India Volunteer Visa Requirements: What You Need
India runs an e-Visa system for most nationalities, with several visa categories. Always confirm with the official Indian e-Visa portal before booking.
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The short answer
- Most volunteer trips: Tourist e-Visa (30, 60, or 365-day options).
- Long placements (3+ months): Tourist e-Visa long-stay OR formal volunteer visa via sponsoring NGO.
Verify before booking
Always check the official Indian e-Visa portal (indianvisaonline.gov.in) and your nearest Indian embassy. This page is editorial guidance.
Indian e-Visa categories
e-Tourist visa is the standard option: 30-day double-entry (~USD 25 + service fee), 60-day double-entry (~USD 80), or 365-day multi-entry (~USD 80). Apply online 4 days to 4 months before travel.
e-Conference / e-Medical / e-Business
Different categories exist for specific purposes. Tourist e-Visa technically does not permit volunteer work — many short-term placements use it in practice, but a stricter reading prefers a specific visa class if your placement is structured around paid work.
Common mistakes
- Applying via an unofficial third-party visa site that charges extra fees.
- Using a photo that doesn't meet specifications (square format, 5cm × 5cm, white background).
- Not noticing the visa has separate "valid from" and "stay until" dates.
- Overstaying — leads to fines and re-entry difficulties.
Documents
- Passport valid 6+ months from entry with 2 blank pages.
- Recent square photo (5×5cm, white background).
- Onward / return ticket.
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Written by
Volunteer World Guide editorial team
Ethical-volunteering research desk
This India visa requirements page is editorial guidance. Always verify visa, safety and pricing details with the official source before booking.
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