have already applied for PIO / OCI and are awaiting process completion
Applicants applying for Emergency visas
For Minors (5 years only)

No Permit is needed if the visa holder is traveling to neighboring countries of India for tourism purposes on the same itinerary. For that, you must have a copy of the itinerary to show the Immigration Officer.

The extension of stay is not granted for Tourist VISA.

India Tourist Visa cost:

Complete the Global Reservation Form. Make sure that the same number of months is selected on both forms and pay the fee according to your visa validity at the Visa Application Center.

This mandatory information will help you to know, how to apply for a Tourist visa to India from the USA. All you have to do is to read and follow the instructions, requirements and the validity of Tourist Visa.

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