India entry requirements for British passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Passport validity (FCDO rule): At least 6 months after the day you arrive
Visa (FCDO): Read the official visa text below
Official source: GOV.UK – India travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 7 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Whether you need a visa and how long your British passport must be valid to enter India, as published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), quoted word for word, with a checker for your dates.
Other passports: Canadian passport · Australian passport · Italian citizens: documenti per italiani
Driving in India, do you need an international driving permit? UK licence · Canadian licence · Australian licence
Visa fee: India e-Visa fee for UK citizens ($484 for five years in the official table) · e-Arrival card
Do I need a visa for India with a British passport?
We quote the FCDO text word for word and do not summarise it: its first sentence has conditions or a wording we do not turn into a one-line answer.
You must have a visa to visit India unless you are an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder.
India has a number of visa categories including tourist, business, work, journalist and medical. Make sure you get the right visa for your travel.
You could be refused entry or deported for having the wrong visa. You could also be banned from entering India in the future.
For the latest information on Indian visas and immigration requirements, see the Indian Bureau of Immigration.
Applying for a visa or e-visa
Find out how to apply for a visa from the Indian Bureau of Immigration. Depending on your requirements, you may be able to apply for a:
- regular (paper) visa
- e-visa (check the website’s FAQs for restrictions on airports, land borders and seaports of entry)
Check your eligibility and any restrictions before you apply. Allow plenty of time for your application to be processed.
E-arrival card
Foreign nationals arriving in India must complete an e-arrival card online before reaching immigration. The online e-arrival card can be completed up to 72 hours before you arrive. You should complete the online process in advance to avoid delays at the airport.
More details are available on the Indian visa website. The e-arrival card is not a visa, and you will still need a separate valid visa or OCI card to enter India.
More from the FCDO visa section (extensions, border checks and other cases)
Applicants of Pakistani origin
If you are of Pakistani origin, a British-Pakistani dual national or hold a National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP), the visa processing time will be substantially longer than other visa applications. More information is available from the High Commission of India.
If you are a British-Pakistani dual national, you must apply for an Indian visa on your Pakistani passport. If you have renounced your Pakistani nationality, or cancelled your Pakistani passport, you will need to submit documentary proof of this.
Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders
If you hold a valid Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, you can use this, along with your valid British passport, to visit India. You do not need a visa. An Electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) was launched in June 2026 and means holders of an e-OCI card need not carry a physical copy of the card. More information is available at Online OCI Services, including the requirement for special permission to undertake certain activities such as research, missionary activities or journalism.
Extending your visa
It’s illegal to overstay your visa in India. Make sure you leave the country before your visa expires or get an extension if permitted to do so. More information is available from the Indian Bureau of Immigration.
If you’re hospitalised
If you or someone you’re travelling with has a short-term tourist visa and is hospitalised, you may be able to convert to a medical visa.
Make sure you get your passport stamped
Make sure the border control officer puts a stamp in your passport when you arrive in India. You’ll need to show it when you leave, so border control officers know you have not overstayed your visa.
Official source: GOV.UK – India travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO), section “Visa requirements” · page last updated 7 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Passport validity: official text “Passport validity requirements”
To enter India, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and have at least 2 blank pages.
Official source: GOV.UK – India travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 7 October 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Check your passport for India
Schengen rules count your whole trip in the Schengen area: if you visit several Schengen countries, enter the day you first enter the area and the day you leave the last Schengen country.
The check runs in your browser: your dates are not sent anywhere. It applies the FCDO sentence literally (for example “6 months” is counted as the same day of the month 6 months later).
For British passport holders only. These are the rules published by the UK government (FCDO) for British citizens. If you hold another passport, check your own government's advice. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice.
Blank pages: the official text says “…at least 2 blank pages…”. The checker does not count pages.
Recent FCDO updates to the entry requirements
- 7 October 2026: “This travel advice has been reviewed for accuracy, with minor amendments made throughout, including updated information on access permits, scams, trekking in India, air and rail travel, India-Pakistan border area and Western India and healthcare in India (‘Entry requirements’,‘Safety and security’ and ‘Health’ pages).”
- 9 July 2026: “New information about Electronic Overseas Citizen of India Card (e-OCI) and additional information about Ebola health screening and a mandatory Self-Declaration Form for all international passengers arriving in India ('Entry requirements' page).”
- 4 June 2026: “Addition of information about entry requirements for those entering from Ebola-affected regions ('Entry requirements' page).”
- 9 April 2026: “Removal of information about paper forms being available for the e-arrival card ('Entry requirements' page).”
- 10 December 2025: “Addition of information that when returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement ('Entry requirements' page).”
Read the full FCDO travel advice for India (safety, visas, health) before you travel.
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Same FCDO rule (6 months after arrival)
and 79 more destinations with the same rule: see all
Passport validity rules for all destinations · Liquids rules by airport · EES and ETIAS status