Embassy of India, United States of America

Address
Chancery
2107 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: (202) 939-7000
Fax: (202) 265-4351
Embassy Hours: 930 AM - 600 PM

Consular Wing
2536 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: (202) 939-9806
Fax: (202) 797-4693

Timings

Consular Services Timings: Applications for all consular services (like issue of new/duplicate passports, visas, renewals and miscellaneous services on passports, legalization/attestation of documents) are accepted between 09:30 AM and 12:30 PM. The passports and other documents, irrespective of date or time of submission, are delivered only between 04:30 PM and 05:15 PM on working days (Embassy Holidays). This time schedule does not apply to services where prior approval is required from the authorities in India.

List of Holidays for the Year 2004

Holiday On Account of	Day
New Year Day	January 1
Republic Day	January 26
Idu'l Zuha (Bakrid)	February 2
Muharram	March 2
Mahavir Jayanti	April 3
Good Friday	April 9
Easter Monday	April 12
Milad-Un-Nabi(Birthday of Prophet Mohammed)	May 3
Budha Purnima	May 4
Independence Day	August 15
Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday	October 2
Dussehra (Vijaya Dasami)	October 22
Diwali (Deepavali)	November 12
Guru Nanak's Birthday	November 26
Idu'l Fitr	November 15
Christmas Day	December 25

Visa Information

Processing Time:

Applications received at the counter between 9.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. are normally processed the same day and serviced passports can be collected from the counter between 4.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. Applications sent by mail will normally take about 7-10 working days to process. This time schedule does not apply to services where prior approval is required from authorities in India, or other Indian embassies for non US Resident applicants. During this period the applicants are advised to refrain from making telephonic/written/ email inquires about the status of the application.

Emergency issue of Visa: In case visa is applied for at the counter after 12.30 pm or on weekends and holidays, an emergency charge of US $ 35 is levied for issue of visa on the same day. Emergency Services are granted on Saturdays and National Holidays to persons of Indian origin only, between 11am and 1pm in case of a genuine emergency like death or illness of a blood relation, subject to production of proof and confirmed air ticket. This service is not available for visa applications sent by mail. You may wish to enquire from the concerned officer about arrangements for such emergency service. The decision of the consular officer in this bodytext shall be final.

Following documents are required to be submitted for visa:

1. Visa application Form

• Kindly use a pen/ball pen only to fill up the visa application form legibly and clearly, in bold (capital) letters. Incomplete and illegible applications may not be processed.
• Name and other relevant particulars should be filled as per details in the passport.

2. Passport, it should have a minimum validity of six months.

3. Photographs; 2 latest passport size photographs (black/white or color) depicting front pose against light background

4. Supporting documents, if the visa being applied for is other than a Tourist Visa, the visa application should be accompanied with supporting documents on type of visa applied for.

5. Visa Fee, Please see "Fee Schedule" for the amount of fee. In case the applications are deposited in person at the counter, visa fee can be paid in cash or by Cashier's Check/Certified Check or Money Order made payable to the Embassy of India, Washington.

6. Persons of Indian Origin applying for a visa for the FIRST time on their passport must submit their Indian passport along with the application form for cancellation and return. If the visa is required on a new US passport booklet, either previous US passport or photocopy of Indian visa is to be submitted with the application.

Note: All persons of Indian origin who have acquired US citizenship are advised to surrender their Indian passports to the nearest Indian mission for cancellation and return. The cancelled Indian passports will be needed at the time of applying for PIO cards.

Note: Personal check is not accepted

Non-US Citizens: Additional requirements

1. Applicants who are not Citizens of USA, but hold long term US visa or a Green Card should submit a copy of the visa or the Green Card.

2. Applicants who are not citizens/ residents of the USA and hold a tourist or other short-term visa for USA should normally apply for Indian visas in the countries of their permanent residence. In case of emergency or special circumstance, an application could be made at the Indian Embassy in Washington DC or Consulates General of India in the US. In addition to the relevant visa fee they should remit an additional US $ 20 for reference to be made to the country of their original residence. The processing time in such cases is usually 5-7 working days.

Note-

(a) Please read the relevant instructions carefully before applying to avoid any inconvenience;

(b) kindly note that the validity of the visa starts from the date of issue and not the date of entry into India)

Special Visa application forms should be filled in by citizens of Pakistan (4 copies with 4 photos) and Bangladesh (2 copies with 2 photos). (It usually takes 3-4 months to process visa applications of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Chinese passport holders).

