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The Emergency Visa to Visit India

Updated on Mar 12, 2024 | Online Indian Visa

Foreigners who must visit India on a crisis basis are granted an Emergency Indian Visa (eVisa for emergency). If you live outside of India and need to visit India for a crisis or urgent reason, such as the death of a family member or cherished one, coming to court for legal reasons, or your family member or a cherished one is suffering from an illness, you can apply for an emergency India visa.

If you submit a standard application, the visa for India is usually issued within 3 days and emailed to you. Regardless, applying for a visa four to seven days before departure is recommended. This way, you will never be caught off guard just as you are ready to go on your journey. You did not have the time or the means to accomplish it? Then you may still apply for a visa at the last minute using the emergency application method. Emergency Visa is a best efforts service, you are also requested to apply at the Nearest Indian Embassy. In other words, it cannot be guaranteed that you will definitely obtain Emergency Indian Visa within 24 hours. Most popular countries availing this service are from Germany, Poland, France, USA, UK, Canada, Austalia, Israel and UAE.

Unlike other visas such as the Indian Tourist Visa, Indian Business Visa, and Indian Medical Visa, an Emergency Visa to India or Emergency Indian eTA application requires significantly less preparation time. If you need to travel to India for purposes like sightseeing, seeing a friend, or attending a complicated relationship, you would not be eligible for a Indian crisis visa since such situations are not considered emergency situations. One of the characteristics of the critical or emergency Indian e-visa application is that it is processed even on weekends for people who need to go to India for emergency or unforeseen circumstances. 

The exception to Visa processing days is National Holidays like Republic Day and Independence Day when the Immigration Office staff are on leave.

For an instant and urgent requirement, an Emergency Visa for India can be requested at this website. This might be a death in the family, a sickness in oneself or a close relative, or a court appearance. For your emergency eVisa to visit India, an urgent processing charge must be paid which is not required in the case of tourists, Business, Medical, Conference, and Medical Attendant Indian Visas. You may receive an Emergency Indian Visa Online (eVisa India) in as little as 24 hours and as much as 72 hours with this service. This is appropriate if you are short on time or have scheduled a last-minute trip to India and want a Indian visa right away.

You require India e-Tourist Visa (eVisa India or Indian Visa Online to witness the amazing places and experiences as a foreign tourist in India. Alternatively, you could be visiting India on a India e-Business Visa and want to do some recreation and sight-seeing in northern India and foothills of Himalayas. The Indian Immigration Authority encourages visitors to India to apply for Indian Visa Online (India e-Visa) rather than visiting Indian Consulate or Indian Embassy.

Emergency Visa to Visit India

What Distinguishes an Emergency e-Visa from an Urgent e-Visa?

An emergency eVisa is required in unforeseen situations like death, sudden sickness, or incidents demanding urgent presence in India.

Emergency eVisa Application Process

The Indian government facilitates online applications for eVisas, covering tourism, business, medical treatment, and conferences.

Some emergency visa applications may need in-person visits to the Indian Embassy. For urgent travel needs, our staff works beyond regular hours to ensure swift processing.

Processing Time

The expedited process for Emergency Indian Visas can take 18 to 48 hours, contingent on the number of cases and availability of processing professionals.

Fast-Track Option

A dedicated team operating 24/7 expedites Emergency Indian Visa processing for immediate travel requirements.

On-Arrival eVisa

Submitting an emergency application via smartphone before takeoff allows you to likely receive the e-visa upon landing. An internet connection in India is necessary for retrieval.

Even in emergency situations, exercise caution

Applications submitted through the expedited process are more prone to rejection, as hurried submissions often lead to errors. Take your time to fill out the visa application carefully and thoroughly. Any mistakes in your name, date of birth, or passport number could result in the immediate termination of the visa's validity. In such cases, you would need to apply for a new visa (and pay the fee again) to enter the country.

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What is the Emergency Indian eVisa Processing Consideration Cases?

