Entry Rules for India for Russians
We tell you everything you need for a trip to the homeland of spices.
Until recently, getting into India was not so easy: a vaccination certificate, a negative PCR test, and a filled-out health declaration were required.
But now the entry rules to India for Russians (and not only) have been simplified: on November 22, the Indian Ministry of Health announced that all strict COVID measures became recommendatory, which means that none of the above is required for visiting the country anymore.
So what do you need to prepare before traveling to India?
First, decide on the purpose of your trip: tourism, business, medical treatment, conference participation, or a yoga tour. Based on this, choose one of the visa types and apply for it.
Types of Visas
The easiest way to travel to India is to obtain an electronic visa (e-Visa).
It is divided into:
• tourist;
• business;
• conference visa;
• medical;
• attendant visa (for someone traveling with a patient for treatment).
Tourist visas come in three types:
• one-month (valid for 30 days and allows two entries into India);
• one-year;
• five-year.
One-year and five-year visas grant the right to multiple entries into India and the right to stay continuously in its territory for no more than 90 days.
How to Get a Visa
You can apply for an e-Visa for India on the government website.
There you can learn more about each type of visa.
The application procedure is quite simple:
1. On the main page of the website, select the 'apply here for e-visa' window.
2. An electronic application form will open, which you fill out step by step.
You can familiarize yourself with a sample application form here.
1. Pay the visa fee (only with foreign cards).
2. Receive approval within 3–5 days.
The cost of a 30-day visa is $10 from April to June and $25 from July to March. A one-year visa costs $40, and a five-year visa costs $80.
Another option is to apply at a visa center (a more labor-intensive method). Visa centers are available in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
To apply through a visa center, you need to go to the website https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/, select 'for regular / paper visa', fill out the application form, and make an appointment at one of the centers depending on your registration address. On the appointed date, bring two copies of the printed application form with photos attached and a package of documents.
The cost of a single-entry visa is 2,760 rubles, a double-entry is 6,210 rubles, and a multiple-entry is 8,280 rubles.
Application Deadlines
For one-year and five-year tourist visas, as well as other types of non-tourist visas, you can apply a minimum of four days before your trip begins, and a maximum of 120 days.
For a one-month tourist visa, you can apply between 30 and 4 days before the start of your trip.
Required Documents
In the final steps of filling out the application form, you will be asked to upload:
• a copy of the main page of your international passport with personal data (PDF format, minimum size – 10 KB, maximum – 300 KB).
The passport must be valid for at least six months at the time of application and have two blank pages for border stamps.
• a photograph in JPEG format, sized from 10 KB to 1 MB.
Paid tickets to India are not required at the time of filling out the application form.
When crossing the border, you will need:
• international passport;
• printed e-Visa.
You may also be asked to provide:
• return tickets and hotel booking;
• sufficient funds for the period of travel in India (exact amounts are not specified anywhere, but based on prices, $50 per person per day should certainly be enough). The form in which the money should be is also not stated, so both a bank statement and cash will suffice.
Documents for the visa center:
• international passport valid for at least six months from the date of travel + copy of the first page;
• color photograph 3.5 x 4.5 cm;
• round-trip tickets;
• hotel booking;
• copy of Russian passport (first page, pages with registration, and previously issued passports).
Insurance
COVID insurance is no longer on the list of mandatory documents, and having regular medical insurance is not a mandatory entry requirement, but the Russian Embassy in India recommends obtaining one. By the way, there is a polyclinic at the Russian Embassy, and medical points operate at the consulates general.
Healthcare in India for foreign citizens is paid. Its cost is lower than that offered by private clinics in Russia. A doctor's appointment will cost about $10–15, which is almost comparable to the cost of the insurance itself, so it is more profitable to purchase it before traveling. This is especially recommended for those going to India for surfing or diving.
If you do not have insurance, you can contact the Red Cross Organization in Delhi for free medical assistance:
1, Red Cross Road, New Delhi 110001
(+91-11) 23716441/2/3
Rules for Traveling to India with Children
Visas for children are processed separately according to the same rules as for adults.
A child's international passport must also be valid for six months from the date of arrival in India — this applies to children aged 14+. Those younger can travel on a parent's international passport (it must contain an entry about the child with a photo and a stamp). However, such an entry is not made in biometric (10-year) passports, only in 5-year ones.
At the border and at the visa center, a birth certificate (translated into English and notarized) may be required, especially if the child and parent have different surnames.
Also, if a child is traveling with one parent, the following will be required:
• consent for the child's departure from the other parent (translated into English and notarized);
• copy of the international passport of the parent giving consent for departure.
How to Get to India
In January 2021, Russia resumed air travel with India. You can fly directly from Russia on a Moscow — Delhi flight. Aeroflot operates two regular flights a day.
Let's clarify that you can cross the Indian border with an e-Visa in two ways:
1. By air to one of the 29 airports listed on the e-Visa website.
2. By sea, arriving at one of the five permitted ports.
This means that if you decide to come to India by car or bicycle, you need to arrange for a paper visa through a visa center before your trip.
Important condition: if you arrive in India on a charter flight, you can only fly back on a charter flight of the same airline. If you arrived in India on a regular flight, you can also fly out on a regular flight of any airline.
By the way, there are also direct flights and Yekaterinburg to Goa.
Entry Rules for Goa
To visit Goa, you also need an Indian visa — regular or electronic. Air tickets Moscow — Goa for February (the season in Goa is from October to March) cost from 25,000 rubles one way as of early January.
Don't forget that if you didn't leave Goa on your scheduled charter, you can fly out either on a charter of the same airline or on a regular flight, but not from Goa, but, for example, from Delhi or Mumbai.
Entry Rules for the Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands are a protected area. A special permit is required to visit them. If you arrive on the islands from within India, the permit is issued directly at the airport. If you decide to get there by sea, you need to obtain a permit from the immigration service in advance.
How to Pay in India
Visa and Mastercard cards issued by Russian banks do not work abroad. MIR payment system cards are also not accepted in India. The easiest way is to take cash dollars or euros with you and exchange them at official exchange offices upon arrival.
We also recommend exchanging a small amount of money for Indian rupees while still in Russia, so you don't have to exchange money at the airport, as the exchange rate there is usually exorbitant.
Where to Rent a Car or Bike in India
To rent a car or bike in India, you will need an international driving permit. It is worth remembering that traffic in India is left-hand, as well as chaotic and unpredictable, so assess your abilities.
If you do decide to rent a car, international services like Avis and Hertz are available in all major airports and cities. There are also official Indian rentals: Savaari, Bharat Tours, State Express.
Bikes can be rented on the website bikesbooking.com.
How Long Can You Stay in India
The permissible length of stay depends on the visa. One-year and five-year tourist visas allow multiple entries into India and a continuous stay of 90 days.
If India has captivated you, you can try to obtain a residence permit there. It is granted in cases of studying at a private Indian university, starting a business, employment, and investments in the economy of $1.5 million or more. The residence permit is issued for one year, but it can be renewed an unlimited number of times.
And don't forget to subscribe to our Telegram channel! There you'll find: selections of inexpensive tickets, private sales for our subscribers, the most up-to-date news on entry rules for countries around the world, and simply interesting travel content — travel hacks, guides, and expert advice.