MAILING SERVICE: Outstation applicants, who are residing in the jurisdiction mentioned above may send their Visa Application Forms by mail. All the documents mentioned above are required to be sent. The embassy is not responsible for documents lost in mail. There is no emergency service in cases where documents are sent by mail. The documents received by various categories of mail like FedEx, Airborne, Certified mail, Registered mail, Express mail , Regular mail etc are treated at par. The processing time for applications received by mail is normally 7-10 working days, after the receipt of the application form. Applicants are requested to refrain from making enquiries during this period.

For return mail, additional mailing charges are payable by the applicants. These charges can be added to the fee and can be paid by one check/money order. Please see return mail charges below. Alternately, the applicant can also send a self-addressed and stamped return envelope for the return mail in lieu of mailing charges

Please note that for the applications sent by mail, the visa fee is neither accepted in cash nor by personal checks. It should be paid by Cashier's Check/Certified Check or Money Order made payable to the Embassy of India, Washington

Return Mail Charges

CERTIFIED MAIL: US $ 5/- per passport and $ 1/- for each additional passport
REGISTERED MAIL: US $ 8/- per passport and $ 1/- for each additional passport
OVERNIGHT MAIL: US $ 15/- per passport and $ 1/- for each additional passport
PRIORITY MAIL: US $ 7/- per passport and $ 1/- for each additional passport

Category of Visas

Note: Change of purpose is not permitted once you have reached India. Depending on the nature of your journey, apply for the correct visa category.

TOURIST VISA: Valid for 6 months to 10 years. Ten (10) year visa is available only to US citizens under a bilateral arrangement. Irrespective of the duration of validity of visa, on each visit maximum period of stay in India is limited to 6 months (180 days). Multiple entry visas are given.

TRANSIT VISA: Valid for single/double entry for a maximum stay of 15 days for bona fide transit purpose only. A copy of the airline ticket needs to be enclosed.

ENTRY VISA: Valid for six months to five years stay with multiple entry is given only to persons of Indian origin. However, members of the family of a person employed in India are also eligible for Entry visa.

BUSINESS VISA: Valid for six month or one/more years with multiple entries. However, the period of stay in India (for each visit) under this category is limited to six months only. A letter from the sponsoring organization indicating nature of applicant's business, probable duration of stay, validity of visa, places and organizations to be visited and also a guarantee to meet maintenance expenses etc. should accompany the application. Business visa valid for ten years with multiple entries is available to foreign businessmen who have set up or intend to set up joint ventures in India.

EMPLOYMENT VISA: An appointment letter, contract letter, applicant's resume and proof that the organization is registered in India are required. Duration of visa would depend on the period of the contract.

STUDENT VISA: (Valid for the period of study in India). Multiple-entry visas are given to bona fide students to pursue regular studies at recognized institutions in India. A letter confirming admission from such an institution along with evidence of financial arrangements for stay in India should accompany the application. In case of admission in medical or paramedical courses in India, a letter of Approval or No objection certificate from the Ministry of Health, Government of India, is also required. Similarly, for admission to graduate or post-graduate courses in engineering/ technical institutions in India, a letter of approval or a No objection certificate from the Ministry of Human Resources Development (Department of Education) is required.

RESEARCH VISA: Approval of Ministry of Human Resources Development (Department of Education), New Delhi, should accompany the visa application. The validity of the visa would coincide with the research period.

MISSIONARIES: Single entry visa valid for the duration approved by the Government of India is issued. Three copies of the letter from the sponsoring organization indicating intended destination in India, expected length of stay, and nature of work to be discharged should be attached along with a guarantee for applicant's maintenance while in India. (Note: Processing of application for a Missionary Visa may take up to three (03) months.)

JOURNALIST VISA: Journalist visa is given to professional journalists and photographers for up to three months' stay in India. (If you are intending to make a documentary in India, kindly contact the Press and Information wing in the Embassy /Consulate General of India). The contact details of the Press and Information Wing of the Embassy of India are available on the web site.

CONFERENCE VISA: A letter of invitation from the organizer of the conference is to be attached along with the visa application. Visas for international conferences, or on certain subjects, as decided by the Government of India from time to time, can be issued

Visa Fee Schedule

Note: Since visa fees are fixed on the basis of reciprocal arrangement/ or special agreements between governments, the fees could differ for citizens of different countries. Visa fee once received is not refunded even if the visa application is withdrawn or visa not granted. The current schedule of visa fees is given below. If you have any doubts, please enquire from the Embassy/Consulate before remitting the amount.

Visa Fee Schedule

Note: Since visa fees are fixed on the basis of reciprocal arrangement/ or special agreements between governments, the fees could differ for citizens of different countries. Visa fee once received is not refunded even if the visa application is withdrawn or visa not granted. The current schedule of visa fees is given below. If you have any doubts, please enquire from the Embassy/Consulate before remitting the amount.

