If you are planning to travel to India for business, it is crucial to understand and abide by the entry regulations set by the Indian authorities. The authorities of any country or territory you are travelling to is responsible for setting the entry requirement regulations. Therefore, if you aren’t clear with any aspect of entry requirement or need any further assistance, it is ideal to contact the embassy, consulate or high commission of the country you are travelling to.

Here we have covered almost all the necessary information which every British Citizen must know before travelling to India for business. The information mentioned below is for individuals who have full ‘British Citizen’ passport or are holding dual nationality.

Things you must know about Indian Visa

You will need to acquire a valid Visa before visiting India. From April 1^st, 2017, the duration of stay on Indian e visa has been extended from 30 days to 60 days. Tourist and business e-visa holders get double entry whereas medical e-visa holders get triple entry.

Before you apply for an e-Tourist Visa, it is recommended to check whether you are eligible for an e-Tourist Visa or not. For instance, below mentioned passport holders aren’t:

• British subject
• British protected person
• British national (overseas)
• British overseas citizen
• British Overseas Territories citizen

To know more about eligibility criteria, you can check out official website of  E-Tourist Visa by Government of India. Individuals who meet the eligibility criteria could apply for dual entry e-Tourist Visa to enter India from designated airports.

Indian Visa Application Form:

• It is necessary for the travelers to sign their own application form. The signature on the application form must match to the signature on the traveler’s passport.
• The Visa form must be printed on 2 pages and the applicant must sign on both the pages. On the first page, sign under the photograph and on the second page at the bottom.

 Travelers of Pakistani origin

All the Pakistani origin applicants who are holding a dual British and Pakistan nationality individuals needs to mandatorily apply for an Indian visa on their Paki Passport. If the applicant has cancelled their Pakistani passport, valid documentary proof must be submitted for the same. Generally, visa processing time for a Pakistani origin is 7 to 8 weeks. The processing time will be longer for those who are holding dual nationality.

Others points to keep in mind:

Passport validity: The passport of the traveler must be machine readable. Bureau of immigration in India has declared that all those foreign nationals who have non-machine-readable passport will be denied entry.  Next, the traveler’s passport must have at least 2 blank pages for the visa and a validity of minimum 180 days at the time of application. The guidelines related to the validity of passport on arrival in India are a little unclear. Therefore, having at least 180 days of validity is essential. 

Airport tax: In general, airport tax is included in the airline tickets. However, if you are asked to pay the same at the check-in counter, you will need to pay it in Indian Rupees. The fees are approximately around Rs. 1000 per international traveler and Rs. 150 to 260 for domestic traveler.

Yellow fever certification: Verify whether you need a yellow fever certification to entre India by visiting National Travel Health Network.

Medication: You can carry medicines to India as far as you have prescription for the same. Psychotropic substances and Narcotic Drugs are prohibited.

Lastly, it is recommended that before you apply for an e-Visa, make sure that the website you are using is genuine and authentic. There are many scam websites, which offer e-Tourist Visa services.