You may need to contact your Indian eVisa Help Desk if you need an Emergency Indian Visa. Our management must approve it internally. To use this service, you may be charged an extra price. In the event of the death of a close relative, you may be compelled to visit the Indian embassy to apply for an Emergency Visa.

It is your obligation to fill out the application form completely and accurately. Only Indian National Holidays prevent Emergency India Visas from being processed. You should not submit numerous applications at the same time, as one of them may be rejected as redundant.

If you want to apply for an emergency visa at a local Indian embassy, you must arrive by 2 p.m. local time in most embassies. After you have paid, you will be requested to give a face photograph and a passport scan copy or a photo from your phone. If you apply for an Indian Visa Online (eVisa India) for Urgent / Fast Track processing via our website https://www.visa-indian.org, you will be sent an Emergency  Indian Visa by email, and you may carry a PDF soft copy or hard copy to the airport instantly. All Indian Visa Authorized Ports of Entry accept Emergency Indian Visas.

Before making your request, make sure you have all of the necessary papers for the visa type you want. Please keep in mind that making misleading remarks regarding the necessity for an emergency appointment might jeopardise your case's credibility during the visa interview. 

The following cases will be considered to approve the Emergency eVisa to visit India -

Emergency Medical Care

The purpose of travel is to acquire emergency medical treatment or to follow a relative or employer to receive emergency medical treatment.

Documentation required -

  • A letter from your doctor detailing your medical condition and why you are seeking treatment in the country.
  • A letter from an Indian physician or hospital saying that they are willing to treat the case and offering an estimate of the treatment costs.
  • Evidence of how you intend to pay for the therapy.

Family member's illness or injury

The purpose of the trip is to care for a close relative (mother, father, brother, sister, kid, grandparent, or grandchild) who has been extremely ill or been injured in the United States.

Documentation required -

  • A doctor's or hospital's letter verifying and explaining the disease or damage.
  • Evidence that indicates the individual who is unwell or injured is a close relative.

For funeral or Death

The purpose of the trip is to attend the burial of or make preparations for the repatriation of the body of a close relative in India (mother, father, brother, sister, kid, grandparent, or grandchild).

Documentation required -

  • A letter from the funeral director with the contact information, the deceased's details, and the funeral date.
  • You must also show proof that the deceased was a close relative.

Business reasons

The goal of the trip is to attend to a business concern that could not be expected ahead of time. The majority of business travel is not seen as an emergency. Please explain why you were unable to make travel arrangements in advance.

Documentation required -

  • A letter from the appropriate firm in India and a letter from any company in your country of residence attesting to the importance of the scheduled visit, detailing the nature of the business and the potential loss if an emergency appointment is not available.

OR

  • Evidence of a three-month or shorter essential training programme in India, including letters from both your current employer and the Indian organisation offering the training. Both letters should provide a clear description of the training and a justification for why the Indian or your current firm will lose a considerable amount of money if an emergency appointment is not available.

Students or Exchange Temporary workers or students

The goal of travel is to go back to India in time to attend school or restart a job. During their intended stays in the country, we expect students and temporary employees to make every effort to arrange frequent checkups. However, the Embassy will consider emergency appointments for these sorts of travel in restricted circumstances.

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When does a situation become urgent enough to be eligible for the Emergency evisa to visit India?

Applications for evidence of citizenship, searches of Indian citizens' citizenship records, resumptions, and applications for citizenship are all accelerated if the following papers demonstrate the requirement for urgency -

  • The office of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship has made a request.
  • The applicants are unable to get a passport in their current nationality due to death or significant sickness in their family (which includes the Indian passport).
  • The applicants are Indian citizens who fear losing their jobs or opportunities because they do not have a certificate proving their Indian citizenship.
  • An applicant for citizenship has a successful appeal to the Federal Court after an application is delayed owing to an administrative mistake.
  • The applicant is in a circumstance where delaying the citizenship application will be detrimental to them (for instance, the need to renounce foreign citizenship by a certain date).
  • A citizenship certificate is required to get certain benefits such as a pension, a social security number, or health care.

