Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l'Inde? Lula · 15 October 2024 à 9:03 32 messages · 6 participants · 705 affichages | | | | À: Marien33 · 19 October 2024 à 16:42 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 21 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 235 affichages · Partager "It’s true that you, who’ve never applied for an e-visa and haven’t traveled in years, are in a better position to talk about e-visa eligibility requirements."
Just pointing out that I did respond to your call-out, and I could’ve just as easily not replied since I don’t know much about the e-visa (aside from your adventures in our private chats).
My take on the ETA details in the post is exactly what I read carefully—no interpretation needed.
Come on, let’s not argue about it! Go pack your bags, your departure’s coming up! | | | À: Lula · 23 October 2024 à 16:46 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 22 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 210 affichages · Partager Everything written here seems pretty confusing. I was in the same situation and I went to the official website with my reference number—application file—and I printed out the e-visa/ETA. When I arrived at immigration in India, they stamped my passport after I showed them the paper. Nothing complicated!!! | | | À: Fran38 · 23 October 2024 à 18:07 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 23 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 206 affichages · Partager Thanks for your reply. Of course, I’ve checked the site and printed the document.
When did you get this e-visa, and how long after did you use it for the first time? | | | À: Lula · 23 October 2024 à 18:12 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 24 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 204 affichages · Partager I was supposed to leave in March 2020 and COVID hit me. So I only went back in November last year, 2023. Validity: January 2020 to January 2025. And I’m heading back on November 10th to take advantage of my visa while it’s still valid! ! | | | À: Lula · 30 October 2024 à 19:34 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 25 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 184 affichages · Partager Lula, As a safety measure, it’d be a good idea to send an email in English to support-boi@mha.gov.in AND visasupport@gov.in explaining your situation clearly. In any case, you must travel with the same passport as the one listed on your ETA (keep the old one and bring it with you if you get a new one. If the old one is no longer accessible, you’ll need to apply for a new visa. But be careful—some people have been denied a new visa when they already had a valid one.... | | | À: Babibi · 31 October 2024 à 16:16 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 26 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 177 affichages · Partager Lula, As a safety measure, it’d be helpful to send an email in English to support-boi@mha.gov.in AND visasupport@gov.in clearly explaining the situation. In any case, you must travel with the same passport as the one listed on the ETA (keep the old one and bring it with you if you get a new one. If the old one is no longer accessible, you’ll need to reapply for a visa. But be careful—some people have been denied a new visa when they still had a valid old one.... 
Thanks, Babibi, for being less categorical. Sorry for chiming in again. Your nuanced take is wise. If it were me, I’d ask the right questions again, making sure to draw Indian Visa Online’s attention to the fact that I waited TWO YEARS—well over the 120 days mentioned—before traveling. That little phrase saying the e-visa isn’t automatically granted on arrival, even if the ETA is GRANTED, really doesn’t sit well with me. I’ve run into jerks MULTIPLE TIMES who made me sweat for 30 or 40 minutes before stamping my passport, asking dozens of questions, pulling mysterious faces, leaving their counter to check with a supervisor, etc. And there you are, wondering what’s wrong—are they gonna stamp it or not? It’s ALWAYS worked out in the end, but what a nightmare!!! There are national rules, but every airport—and especially every agent at their own counter—does things their own way. One will stamp your passport in 5 minutes without asking a single question, while another will drag it out for over half an hour, grilling you with 50 suspicious questions. One will thank you for visiting India so often, and another will find it super sketchy that you come so often... An example of the inconsistency I’m talking about is what Babibi mentioned about applying for a new visa while still having a valid one. I’ve done it twice, and both times, the existing visa was simply canceled in favor of the new one. Yet I’ve heard of other travelers being denied a new visa... because they had a valid one. But it gets even better. I’ve been denied the famous "entry visa" multiple times—the one that lets you stay in India indefinitely for 5 years as a resident—because I was a TENANT and not a HOMEOWNER. Yet I know someone in the exact same situation (tenant, not homeowner) who was granted that same entry visa without any issues at a different embassy... Good luck!!! | | | À: Marien33 · 1 November 2024 à 15:26 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 27 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 161 affichages · Partager Hi, I hold