Most visitors hate going to an embassy to obtain a visa, which is quite understandable. It's inconvenient to queue in line, and depending on your place of origin, you may have to go a considerable distance before you can enjoy your planned vacation.
Knowing that difficulty can be an obstacle for travelers from visiting India, in 2014 the Indian government decided to launch a new type of visa called an electronic visa (e-visa).
Travelers from over 150 countries, including Maltese citizens, can apply for an India e-visa. It's convenient because all you need is a computer or a smartphone with an internet connection.
In this article, you can see all information about the India e-visa for Maltese citizens, including e-visa types and requirements.
1. Types of India visas for Maltese citizens
The Indian e-visa is various in type and will not restrict you in most cases. Although the staying time is shorter than the casual type and you will not be allowed to visit or enter some special areas, an e-visa is still a good option for short-term trips, and many more people nowadays like using this visa type for their trips.
To be specific, there are 4 available types of India e-visa for Maltese citizens:
- Indian e-Tourist visa: used when you plan to have a tourism trip to India. With this type of visa, you can stay in India for up to 30 days from the date of your arrival, and cannot be extended or converted.
- Indian e-Business visa: used when you need to enter India for business or other related purposes. With this type of e-visa, you can stay for up to 365 days from the day of granting and multiple times to enter India. Each period of stay shall not exceed 180 days.
- Indian e-Conference visa: used when you need to join a conference organized by a ministry of the Indian government. With this type of e-visa, you can stay in India for up to 30 days with a single entry only.
- Indian e-Medical visa: this type of e-visa gives you an allowance to enter India to get medical and healthcare services. With this e-visa type, you can stay in India for up to 60 days with 03 entry times in total.
- Indian Ayush visa: The Indian government has developed a new visa category called the Ayush (AY) visa, which is designed specifically for foreign individuals seeking treatment in Indian medical systems. On August 2, the administration informed everyone about the new introduction. This visa is aimed for anyone interested in Ayurveda, Yoga, and other traditional forms of therapy and well-being. Ayush visa is a triple entry and valid for 60 days from the issue date
2. India visa requirements for Maltese citizens
Although India e-Visa will do most of the legwork for travelers, they still need to furnish a few documents before applying for their India e-Visa. Travelers will find a list of everything there must submit here:
- Valid passport which is valid for at least 06 months from the date of your arrival and a blank page for verification markings.
- Traveler's digital photo - Just make sure it's current. It is not permitted for tourists to make facial motions in it, and the background should be white. As required, scan and submit it
- A scan of the information page on a passport
- Maltese citizens can pay the visa fee with a credit or debit card.
- Note:
- All these types of visas have 4 months' validity from the granting date. After that time, if you still do not use your e-visa, it will expire and you need to apply again next time.
- You need to be careful when filling in information in an application form because any faulty information can cause the denial of your application or delay for correction.
3. India e-visa fee for Maltese citizens and payment method:
Talking about the payment, you need to know there are 02 kinds of India visa fees: the government and the service fee. In addition, you can add a small fee for Indian travel insurance to increase your chance of getting accepted as well as keep your benefits when you are going to travel overseas.
The government fee is compulsory since Malta is not on the exemption list of India and the service fee is adjustable depending on the service type you choose:
- Normal: this standardized type has a processing time of 3 business days.
- Urgent: the higher service type that can help you get an India e-visa for Maltese citizens within just 24 hours.
- Super urgent: the highest priority type which can take your e-visa within around 5 business hours.
Payment method: you can choose between electronic transactions (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Paypal) or wire transfer (through HSBC bank).
In addition, we also provide services such as Travel esim, and car pick up services, to help customers have the safest and most convenient trip.
India Visa Requirements for Malta Citizens FAQs
Do Maltese citizens need a visa for India?
Yes. Maltese citizens are required to apply for a visa to visit India. The Indian visa for Maltese nationals is now accessible online. The eVisa system allows you to apply for an Indian visa from Malta quickly and efficiently.
The application process is entirely electronic; tourists are not required to visit the Indian embassy at any time.
India offers multiple eVisas depending on the purpose of the travel. The main ones are:
- Tourist eVisa: Suitable for those visiting India for tourism, leisure activities, or visiting friends and family.
- Business eVisa: Intended for individuals traveling to India for business-related activities like meetings or conferences.
- Medical eVisa: For visitors seeking medical treatment in India.
The validity term of an India eVisa might be perplexing due to the variation in expiry dates between 30- and 60-day visas and those lasting for one or five years.
These are the steps to file an Indian visa application from Indonesia successfully:
- Step 1: Complete the application form online.
