Can We Get Visa on Arrival in India? | What Applies Now

Yes. India grants entry on arrival only to citizens of Japan, South Korea, and some UAE passport holders, while most others need an e-Visa first.

That’s the part many travelers miss. “Visa on arrival” in India is real, but it is not a general rule for all foreign visitors. If you read a random forum thread, you might think you can just land, fill out a form, and walk in. In most cases, that’s not how it works.

For most nationalities, India expects you to hold an approved e-Visa or a regular visa before travel. The small visa-on-arrival window is limited to a short list of passports and comes with strict conditions, including airport limits, stay limits, and document checks.

This article clears up who can use it, who can’t, what papers you need, and where travelers usually get tripped up.

Can We Get Visa On Arrival In India? Current Rule

If you’re asking this in the broad sense, the plain answer is: only some travelers can. India’s visa-on-arrival facility is limited to citizens of Japan, South Korea, and UAE nationals who meet an added condition tied to past Indian visa use.

That means most travelers from Europe, North America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and many other places should not plan their trip around getting a visa after landing. In those cases, the usual path is to apply through the official e-Visa portal before departure.

That difference matters at check-in. Airlines often check whether your passport type and nationality match India’s entry rules before they let you board. If you turn up with the wrong assumption, the problem usually starts at the departure airport, not after landing in India.

Who Can Use India’s Arrival Visa

India’s own visa-on-arrival page states that the facility is open to:

• Citizens of Japan
• Citizens of South Korea
• Citizens of the UAE who have already held an Indian e-Visa or regular paper visa

That last line is where many UAE travelers get caught out. A first-time UAE visitor to India should not assume visa on arrival will be available. India says UAE nationals coming for the first time should apply for an e-Visa or regular visa instead.

What The Stay Rules Look Like

The visa-on-arrival facility is built for short visits. It is meant for tourism, business, conference travel, and medical travel, with a stay of up to 60 days. The passport must have at least six months of validity left, and the traveler may be asked for an onward or return ticket plus proof of funds.

The visa is non-extendable and non-convertible. So if your trip could run longer, or the purpose may change after arrival, this route is a poor fit. In that case, sorting the correct visa before travel is the safer move.

Where It Is Available

India does not issue this facility at every port of entry. The official rule limits visa on arrival to six international airports: Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai. If your itinerary lands somewhere else first, you cannot rely on this option.

That’s one reason the policy works better for direct, simple trips than for open-jaw itineraries or regional hops. If your first stop in India is outside that list, get your visa sorted before you travel.

Visa On Arrival In India For Eligible Passports

Even when you do qualify, “arrival visa” does not mean “show up with nothing.” India still expects a completed application form, payment of the visa fee, a valid passport, and a trip that fits the allowed purpose. The fee listed on the official page is Rs. 2,000 or the foreign-currency equivalent.

Here’s the cleanest way to think about it: the facility is narrow, document-based, and rule-heavy. It is not a casual fallback.

Traveler Type	Can Use Visa On Arrival?	What To Know
Japan passport holder	Yes	Allowed for short visits up to 60 days for listed purposes.
South Korea passport holder	Yes	Allowed under the same short-stay rules.
UAE passport holder with earlier Indian e-Visa or paper visa	Yes	Past Indian visa history is required.
UAE passport holder visiting India for the first time	No	India says to get an e-Visa or regular visa before travel.
Diplomatic or official passport holder	No	The arrival facility does not apply.
Traveler whose parent or grandparent was born in or lived permanently in Pakistan	No	India excludes these cases from this facility.
Most other foreign nationals	No	Use India’s e-Visa or regular visa route before departure.

Why Most Travelers Use E-Visa Instead

For most people, the e-Visa route is simpler because it settles your status before you fly. India’s e-Visa system covers multiple travel purposes, and the official site spells out the validity and entry terms for categories such as tourist, business, medical, conference, student, transit, and a few others.

If you’re not in the small visa-on-arrival group, don’t try to bend your plans around it. Use the rule that matches your passport and trip type. It saves time, cuts airport stress, and lowers the odds of airline trouble.

Another fresh rule is the India e-Arrival card. The government site says foreign nationals and OCI card holders can submit it online within 72 hours before arriving in India. That card is arrival information only. It is not a visa, and it does not replace one.

Documents You Should Have Ready

Whether you use visa on arrival or an e-Visa, the basic travel file should be tidy before you leave home. Loose ends at the airport can turn a normal trip into a long one.

• Passport valid for at least six months
• Blank passport pages for stamps
• Return or onward ticket
• Hotel booking or local address
• Cash or card for visa fee if using arrival visa
• Printed or saved copy of approvals and travel forms
• Trip purpose that matches the visa type

If you qualify for visa on arrival, it also helps to download and fill the application in advance from India’s Visa on Arrival page. India says you can fill it at the airport too, but doing it before travel can shave off a few steps.

Common Mistakes That Cause Problems

Most entry issues come from assumptions, not from paperwork volume. Travelers hear “India has visa on arrival” and stop reading after that line. The trouble starts in the fine print.

These are the mistakes that show up again and again:

• Assuming the rule applies to all passports
• Missing the UAE first-time visitor restriction
• Landing at an airport outside the approved six
• Using the wrong visa type for the trip purpose
• Thinking the e-Arrival card replaces a visa
• Booking flights before checking passport-specific rules

Issue	What It Means	Safer Move
Not in an eligible nationality group	You cannot rely on arrival visa	Apply for e-Visa before flying
First trip to India on a UAE passport	Arrival visa does not fit	Get e-Visa or paper visa first
Arrival at a non-approved airport	No visa-on-arrival counter for this purpose	Use an approved airport or get visa earlier
e-Arrival card only	Entry form is not travel permission	Carry the visa or ETA too

What To Do Before You Book

Check your nationality first. Then check whether your trip purpose fits tourism, business, conference, or medical travel. After that, match your first airport in India against the approved list if you plan to use arrival visa.

If even one part does not line up, switch to e-Visa or the regular visa route before you buy a non-refundable ticket. That one check can save a pile of hassle later.

A Simple Rule Of Thumb

If you are from Japan or South Korea, visa on arrival may work if your trip fits the listed rules. If you are from the UAE, it may work only if you have already had an Indian e-Visa or regular visa in the past. If you are from almost anywhere else, plan on getting approval before travel.

That’s the clean answer. India does offer visa on arrival, but only in a narrow band. For everyone outside that band, the smart move is to treat e-Visa or a regular visa as the real starting point.