Fee Structure for Visa Services

Type of Visa	US Nationals	Other Nationals
Transit Visa (Single/Double Entry) Validity 15 days only	$ 30	$ 10
All types of Visa other than transit Visa valid up to 6 months (Multiple Entry)	$ 60	$ 40
Student Visa (Valid for over 1 year to 5 years) Multiple Entry	$ 95	$ 75
All type of Visa other than transit Visa valid for over 6 months and up to 1 year (Multiple Entry)	$ 85	$ 65
All types of Visa other than transit Visa valid for over 1 year and up to 5 years (Multiple Entry)	$ 150	$ 130
Tourist/Business Visa - (for US Nationals only) valid for over 5 years and up to 10 years	$ 150	N/A
Transfer of Visa to New Passport	$ 25	$ 5

Visa fee schedule applicable to Sri Lankan Citizens

Type of Visa	Period of Validity	No. of Entries	No. of Entries
Transit Visa	15 days	Single/Double	$ 3
Business Visa	6 months 6 months/1 year 5 years(effective from December 1, 2002)	Single Multiple Multiple	$ 3 $ 9 $ 75
Employment Visa	6 months 6 months 1 year	Single Multiple Multiple	$ 3 $ 6 $ 9
All other Visas including Tourist/Student Visa	6 months 6 months/1 year	Single Entry Multiple Entry	$ 3 $ 6
In addition to above charges, an additional processing fee of US $ 20 is required with each application. Processing time: 10 days

Visa fee for:

a) Pakistani Nationals: $ 2/- (In addition to the above, an additional processing fee of US $ 20/- is required with each application.)
b) Russian Nationals: $ 40
c) Romanian Nationals: $ 6
d) Bangladesh Nationals: Gratis

(However, an additional processing fee of US $ 20/- is required to be submitted with each application)

The Nationals of following countries are granted Gratis Visa:

Afghanistan, Argentina, Bangladesh, Jamaica, Mauritius, Mongolia, Maldives, North Korea (DPRK), Poland, Slovak Republic, South Africa and Uruguay.

No visa is required for nationals of Nepal & Bhutan.

Registration formalities for foreigners visiting India on Long Term Visa

List of documents required at the time of registration with the Foreigners Registration Officer.

(i) Photocopy of the passport and initial visa.
(ii) Four photographs of the applicant.
(iii) Details of residence in India.
(iv) HIV test report from one of the WHO recognized institutions from people in the age group of 15 to 60 years, if the foreigner is visiting India on a visa for more than one year.
(v) Copy of the marriage certificate in case of those seeking extension of stay on grounds of being married to an Indian national.
(vi) Bona-fide certificate from the University/college/institution in case of student visa.
(vii) Accreditation certificate from the Press Information Bureau in case of Journalist visa.
(viii) Approval of the Department of Company Affairs in the case of board level appointees in Public limited companies.
(ix) Two copies of the approval of Government of India in case of a joint venture or a collaboration.
(x) Copy of permission from the RBI in case of business/joint venture etc.
(xi) Terms and conditions of appointments and copy of contract or agreements, in case of employment visa.
(xii) Undertaking (in the format given below) from the concerned Indian company on the following lines in case of employment/business visa:-

NOTE : The following categories of foreigners are exempted from registration.
(Special instructions for Pakistani and Afghan nationals may kindly be seen in paras 7 and 8 below)

1. All foreigners (including those of Indian origin), except those covered under special categories mentioned in paras 2-6 below, are required to register themselves with the concerned District Foreigners Registration Officer/Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, within 14 days of their first arrival in India, if they hold a visa for a period which is more than 180 days. This registration is required to be done irrespective of the fact whether or not they intend to stay in India for less or more than 180 days - i.e. the deciding factor is the period for which visa has been granted and not actual stay.

2. US nationals : US nationals who are granted 10 years validity tourist or business visa which has the mandatory stipulation that each stay in India will not exceed 180 days, are NOT required to register themselves with the concerned FRO/FRRO if their continuous stay does not exceed 180 days. If due to any valid reason, the continuous stay exceeds 180 days, the foreigner should approach the concerned FRO/FRRO for registration, who will in turn register them and grant permission for their exit from India.

3. Foreigners of Indian Origin: Foreigners of Indian origin desiring to visit India for short periods each year to meet their relatives etc. can be granted 5 years multiple entry 'X' visa with a stipulation that each stay shall not exceed 180 days. In this case no registration would be required if the foreigner does not stay beyond 180 days. In case a foreigner of Indian origin is desirous of staying continuously for longer periods, the Mission could grant up to 5 year validity 'X' visa without the stipulation of each stay not to exceed 180 days. In the latter case, the usual condition of registration required within 14 days of first arrival in India (as per the foot note on the visa sticker) would apply.