What are the advantages of using the emergency evisa to visit India?

The advantages of using India Visa Online (eVisa India) for Emergency Indian Visa include totally paperless processing, the elimination of the need to visit a Indian Embassy, validity for both air and sea routes, payment in over 133 currencies, and application processing around the clock. You are not required to have your passport page stamped or to visit any Indian government agency.

When the application is completed properly, needed reports are supplied, and the whole application is completed, the Emergency Indian e-visa is issued in 1 to 3 working days. If you require a really Emergency visa, you may have to pay a greater charge if you choose this accommodation. Tourist, Medical, Business, Conference, and Medical Attendant visa seekers can use this Urgent Processing or Fast Track Visa Service.

What are the things to keep in mind when applying for an Emergency visa in India?

In comparison to other visas, obtaining an Emergency visa approval is more difficult because it is based on an endorsement. In clinical and death instances, you will be required to produce the authorities a copy of the medical clinic's letter to prove the ailment or death. If you do not comply, your application for an Emergency Visa to India will be denied.

Assume complete responsibility for providing accurate details such as your phone number, email address, and social media accounts for any communication requiring more information.

On national holidays, the Emergency Indian Visa application is not processed.

If a candidate has more than one genuine identity, a visa that has been harmed, an expired or significant visa, an effectively provided visa that is still considerable, or several visas, their application might take up to four days for the government to decide. The application submitted on this official website will be decided by the Government of India.

What is the required documentation to apply for an Emergency eVisa to India?

You must now provide duplicates of records proving your loved one's death or condition, which have already been cited. An inspected duplicate of your passport with two clean pages and a 6 month validity. Check the Indian Visa Passport Requirements and the Indian Visa Photo Requirements for a current shaded photograph of yourself with a white background to ensure clarity.

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Who is eligible to apply for the Emergency evisa to visit India?

The following types of applicants are eligible to apply for an Emergency evisa to India -

  • Foreign nationals with minor children who have at least one Indian citizen as a parent;
  • Indian citizens married to foreign nationalities;
  • Single foreign individuals with small children who have a Indian passport 
  • Students who are foreign nationals with at least one Indian citizen as a parent;
  • Official or service passport-holding service workers accredited to foreign diplomatic missions, consular offices, or accredited international organisations in India;
  • Foreign citizens of Indian descent who seek to visit India due to a family emergency, such as urgent medical problems or death among immediate family members. For this reason, a person of Indian origin is defined as someone who has or has a Indian passport, or whose parents are or were citizens of India before.
  • Foreign citizens trapped in close neighbouring countries that wish to get to their final destination through India; foreign nationals travelling to India for medical treatment (including one attendant if so requested).
  • Business, Employment, and Journalist are the other categories that are permitted. However, such candidates need to acquire particular prior approval by sending the appropriate papers.

Important - Applicants are advised to delay booking tickets until they have received the Emergency visa. the fact that you have a travel ticket will not be considered an emergency, and you may lose money as a result.

What are the requirements and the process to apply for the Emergency evisa to visit India?

  • Fill out the Regular or Paper Visa Application Form at our website. (Please use the latest version of the browser which supports a secured site). Please keep a record of your Tracking ID in case you need it to finish your visa application. Save the pdf file and print your completed application. 
  • Sign the application form in the relevant areas on the first and second pages.
  • To be put on the visa application form, one recent colour passport size (2inch x 2inch) photograph with a plain white backdrop displaying a full frontal face.
  • Address evidence - Indian driver's licence, gas, electricity, or landline telephone bill with applicant's address, and house lease agreement

In addition to the above, persons of Indian origin seeking a visa for a medical emergency or the death of an immediate family member must submit a previously held Indian passport; the most recent doctor certificate / hospital paper / death certificate of the sick or deceased family member in India; copy of Indian passport / ID proof of patient (to establish a relationship); if grandparents, please provide an ID of patient and parents passports to establish the relationship.

