How to get a visa for India in Kathmandu

How to get a visa for India in Kathmandu

Searching for information about how to get a visa for India in Kathmandu! One can easily imagine that getting a visa for India in Kathmandu (the only place it can be done in Nepal) should not be a pleasure. Indeed, between the endless expectations at the embassy and the forms to be completed in all directions and without any error please, the visa is often synonymous with taking the lead. Especially when you do not do it at home. Yet getting a visa for India in Kathmandu is a breeze. Two ingredients are needed for this: a pinch of time, and a good ladle of patience.

No anxiety crisis so, once finished this article you will know everything to make your Indian visa. Here are all the details you will need.

Where to get your visa for India in Kathmandu

How to get a visa for India in Kathmandu

Indian Visa Service Center (IVSC)

House No. 296, Kapurdhara Marg, Kathmandu (adjacent to the Kathmandu Indian Embassy)

Tel: 009771-4001516 // E-Mail: visa.india@nsbl.com.np

The Indian Visa Service Center (IVSC) is approx. 15-20 minutes walk from Thamel, north in the Lazimpat.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9.30 am to 12 pm. Closed Saturdays, Sundays and holidays of the Indian Embassy.

Procedure

Obtaining the visa for India takes place in 3 stages. In total, you have to go to the IVSC three times: day 1, day 5 and day 6. Attention, these are working days.  Thus, if your first visit falls on a Monday you will get your visa the following Monday, 7 days later in total!

FIRST VISIT // DAY 1 –   Filing of papers and payment of visa fees

Required papers 

  • completed and signed a visa application form
  • 1 passport photo in a special format required by India (white background and 51mm x 51mm so larger than a normal passport photo)
  • 1 copy of your passport
  • 1 copy of your Nepali visa or if you have already been to India, your previous Indian visa

Visa fees 

Indian visa prices vary according to nationality, you find all the prices on the website of the Nepal SBI Bank  

How is it going?

Present yourself at the IVSC between 9:30 am and 12 noon, pull your number then wait until your turn. The officials are very effective but depending on the people in front of you you still risk waiting a little while.

After returning the form to the left counter, you go to the ticket office next door where you have to pay the visa. In return, you will receive a receipt with a stamp on it that indicates the date of your second visit. Keep this receipt, you must show it during your second and third visit!

2ND VISIT // DAY 5  – Filing of the passport

Just like during your first visit, you must go to the IVSC between 9.30 am and 12 noon. You have to take a ticket again and wait for your number to be called. This time to deposit your passport and show the receipt obtained at the first visit. You will receive a new stamp on your receipt with the time and date of your 3rd and last visit.  

It is possible to postpone your second visit to a later date if it suits you better according to your planned itinerary. Inquire during your first visit.

3RD VISIT // DAY 6  – Retrieving the passport … and the visa! 

For this time, you must go to the IVSC in the afternoon, between 16h and 17h. You have to show/return your receipt and in return, you get your passport with your visa for India brand new in it!

Price

S/No. TYPE OF VISA  FEES
(NRS)
1. TRANSIT VISA  (Up to 15 Days/ Single or Double Entry) 2,640
2. TOURIST VISA  (T) (Up to 1 year/Single or Multiple Entry) 11,880
TOURIST VISA (T) (More than 1 year and up to 5 years/Multiple Entry) 23,430
3. BUSINESS VISA  (B) (Up to 1 year/Single  or Multiple Entry) 14,190
BUSINESS VISA  (B) (More than 1 year and up to 5 years/Multiple Entry) 29,200
4. ENTRY VISA (X) (Up to 6 months/Single or Multiple Entry) 9,570
ENTRY VISA (X) (More than 6 months and up to 1 year/Multiple Entry) 14,190
ENTRY VISA (X) (More than 1 year and up to 5 years/Multiple Entry) 23,430
5. EMPLOYMENT (E) & Project (P) VISA (Up to 6 months/Single or Multiple Entry) 14,190
EMPLOYMENT (E) & Project (P) VISA (More than 6 months and up to 1 year/Multiple Entry) 23,430
EMPLOYMENT (E) & Project (P) VISA (More than 1 Year and up to 5 years/Multiple Entry) 34,980
6. STUDENT VISA (S) (valid for a duration of the course or 5 years, whichever is less/Multiple Entry) 9,570
7. MEDICAL VISA (MED) & MEDICAL ATTENDANT VISA (MED X) (Up to 6 months/Single or Multiple Entry) 9,570
MEDICAL VISA (MED) & MEDICAL ATTENDANT VISA (MED X) (More than 6 months and up to 1 year/Multiple Entry) 14,190
8. CONFERENCE/SEMINAR VISA (C) (Up to 6 months/Single (or Multiple) Entry) 9,570
9. JOURNALIST VISA (J) (Up to 6 months/Single (or Double Entry with HOM’s approval)) 9,570
10. RESEARCH  VISA (R) (Up to 6 months/Single (or Multiple) Entry) 9,570
RESEARCH  VISA (R)  (More than 6 months and up to 1 year/Multiple Entry) 14,190
RESEARCH  VISA (R) (More than 1 year and up to 5 years/Multiple Entry) 23,430
11. MISSIONARY  VISA (M) (Up to 6 months/Single or Multiple Entry) 9,570
MISSIONARY  VISA (M) (More than 6 months and up to 1 year/Multiple Entry) 14,190
MISSIONARY  VISA (M) (More than 1 year and up to 5 years/Multiple Entry) 23,430
12. MOUNTAINEERING  VISA (MX) (Up to 6 months/Single (or Multiple) Entry) 9,570
MOUNTAINEERING  VISA (MX) (More than 6 months and up to 1 year/ Multiple Entry) 14,190
13. INTERN  VISA  (I) (Up to 1 year/Multiple Entry) 9,570
14. FILM VISA  (F) (Up to 1 year/Single  or Multiple Entry)
(Maximum duration of Visa will be 1 year)
14,190

