Visa on arrival in India (2026): who is eligible, cost and airports
According to India’s official visa website and the Bureau of Immigration, checked on 31 October 2026, a visa on arrival is only for nationals of Japan, South Korea and the UAE, and UAE nationals only if they have had an Indian e-Visa or paper visa before; everyone else who can get an e-Visa must apply online and wait for it to be granted before travelling.
Pay only on the official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in. Unofficial sites charge more than the government fee shown here. We are not the government and we do not sell visas.
Who is eligible
The Visa on Arrival facility is only for the nationals of Japan, South Korea and UAE (only for such UAE nationals who had earlier obtained e-Visa or regular/paper visa for India).
For the nationals of all other countries eligible for e-Visa, the e-visa application have to be filled online and the applicant must wait till the confirmation/Grant of ETA for travelling to India.
Source: Indian Visa Online: e-Visa (Bureau of Immigration, Government of India), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
The official visa-on-arrival page lists further eligibility conditions (including six months of passport validity and a return or onward ticket). The first one sets the length and purpose of the visit, and the page also has advice for UAE nationals visiting India for the first time:
Who is visiting India for a period not exceeding 60 days and for business, tourism, conference and medical purposes;
UAE nationals who are coming to India for the first time are advised to apply for e-Visa or regular/paper visa.
Source: Indian Visa Online: Visa on Arrival (Bureau of Immigration, Government of India), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
Who cannot get it
This facility is not available to any person if he/she or either of his/her parents or grandparents (paternal or maternal) was born in or permanent resident of Pakistan.
The Visa-on-Arrival facility is not available to holders of Diplomatic/Official passports.
Source: Indian Visa Online: Visa on Arrival (Bureau of Immigration, Government of India), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
Cost and form
A fee of Rs. 2,000/- or equivalent in foreign currency per passenger (including children), will be charged from each Japanese, South Korean and UAE nationals for the grant of Visa-on-Arrival.
The visa fee is required to be paid before grant of the visa.
Japanese, South Korean and UAE nationals would be required to fill an application form (Annexure I).
Source: Indian Visa Online: Visa on Arrival (Bureau of Immigration, Government of India), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
Airports
The two official pages give different lists for UAE nationals. India’s visa website says:
Visa-on-Arrival is provided to Japanese, South Korean and UAE nationals only at six designated international airports at Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai.
Source: Indian Visa Online: Visa on Arrival (Bureau of Immigration, Government of India), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
The Bureau of Immigration says:
Visa on arrival will be provided to Japanese and Republic of Korea nationals only at Delhi. Mumbai. Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderbad while for UAE national at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad.
Source: Bureau of Immigration: Visa free Regime & Visa on Arrival (Bureau of Immigration, Government of India), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
If you are a UAE national arriving at Cochin, Calicut or Ahmedabad, check with the Bureau of Immigration or your airline before you travel: only one of the two official pages lists these airports.
How long it lasts
The Immigration officer may grant a double entry ‘Visa-on-Arrival’ valid up to 60 days.
Visa-on-Arrival shall be non-extendable and non-convertible.
Source: Indian Visa Online: Visa on Arrival (Bureau of Immigration, Government of India), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
No visa needed: Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives
Exemption from the requirement of an Indian visa or Visa Free Entry into India is available for the Citizens of Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.
Visa free entry can be availed by Maldivians whose purpose of visit to India is exclusively for Business/Medical treatment/Tourism and the stay in India does not exceed a period of 90 days.
Source: Bureau of Immigration: Visa free Regime & Visa on Arrival (Bureau of Immigration, Government of India), checked on 31 October 2026. Quoted word for word.
Everyone else: the e-Visa
If your country is not one of the three, you need an e-Visa (or a regular visa from an Indian embassy or consulate) before you travel. India e-Visa fee by nationality · e-Visa fee for Japanese citizens · e-Visa fee for UAE nationals.
Every foreign visitor, with or without a visa on arrival: fill in the e-Arrival card within 72 hours before arrival
Optional: travel medical insurance for India Affiliate
Travel insurance is not a requirement for the India e-Visa or the visa on arrival: none of the official pages we quote, including the e-Visa page’s lists of documents, asks for it, so it is your choice. The e-Visa fee pays only for processing your application and includes no insurance. If you want cover for medical costs during your trip anyway, SafetyWing sells travel medical insurance online; check what the policy covers before you buy.
See SafetyWing travel medical insurance
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Questions
Which countries get a visa on arrival in India?
Only three, according to the official e-Visa page: “The Visa on Arrival facility is only for the nationals of Japan, South Korea and UAE (only for such UAE nationals who had earlier obtained e-Visa or regular/paper visa for India).”
Can US citizens get a visa on arrival in India?
No. The official e-Visa page says: “The Visa on Arrival facility is only for the nationals of Japan, South Korea and UAE (only for such UAE nationals who had earlier obtained e-Visa or regular/paper visa for India).” “For the nationals of all other countries eligible for e-Visa, the e-visa application have to be filled online and the applicant must wait till the confirmation/Grant of ETA for travelling to India.”
Can UK citizens get a visa on arrival in India?
No. The visa on arrival is only for nationals of Japan, South Korea and the UAE; the official e-Visa page says: “For the nationals of all other countries eligible for e-Visa, the e-visa application have to be filled online and the applicant must wait till the confirmation/Grant of ETA for travelling to India.”
How much is the visa on arrival in India?
India’s official visa website says: “A fee of Rs. 2,000/- or equivalent in foreign currency per passenger (including children), will be charged from each Japanese, South Korean and UAE nationals for the grant of Visa-on-Arrival.”
Can UAE nationals get a visa on arrival in India?
Only if they have had an Indian e-Visa or paper visa before. The official visa website says: “UAE nationals who are coming to India for the first time are advised to apply for e-Visa or regular/paper visa.”
This page is information, not legal advice. Immigration officers at the border decide. Spotted a change? Tell us.