- Step 2: Check that all of the information you've supplied is correct, and choose your preferred processing time. Pay the Indian visa fees with a credit or debit card, Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, or Amex card.
- Step 3: Pay the application money and submit your Indian eVisa request.
What is an OCI Card?
Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) is a permanent residence option for persons of Indian descent and their spouses. This status grants individuals certain privileges and freedoms in India.
The Indian government launched the OCI program to make it easier for international persons of Indian heritage who hold dual citizenship but do not have Indian passports to go to India. However, because OCI cardholders do not have full Indian citizenship, they have some limits in terms of political rights and the ability to occupy constitutional posts in India. Here are some key points about OCI:
Rights and Benefits:
- OCI cards can enter and depart India without a visa.
- They can stay and work in India indefinitely.
- They can access some economic privileges, such as opening bank accounts, purchasing property, and investing in India.
Limitations:
- They are unable to vote in Indian elections or hold public office.
- They aren’t eligible for some government employment.
- They are unable to acquire agricultural or plantation property.
Validity: The OCI card has lifelong validity.
Can I extend my Indian e-visa?
At this time, electronic Indian Online Visa (eVisa India) cannot be extended. Applying for a new Indian visa online is an easy and uncomplicated process. Once obtained, this Indian visa cannot be extended, canceled, transferred, or amended.
The electronic Indian Online Visa (eVisa India) may be used for the following purposes:
- You are traveling for leisure.
- You are traveling for sightseeing.
- You are here to meet family and relatives.
- You have come to India to meet friends.
- You are enrolled in a yoga program.
- You are attending a course not exceeding 6 months in duration and a course that does not confer a degree or diploma certificate.
- You are here to volunteer for a maximum of 1 month.
- You are here to set up an industrial park.
- You are here to initiate, mediate, complete or continue a business activity.
- You are visiting to sell goods, services or products in India.
- You need products or services from India and intend to purchase or procure them from India.
- You wish to engage in trading activities.
- You need to hire employees or manpower from India.
- You are here for an exhibition, fair, trade show, business summit or business conference.
- You are here as an expert or specialist in new or ongoing projects in India.
- You want to conduct a tour in India.
- You are giving a presentation during your visit.
- You are here to receive medical treatment or to accompany a patient coming for medical treatment.
Electronic Indian Online Visa (eVisa India) permits you to enter India via two modes of transportation: air and sea. You are not permitted to enter India by road or train with this type of visa. You can also enter the nation by any of India's Visa-authorised ports of entry.
Which countries have visa-free access to India?
Only 3 nations have people who do not need a visa to enter India. The following three nations do not require a visa:
- Bhutan
- The Maldives
- Nepal
Citizens of these nations with a valid passport can travel to India without a visa for a maximum of 90 days. These foreign individuals can enter India without a visa from any country except mainland China, where all tourists require a visa.
What vaccinations do I need for India?
Your routine vaccinations should be updated before you travel to India. If you do not have proof of immunity, you may require one or more of the following regular immunizations for India:
Measles-Mumps-Rubella
Your doctor will ensure that you have had your measles-mumps-rubella vaccination. If there is no indication of past immunization, you will most likely be given an initial MMR vaccine or booster.
Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis
You may require a tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (TdapdTpa) vaccine or booster before traveling to India. If your previous vaccine was more than ten years ago, you will be given a booster.
Polio
Polio was prevalent in India until 2014. To preserve a polio-free country, India occasionally needs proof of polio immunization before traveling from a polio-infected country. Anyone visiting India should be up to date on their polio vaccines. If you had the polio vaccine as a kid but never received the booster as an adult, you may be advised to get a dose of the vaccine (IPV).
Can you transit in India without a visa?
Transiting through an airport in India without a visa is feasible if:
- The passenger has a ticket to a third country and the ticket has been verified.
- The planned stay at the Indian airport does not exceed 24 hours.
- The passenger stays within the authorized transit area of the airport.
Travelers whose stay in India is less than 24 hours are advised to book connecting flights on the same ticket during their journey to India. In this way, re-checking baggage for the connecting flight does not require leaving the designated transit zone, thus waiving the requirement for a transit visa.
Visitors are not required to apply for a transit visa to India if they remain on board the ship while it is berthed at an Indian port.
Visitors already in possession of a valid e-visa for India (e.g., an authorized business visa or a medical visa) do not need to apply for a transit visa if the transit time in India exceeds 24 hours. As multiple entry visas to India, these visas allow the holder to enter India multiple times during the validity of the visa.