a 5-year visa that, by the way, just expired. I’ve been visiting India every year, and up until last February, I hadn’t had any issues at all. This time, though, I ran into a particularly zealous official who scrutinized my passport and noticed that I come to India "often." Which is pretty relative, if you ask me. Without saying a word, he disappeared into an office. About 20 minutes later, he came back and asked me to follow him. I tried asking questions, but all he said was "wait here." So, I waited in a hallway. One of his colleagues eventually showed up (after making me wait even longer), passport in hand, and asked me a few questions about my past trips to India. "What did you go do in such-and-such place?" Places where very few foreigners probably go, but okay... He told me there’s nothing to do in those cities. I said that’s exactly what interests me. Anyway, he found it weird... But I still got my stamp! The whole thing made me realize that thanks to the forms filled out at hotels, the police and immigration services track your movements very precisely. I was told it’s for security reasons—to protect me.! | | | À: Poto · 1 November 2024 à 16:20 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 28 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 158 affichages · Partager Hello, Holder of a 5-year visa that, by the way, just expired, I’ve been coming to India every year, and up until last February, I hadn’t had the slightest problem. This time, I ran into an overzealous official who scrutinized my passport and noticed that I came to India "often." Which is pretty relative. Without saying a word, he left for an office. About 20 minutes later, he came back and asked me to follow him. I questioned him, but all he said was "wait here." So I waited in a hallway. One of his colleagues arrived (after making me wait even longer), passport in hand, and asked me a few questions about my past trips to India. What did you go do in such-and-such a place? Places where very few foreigners probably go, but okay... He told me there’s nothing to do in those cities. I said that’s exactly what interests me. Anyway, he found it weird... But I got my stamp! Bottom line, this made me realize that thanks to the forms filled out in hotels, the police and immigration services track your movements very precisely. I was told it was for security reasons, to protect me!
A huge thank you for your testimony—it backs up my own experience. I sounded like I was talking nonsense... So it really is just a story of some overzealous guy or gal at the counter. And the time it takes is incredibly stressful. Especially since, as you said, no matter how much you ask what’s going on, they don’t answer and just give you this super unpleasant, mysterious, suspicious look! | | | À: Poto · 1 November 2024 à 16:21 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 29 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 157 affichages · Partager which airport was it? I almost have an idea | | | À: Marien33 · 1 November 2024 à 16:59 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 30 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 153 affichages · Partager It was in Mumbai in the middle of the night, of course. Luckily, no one was waiting for me, and I wasn’t in a rush since I was waiting for my hotel room to be ready. But that doesn’t excuse this way of doing things. As you said, this mysterious attitude could be worrying. It feels like a bad crime novel. I probably ran into an overzealous official looking for a promotion | | | À: Poto · 1 November 2024 à 17:29 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 31 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 150 affichages · Partager As you said, that mysterious attitude could be worrying. It feels like a bad crime novel. I probably ran into the overzealous official looking for a promotion
I would’ve thought Bangalore—there’s a bunch of zealous types like that there... What you’re describing, I’ve experienced 4 or 5 times, always in Bangalore and nowhere else. Last May, when I LEFT India, I ran into one of those guys who made me sweat for 40 minutes!!! His argument was: You have a tourist visa and you don’t move around! You always stay in the same place! And why do you come so often? And why do you stay so long? etc... One day, when I arrived, I was the first one off the plane and nearly the first at the immigration counter. That was the worst day! Over 40 minutes of hassle with dozens of questions, repeating the same ones to see if I’d trip up. At one point, I turned around—the whole room was empty, over 350 people had already gone through!!! I’m starting to think about only entering and exiting India through Delhi, where it’s always quick and easy. But when you need to go to the deep south, it’s really not ideal. This time, less than a week ago, it took 5 minutes. But I had a new passport and a new visa... | | | À: Marien33 · 2 November 2024 à 11:51 Re: Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l' Inde? Message 32 de 32 · Page 2 de 2 · 128 affichages · Partager I'm leaving in early January with a new passport and a new 5-year visa. Fingers crossed I get it! I'll see if they question me again and keep you posted. | Discussions similaires sur l'Inde: Trouvez des offres de séjours uniques avec nos partenaires All rights reserved © 2026 MyAtlas Group | 12 367 visiteurs en ligne depuis une heure! |