In the case of a minor child, the applicant must also submit the following documents - birth certificate with both parents' names; consent form signed by both parents; Indian passport copies of both parents or Indian passport with OCI of one parent; marriage certificate of parents (if spouse name is not mentioned on a Indian passport); and Indian passport copies of both parents.

In the event of a self-administered medical visa, the applicants must also provide a letter from a Indian doctor advising treatment in India, as well as an acceptance letter from a Indian hospital specifying the patient's name, details, and passport number.

In the event of a medical attendant, a letter from the hospital declaring the need for one, together with the attendant's name, information, and passport number, as well as the patient's relationship to the attendant. a copy of the patient's passport.

What are some additional Emergency evisa for India related information that you must know?

Please keep in mind the following points -

  • Visas are often issued on the basis of a passport or identity certificate.
  • The passport must be valid for at least 190 days.
  • Due to the COVID 19 situation, the Consulate may only issue visas that are valid for 3 months and commence from the day of issue. As a result, candidates are recommended to apply for a visa closer to their trip to India.
  • Without assigning any reasons, the Consulate General of India maintains the right to postpone, amend the term, or reject visas. Visas are given following a series of checks and certifications. Acceptance of a visa application does not imply that the visa will be granted.
  • Former Indian passport holders must provide their current passport, together with a Surrender Certificate, or their relinquished Indian passport. If the applicant plans to stay in the country beyond the 3-month visa validity period, he or she should relinquish his or her passport in their current country of residence, if not previously done.
  • Even if a visa is denied or an application is withdrawn, fees already paid will not be returned.
  • An applicant would be required to pay a certain sum of money in addition to the statutory price as a Consular Surcharge.
  • Please review the Frequently Asked Questions for information about travelling to India under the COVID-19 scenario, available on our website.
  • Travelling to India does not need a vaccination. Persons travelling in the country from or travelling through Yellow Fever-affected areas, however, must have a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.
  • Because visas are issued and attached to passports, passports must be presented together with the application form.
  • Visas on Emergency Grounds are usually processed the same day at the Consulate, assuming all of the necessary documentation is in place.

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What is the Emergency India ETA?

India's eTA system is an official document that allows you to enter the country. Through an online application form, citizens of qualifying countries can quickly obtain an e-Visa for India. Because applicants do not need to attend to an embassy or consulate to finish the application, getting an online eTA for India is more easier than acquiring a traditional visa. It may take up to 24 hours to process an online India Visa application. The emergency e-Visa is delivered immediately to the applicant's email address after it has been accepted.

The whole application procedure takes place online. Applicants must simply fill out an online eTA application and pay a fee with a credit or debit card. It simply takes a few minutes to complete the procedure.

All eTA-eligible nationalities (see list below) who enter India by flight require an eTA. Some persons can enter India with merely their passport by crossing the US border. Other nations are not eligible for the eTA and must apply for a visa through an embassy or consulate.

What are the countries that are eligible for the Emergency India ETA?

The following countries are eligible for the India ETA –

  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua & Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bolivia
  • Bosnia & Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Burundi
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon Union Republic
  • Cape Verde
  • Cayman Island
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Comoros
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Cote d'lvoire
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • East Timor
  • Ecuador
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Estonia
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Guinea
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Laos
  • Latvia
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macedonia
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Malta
  • Marshall Islands
  • Mauritius
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Montserrat
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger Republic
  • Niue Island
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Palau
  • Palestine
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Republic of Korea
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Rwanda
  • Saint Christopher and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Africa
  • Spain
  • Suriname
  • Swaziland
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Togo
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad & Tobago
  • Turks & Caicos Island
  • Tuvalu
  • UAE
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • Uruguay
  • USA
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican City-Holy See
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Zambia and Zimbabwe

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Citizens of many countries including United States, France, Denmark, Germany, Spain, Italy are eligible for India e-Visa(Indian Visa Online). You can apply for the Indian e-Visa Online Application right here.

Should you have any doubts or require assistance for your trip to India or India e-Visa,contact Indian Visa Help Desk for support and guidance.