The validity of the visa

In the visa application form, you must indicate how long you want to stay in India.

There are two types of short-term tourist visas for EU citizens  : 3 or 6 months, both with a single entry.

The price is the same but apparently the duration you are given depends a little on the mood of the officials.

Important information

  • your passport must have a validity date exceeding 6 months after your entry in India
  • arrive at the IVSC with the right amount in cash
  • allow at least 8 days to get your visa (it can take a lot more time if you arrive during a holiday in India)
  • you must present yourself at the counter
  • the validity date of the visa starts on the day of issue (the day you deposit your passport at the IVSC) and not the day you enter India. If you have planned to stay in Nepal for several months do not do it right away when you arrive in Nepal, it would be a mess of visa days.
  • book your bus/plane ticket only when you have received your visa for India. The acceptance of your file does not necessarily guarantee the granting of the visa. The authorities reserve the right to refuse the visa without explanation. Anyway, having a ticket already will not help you get the visa.

E-visa ( eTourist visa )

This option applies only for stays not exceeding 30 days and is only available to tourists arriving in India at any of the eligible airports or seaports, you can not enter by land. 

If you have planned not to stay more than 30 days in India the e-visa is a very convenient option. Just fill out the online form and pay online. After 72 hours you receive the visa by email. The request can be made up to 4 days before your arrival in India and no earlier than 30 days before.

Advice before applying visa for India in Kathmandu

ARRIVE IN ADVANCE

There can be a long queue at the IVSC. It opens at 9:30, try to be at 8:45 to be sure to be at the front of the queue and limit the wait once inside.  Suggested you to arrived at 9 am so that you can skip the long queue of the travelers. 

COMPLETE THE VISA APPLICATION FORM

1) Indicate a religion even if you are not a believer (you still want to put all the chances on your side to get the visa).

2) Even if you are currently unemployed, which is quite likely if you are traveling around the world or a long-term traveler, do not even think about putting “unemployed”. Put your last employer and his address. So the Indian authorities will be reassured to know that you have the means to finance your trip and stay in India.

3) It is advantageous to already have a hostel/hotel address in India. If you do not want to book anything in advance (like us because we prefer to stay flexible) just look for a hostel name on booking.com  (or book one!), No one will check it anyway. Otherwise, at the agency where we printed the form, just put the city in India where you want to go, apparently, it’s enough. Since the agencies are a bit of a job and they do just that all day long they were trusted and encountered no problem when filing the form.

GO BY AN AGENCY TO COMPLETE AND PRINT THE FORM

Right next to the IVSC there are several agencies that offer to print and fill out the visa application form for you. It costs 500 Rps which is nothing but at least you are sure to present yourself at the IVSC counter with a correctly completed form. We saw several people who filled it themselves, without help, and who made mistakes. So they had to print and fill out the form again … .and also redo the queue! It must be quite annoying … To avoid this, you decided to go through an agency and you did not encounter any problem, our file was accepted directly at the counter.

The agency also proposes to make photocopies of your passport and Nepali visa or Indian visa if you have been to India before (10 Rps per photocopy). They also take the photo in the requested special format (250 Rps for two photos). In total it will cost you 770 Rps to go through the agency but you can avoid many galleys. In addition, everything is completed in 15 minutes. The agencies open at 8 am, so you can go directly before going to the IVSC.

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