Indian e-Tourist Visa

India has introduced Indian e-Tourist Visa (eTV) last year and Malaysian can take advantage of this starting from August 2015.

You can apply for this eTV if your purpose of visit to India is for sightseeing, recreation, visiting relatives/friends, short duration medical treatment or casual business visit.

I am in India now for work meetings. Business visa needs invitation letter from the company I am visiting in India, my company letter and some other documents so I would need longer time to prepare for it. And existing visa needs you to go in person to the visa agents to submit your application and register the biometric data.

I have no time for all that!!

So relieved the Indian government introduced this as it's really convenient to apply it online.

What you need to do/prepare:

1. Fill in the online application form

2. Upload your visa photo

3. Upload the front page of your passport

4. Pay the visa fee - USD 48 for Malaysian (fees vary according to country)
update June 2018: the fee has increased to USD 80

Check out this website to apply for the eTV and for more details on eligibility, requirements, fees etc.   

Once approved, the eTV will be emailed to you. The eTV is valid for 4 months (2 entries).

It is recommended to apply the eTV minimum 4 days in advance from the date of your arrival. I applied on Saturday afternoon and I was actually quite worried cos the website does not mention the minimum 4 days in advance includes weekend or not, and I was scheduled to fly on Thursday.

Surprisingly, my eTV was approved less than 24 hours! Received my eTV on Sunday morning.

This is how the eTV looks like.

Print it out and carry it with you when you travel to India. 

Then at Indian airport immigration area, follow the signage for the e-Tourist visa cos there are separate lanes for eTV holder to capture your biometric data.

Reference : My visa application in 2011.