Visa Requirements for Indian Citizens

Visa requirements for Indian nationals are entry restrictions that the authorities of other countries place on travelers from India. The Indian passport is currently ranked as the 84th most powerful in terms of travel freedom, according to the Henley Passport Index.

Visa requirements may vary for citizens from India depending on the territory they are planning to visit, the purpose of the visit and the expected period of stay inside their borders.

There are approximately 40 countries around the world that Indians can visit without obtaining a visa or with a visa on arrival at the border checkpoints.

The majority of visa-exempt countries for nationals of India allow travelers to gain entry to their borders for purposes such as tourism, business, or to transit to another country.

The period of permitted stay depends on the visa policy of the destination and may vary between 1 and 6 months. Indian citizens may also travel to Nepal and Bhutan visa-free for an unlimited period of stay.

For some other visa-free countries for Indian passport holders, it may be necessary to pre-register for an electronic travel authorization to receive permission to enter their borders.

Travelers who are planning to visit these territories for longer period of stays, as well as to visit visa-required countries, need to obtain travel authorization. This may vary between an electronic visa, a visa on arrival, or an embassy visa.

List of Visa Countries for Indian Passport Holders

Travelers from Indian that are planning a trip to any territory not on the visa-free country list for Indian passport holders, are required to get an approved visa to travel.

There are currently around 210 countries on the visa required country list for Indian nationals. The travel authorization required will depend on the territory of destination, as well as the purpose of the visit and the length of intended stay.

This can vary between an embassy visa from a consulate of the destination territory, a visa on arrival from a border entry point, or an eVisa through an online application.

Indian passport holders are required to obtain a visa before departure from India for around 160 countries from an embassy or consulate. For another 30 countries, citizens from India have the option to submit an electronic visa application, which greatly expedites the process.

Approximately 20 countries offer Indian travelers the option to obtain a travel document in their destination, by completing a visa on arrival application. However, some of these territories also offer an eVisa option, which eliminates the need to wait in long queues at a border checkpoint.
Find below all of the main destinations for which Indian nationals require a visa.

Electronic Travel Visa Authorization

Electronic Travel Visa Authorization systems permit Indian nationals to apply for either an electronic visa waiver or an eVisa for their country of destination, eliminating the need to apply for a travel document in person.

Some of the visa-free countries for Indian passport holders require travelers from India to submit an electronic visa waiver registration to pre-screen potential security risks. Other visa-required territories have established an online eVisa to expedite the application process.

To obtain an electronic travel visa authorization for Indian citizens, it is usually necessary to fill in a simple online application with personal and passport information, as well as to answer some security related questions. Once approved, an eVisa or online visa waiver is often electronically linked to the traveler’s Indian passport.

An electronic travel visa authorization for nationals of India may permit either a single entry or multiple entries and allow the holder a stay of between 8 and 120 days, depending on the country of destination.

Many electronic travel authorization or eVisas for citizens of Indian are valid for multiple years from the date of issue, which means that travelers do not need to submit a new application before every trip.

Find below a list of the countries that Indian citizens can visit by submitting an Electronic Travel Visa Authorization.

COUNTRIES FOR NATIONALITY

  • Angola
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Benin
  • Cambodia
  • Cape Verde
  • Colombia
  • Djibouti
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ethiopia
  • Georgia
  • Guinea
  • Hong Kong
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Ivory Coast
  • Jamaica
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Lesotho
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Mexico
  • Moldova
  • Mongolia
  • Morocco
  • Myanmar
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Russian Federation
  • Rwanda
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Togo
  • Turkey
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vietnam
  • Zambia

Visa on Arrival

A visa on arrival for Indian passport holders is a type of travel document that Indian citizens may obtain upon arrival at border checkpoints in certain territories.

Indian nationals who are traveling to a visa on arrival country may go directly to a border checkpoint to obtain a visa on arrival application form from an immigration officer. This often involves the need to wait in long queues.

After completing the form with personal, passport, and travel information, it is normally necessary to pay a visa on arrival fee, which may only be accepted in cash and in the local currency.

The majority of the territories for which Indian nationals can obtain a visa on arrival permit a stay of between 7 days and 3 months with this kind of travel document.

Some of the countries for which Indian passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival, also have an electronic visa application available. This option allows travelers to apply for a visa before departure from India and greatly expedites the process, eliminating the need to wait in line at the border.

Below you can find a list of all the countries where Indian citizens can obtain a visa on arrival.