Your Guide to India e-Visas: Which One Is Right for Your Trip in 2025?

Are you planning a vacation to India? For a wide range of tourists, including adventure climbers, film crews, transit passengers, and people with personal links to India, India provides a number of specific e-Visa categories. The Mountaineering e-Visa, the Transit e-Visa, the e-Entry Visa, and the Film e-Visa are the four main e-Visa choices that we break down in this article. The eligibility requirements, allowed activities, and length of stay for each category help you select the appropriate visa depending on the reason for your trip. 

Whether you're climbing in the Himalayas, traveling through an Indian airport, reconnecting with relatives, or filming a project, this article will walk you through all you need to know before applying.

What is the India Mountaineering e-Visa?

The India Mountaineering e-Visa is a dedicated visa category for foreign nationals traveling to India with the sole purpose of joining mountaineering or trekking expeditions. This visa is essential for climbers heading into India’s high-altitude regions, such as the Himalayan ranges, the highlands of Kashmir, or the Ladakh mountain regions, where all expeditions must be coordinated and approved.

Important reminder for travelers before applying for the India Mountaineering eVisa

Before applying for the visa, every climber is required to obtain official permission from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) — the organization responsible for overseeing and authorizing mountaineering activities across the Himalayas. IMF approval must be secured at least four months in advance, as applicants must submit complete expedition details for review.

Requirements for the India Mountaineering e-Visa

Once the expedition is approved, travelers must follow India’s multi-step visa procedure, which includes:

• Submitting an online visa application, 
• Attaching all mandatory documents.

Travelers should know the required documents for the India Mountaineering eVisa (Single entry for 6 months):

• The visa form was completed via the India e-Visa Service. 
• A compliant 2x2-inch photo, 
• A copy of your passport, 
• An IMF permission letter, 
• A detailed expedition itinerary,
• Proof of sufficient funds for the duration of your stay.

The India Mountaineering eVisa is specifically designed to ensure that expedition members enter India legally, with full authorization for their climbing objectives, and with proper documentation supporting their time in the country.

Apply for your Mountaineering visa via the India e-Visa Service today

What is the India Film e-Visa?

The India Film e-Visa is a specific visa category for overseas actors, crew members, and production professionals visiting India for film-related productions. This visa may only be obtained after receiving formal filming clearance from The India Cine Hub (ICH) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. 

The India e-Film Visa can be granted for applicants working on:

• Feature films
• Reality TV 
• Web Shows/ Series
• Commercial TV Serials

The requirements documents for the India Film e-Visa

Before applying for the India Film e-Visa, foreign applicants should have:

• A Permission Letter issued by The India Cine Hub (ICH), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
• Full details on all foreign cast and crew members that match the details submitted to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

Then, you can apply for an India Film e-Visa (Multiple entries for 1 year) via the India e-Visa Service with some requirements, including:

• Passports of all international cast and crew coming to India must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival.
• A recent passport-sized picture was supplied during the online application.
• A detailed explanation of the film project.
• Details of the cast and crew traveling to India.

The India Film e-Visa allows foreign production companies to legally undertake shooting, scouting, and technical work in India while adhering to all government standards, making the country's various landscapes and rich cultural settings available to worldwide filmmakers.

Reminder: important information about the India Film e-Visa

To have a smooth processing when applying for an India Film Visa, you should note some key points:

• Foreign cast and crew entering India on a Film eVisa will be employed by the company that has obtained film-shoot permission. 
• The international cast and crew that come to India on a Film eVisa for a film shoot must be hired by the foreign company that obtained authorization to shoot the film in India. The company will be responsible for the actors and staff.
• If applicants stay in India for more than 180 days, they need to register with the  Foreigner’s Regional Registration Office (FRRO), and are not required unless their stay does not exceed 180 days.

Note: India Film eVisa is also accessible for Recce/Location Scouting in India. Based on the Ministry of I&B's suggestion, the Indian Mission will provide a Film visa for the necessary time for a location-based recce. 

What is an India Transit eVisa?

A Transit e-Visa is issued to a foreigner for the express purpose of allowing visitors to travel through India to a destination outside of India. 

The validity of the India Transit e-Visa

A Transit e-Visa is valid for double entries and must be used within 30 days of being issued. Please check your nationality before applying for an India Transit eVisa on the India e-Visa Service.

A Transit e-visa is only authorized for a straight transit, which cannot be more than three days each visit. This period cannot be extended except in the event of an exceptional emergency, such as a strike, traffic interruption, harsh weather, illness, or so on.

Transit e-Visa for travelers through India to a destination outside India

Requirement for India Transit eVisa

To apply for an India Transit eVisa, applicants must prepare the following documents:

• Completed Online Visa Application Form: Filled and submitted via the India e-Visa Service.
• A Recent Passport-Sized Photograph should meet India’s official photo specifications (color photo, plain background, correct size).
• Valid Passport with at least 6 months of validity remaining and 2 blank pages for stamping.
• Passport Bio-Page Copy: A clear photocopy of the data page showing personal details and passport validity.
• Confirmed Onward / Connecting Flight Ticket: Proof of travel to a third country, showing you will depart India within the permitted transit period.

Note: A foreign national traveling through India in direct air travel is exempt from the need for a transit visa as long as they stay inside the designated airport premises. If a foreigner stays on the ship when it stops at an Indian port, they do not need a transit visa. 

What is the India Entry Visa?

The India Entry Visa is a unique type of visa granted to people who want to visit India for a specified, non-tourist, non-business reason. It is frequently given to persons of Indian origin who are NOT in possession of an OCI card, spouses and children of Indian citizens/persons of Indian origin, or OCI cardholders traveling for extended periods of time for purposes not covered by tourist, business, or work visas.

Apply Entry e-Visa in India e-Visa Services today for family

The validity of the India Entry e-Visa

The validity of the Entry eVisa is typically 3 months from the date of first entry into India, with multiple entries allowed.

The Entry e-Visa gives qualified foreign nationals a legal means to reside in India for personal, familial, or cultural reasons without having to work for pay or conduct business.

Requirement for India Entry e-Visa

To have a smooth processing of the India Entry eVisa, you need to prepare some essential documents, including: 

• Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of your visa application, with at least two blank pages for stamping.
• Copy of Voter ID card/ Indian Passport of the parent/ spouse, who is a citizen of India. Or a Copy of the cancelled/ surrendered Indian passport with surrender certificate (for those who have surrendered an Indian passport in or after 2010), in the case of Persons of Indian origin. Or a Copy of the OCI card of the parent/ spouse, in the case of those who hold a valid OCI card.
• Copy of Birth/Marriage Certificate.
• A recent passport-sized photograph should meet India’s official photo specifications.

Note: Foreigners with Entry e-Visa who are married to Indian nationals and whose Indian spouse has either passed away or filed for divorce should get in touch with their jurisdictional FRRO as soon as possible.

Conclusion

The Mountaineering e-Visa, Transit e-Visa, Entry e-Visa, and Film e-Visa are four distinct e-Visa options tailored to your travel purpose, whether you're planning a Himalayan adventure, making a quick stopover, reuniting with family, or filming a creative project. It's crucial to select the visa type that best suits your trip because each one has different requirements for admission, duration, and eligibility.

To guarantee your application is accurate, compliant, and stress-free, apply for your visa via India e-Visa Services, an independent visa assistance service trusted by thousands of foreign visitors. To assist you in traversing the procedure successfully, our skilled staff offers step-by-step instruction, document verification, and prompt customer service. With clear instructions, upfront pricing, and expert support, we make your India e-Visa application faster, easier, and more dependable – allowing you to confidently plan your trip.