4. Foreigners actively engaged in tourism/travel trade : Foreigners actively engaged in tourism/travel trade, desirous of visiting India frequently over extended periods of promotion of tourism etc. can also be granted upto 5 year validity tourist visas with the stipulation that each stay shall not exceed 180 days. Accordingly, they would not require any registration with the FRO/FRRO.

5. PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) Card holders : Following the introduction of the PIO Card scheme, PIO card holders are eligible for visa free entry into India for a period of the validity of the card i.e. 15 years, and they are NOT required to register themselves with the concerned FRO/FRRO if their continuous stay does not exceed 180 days. If the continuous stay exceed 180 days, the foreigner should approach the concerned FRO/FRRO for registration within 30 days of the expiry of 180 days, who will in turn register them.

6. Children below 16 years: As per para 2 of Registration of Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 1957, children below the age of 16 years are exempt from the requirement of registration.

7. Pakistani Nationals: Pakistani nationals are required to register themselves at the check post of entry into India. They have to hand over one copy of the visa application form, given to them by the Indian Mission abroad while granting visa, to the immigration authorities at the check post of entry, who will in turn hand over the Residential Permit to the Pak national. The Pak national has to carry the Residential Permit along with him/her, to each place of stay, for the purpose of police reporting. This Residential Permit has to be surrendered to the Immigration Authorities at the check post of exit, at the time of departure. Further, except those who are granted visa with the endorsement "Exempted from Police Reporting", Pak nationals have to also report their arrival and intended departure, at each place of stay as permitted in the visa, within 24 hrs. at the nearest police station.

8. Afghan Nationals: All Afghan nationals are required to register themselves with the concerned FRO/FRRO within 7 days of arrival in India, irrespective of the validity of their visa.

9. It is clarified that a foreigner coming to India is required to register only once within the stipulated period, as discussed above, even though he/she may go out of India on multiple entry facility during the validity of the visa. Only if he/she enters India on a new visa will he/she be required to register again.

10. In case of visas having a stipulation of each stay not to exceed 180 days (see paras 2,3 and 4 above), the Mission will make the following endorsement in the special endorsement column of the visa sticker:-
"EACH STAY NOT TO EXCEED 180 DAYS, HENCE NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED"

11. It may be noted that failure to register within the stipulated time, as mentioned above, is a contravention of the prescribed rules and would invite appropriate punitive action.

Contact Information of Foreigners Registration officers in India

New Delhi
Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO)
Ist floor, Hans Bhavan,
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg,
Near ITO, New Delhi
Phone: 011-3319489/3755183/5652389
FRRO & Deputy. Commissioner of Police
Special Branch - II (CID)

Mumbai
Phone: 022-2621169/2620721/8350098
Chief Immigration Officer
Shastry Bhavan Annexe
26, Haddows Road,

Chennai
Phone: 044-8277036/8277036/2340589
S. P. (Immigration and CID)
Interrogation Centre
PCP Attari Rail Mal Mandi

Amritsar
Phone: 0183-225456/227605/382630
DIG (Border)
Intelligence Branch
13-Lord Singh Road

Calcutta
Phone: 033-2470549/5528830

At other places, the Superintendents of Police (SP) of the Districts are registration officers for Foreigners.

The registration officers would issue a Certificate of Registration. The foreigners should surrender these certificates at the office where they are registered or of the place where they intend to depart or to the immigration officer at the port/check post of exit from India. If the certificate is surrendered to other than the immigration officer at the port/check post of exit, the foreigners should produce the receipt indicating such surrender of the document to the immigration officer at the port/check post of exit.

Registration is required to be done only once within the stipulated period, even though he/she may go out of India on multiple entry facility during the validity of the visa. Only if he/she enters India on a new visa will he/she be required to register again.

Foreigners can visit restricted /protected areas only after getting a valid permit as visa alone is not enough to visit such places.

Health Requirement: Foreigners coming from or through yellow fever countries/zones must possess a valid vaccination certificate.

Arrival/Departure: All visitors to India are required to fill Disembarkation/ Embarkation cards which are available with the airlines and the airports in India.

CAUTION

Wildlife: The Indian Wildlife Protection Act bans all forms of wildlife trade. Violations of the provisions of the act are punishable with heavy fines and imprisonment. Travelers are, therefore, advised not to buy any wildlife or wildlife products or derivatives -specially ivory articles, fur and skin articles derived from wild animals such as Shahtoosh.

Drugs: The travelers should not buy, sell or use psycho-tropic drugs or any other narcotic substances while in India, as their purchase, sell or possession is a cognizable offence punishable by imprisonment.