India visa and entry requirements

India's e-Visa instructions say the passport should have at least six months' validity at the time of applying for the e-Visa and at least two blank pages for stamping. The UK Foreign Office tells British nationals their passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date they arrive and at least 2 blank pages.

At least 2 blank pages required. Compare every country

• Yellow fever (ICVP) — India's Bureau of Immigration says anyone arriving from or transiting through a yellow fever endemic country by air or sea must hold a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate, and that foreigners or Indians (excluding infants below six months) arriving without one who have visited or transited such an area will be kept in quarantine for up to 6 days. It lists 30 notified endemic countries in Africa and 13 in South America.
• Polio (OPV/IPV) (Vaccination certificate) — WHO's country list says India requires proof of oral polio vaccination, taken at least 4 weeks before departure, from resident national travellers from polio-endemic countries (Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan) and from countries with poliovirus circulation following importation (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Syria).

No official source we could read states a travel-insurance requirement for India. The UK Foreign Office advises checking before you travel that you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation.

India's e-Visa instructions say the foreigner should have a return ticket or onward journey ticket, with sufficient money to spend during the stay in India.

India's e-Visa instructions say the foreigner should have a return ticket or onward journey ticket, with sufficient money to spend during the stay in India. No official source we could read states an amount.

• Designated eVisa entry points — The e-Visa portal says eVisa holders will be allowed to enter India only through the designated international airports (36 on its checkpoint list) and seaports listed on the e-Visa website. indianvisaonline.gov.in ↗(opens in a new tab)
• e-Arrival Card — India's visa portal says foreign nationals and OCI/eOCI cardholders must complete and submit the e-Arrival Card, a free service of Indian Immigration, and that it can be submitted online within 72 hours before arrival at boi.gov.in or indianvisaonline.gov.in or via the official 'Indian Visa Su-Swagatam' app. It says this is for arrival information, not a visa. (within 72 hours before arrival) indianvisaonline.gov.in ↗(opens in a new tab)
• Air Suvidha Self-Declaration Form — The Air Suvidha portal says all international passengers arriving in India are required to submit a health self-declaration online through the portal before arrival. It says the form is free of cost, can be filled up to 72 hours before arriving, is mandatory under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and that the registration number is presented at the health desk on landing. (within 72 hours before arrival) airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in ↗(opens in a new tab)
  Verified Oct 7, 2026 · Source: airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in (opens in a new tab) · gov.uk (opens in a new tab) says The form should be completed up to 24 hours before arrival.. We follow the source above: it ranks higher (law, then the authority running the procedure, then the destination's ministry, then international compilations, then other governments' advice).

Under section 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, a foreigner who stays in India beyond the period for which the visa was issued can be punished with imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of up to three lakh rupees, or both. The Bureau of Immigration says violating Indian visa rules is likely to affect future entry into India or future visas.

Done by the accommodation.

Every keeper of accommodation must have each foreign guest, including Overseas Citizen of India cardholders, give their particulars and sign on arrival, and record the date and time of departure and the onward address. Accommodation includes boarding houses, paying guest houses, hostels, rented accommodation, home stays, tents and hospitals, among other premises. The keeper must send a completed Form III (Form C) electronically to the Registration Officer as soon as possible, and no later than 24 hours after the foreigner arrives. The foreigner must give the keeper the particulars asked for. Subject to sub-section (3), the Act's duty does not apply to residential premises of a non-commercial nature. Breaches of the Act or its rules for which no specific punishment is provided are punishable by up to three years' imprisonment, a fine of up to three lakh rupees, or both.

If not done: Breaching the Act or its rules where no specific punishment is provided: imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of up to three lakh rupees, or both (Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, s. 23(b)).

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India's customs guide for travellers says you must declare to Customs on a Currency Declaration Form when foreign exchange exceeds USD 10,000 or its equivalent and/or foreign currency notes exceed USD 5,000 or equivalent, and that residents may carry INR 25,000 abroad. Canada's travel advice says non-residents are prohibited from importing or exporting the Indian rupee.

• India's customs guide for travellers says a passenger may bring up to 100 cigarettes and two litres of alcoholic liquor or wine duty-free, and new articles up to the General Free Allowance of ₹25,000 for tourists of foreign origin (₹75,000 for residents, tourists of Indian origin and foreigners with a valid visa other than a tourist visa), under the Baggage Rules, 2026.
• The UK Foreign Office says it is illegal to possess and operate satellite phones and GPS devices in India without a licence, even if you are only transiting, and that you can be fined or arrested and the item confiscated.