Can I travel to India with a visa on an old passport?

Yes, you can travel to India with a valid visa stamped in your old passport, but you must also carry your new passport. Indian immigration shows tolerance to using visas on expired passports when the visa has not expired yet and your personal data still match. To have a trouble-free trip, be sure to carry both passports along with you, and make sure to confirm your documents prior to departure.

Note: This rule applies only to sticker visas placed in old passports. If you have an Indian e-Visa, you only need to carry your new passport along with a printed copy of the e-Visa.

Validity of Visa on Old Passport

Getting a new passport does not automatically make the Indian visa in your old passport invalid. The visa remains valid until its expiry date provided that the visa sticker is genuine, unaltered, and not damaged. 

A visa on an old passport remains valid if:

• The visa has not expired.
• The old passport is not damaged or lost.
• Personal details (such as name and nationality) match with those on the new passport.

What You Need to Carry

• Old Passport With Valid Visa—This is the document where your Indian visa was originally issued. Although the passport would have expired, the visa is valid until it expires.
• New Passport—You must carry your new valid passport for international travel. It is the document that serves your current nationality, identity, and the validity to international travel.
• Uniformity of Personal Information—Your old passport (with the visa) should be matched in key details, especially your name, nationality, and passport details with your new passport. In case of a change in personal details (e.g., because of a change of name through marriage), you should carry official documentation to indicate the same.

Situations Where You May Face Issues

• Mutilated or Damaged Visa: In case you damage or mutilate your visa sticker or stamp on the old passport, it may be rejected.
• Expired Passport and Expired Visa: In case both the passport and the visa have expired, a new visa must be obtained on a new passport.
• Mismatch of Details: A mismatch of details in the new passport and lack of supporting ones may deny entry on the part of immigration authorities.

Travel Tips

• Always keep both the passports with you: the old one has the visa and the valid one.
• At the airport during check-in, proactively inform the airline staff that your valid visa is in your old passport and present both passports together to avoid any confusion.
• You should verify the validity of your visa before travelling.
• If you have changed any personal details (such as your name or nationality), contact the nearest Indian embassy or consulate in advance to confirm your visa’s validity before travelling.