How long is an unused visa for India valid?

Hi Lula, If it weren’t you, I wouldn’t have replied, thinking it was a troll prank... If you applied for a 5-year visa two years ago but never used it, I assume you didn’t actually go to India. In that case, YOU DID NOT OBTAIN A VISA—which is only issued upon arrival in India. What you received was an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) that’s only valid for 4 months!!! I’m surprised because you’re not naive, and all this is clearly explained on the official website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in So you’ll need to start the process all over again. Just do it. And this time, make sure to read everything carefully, especially the photo and document requirements for uploads. Good luck

Helloooo, Thanks for replying—really appreciate it! You’ll see they use the term e-visa. But your answer’s got me even more confused: I got this by email back then (hiding personal details):

Nationality :- FRANCE Visa Type :- e-Visa Service Name :- eTOURIST VISA No. of Entries :- Multiple

Date of issue of ETA :- December 28th, 2022 Date of expiry of ETA :- December 27th, 2027 Visa Processing Fee Paid (Excluding Bank Charges) :- $80 e-Visa Validity period is 5 Years from the date of issuance of this ETA.

When I check their site now:

Application Status :- Granted ETA Number : (deleted) Nationality :- FRANCE Visa Type :- e-Visa Service Name :- eTOURIST VISA No. of entries :- Multiple Activities Permitted :-

Recreation/Sight-Seeing

?????

I emailed them to ask... of course, no reply.

Well, yes, it's the ETA! It's valid for 4 months. That means once you've obtained it (Granted), you can (must) travel within 4 months, and your VISA is only issued upon arrival. Make sure to arrive at one of the airports listed as possible entry points. You seem to doubt me, that's not very nice. You can trust me. I'm experienced and I don’t just say anything... Otherwise, I wouldn’t have replied to your message. But didn’t you download/print your ETA when you received it? Everything is written on it...

It's not that I doubt you, it's just that I dread Indian bureaucracy.

If I hear anything, I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Your visa is still valid; you may travel on this eVisa.

Regards, eVisa support center

Okay, I’m totally lost now because what you’re talking about is the ETA. And the ETA is only valid for 4 months after you receive it! But you got yours in 2022. Let’s hope they understood you correctly. Especially since everyone who read my reply agrees with me! 😏 I really hope everything goes smoothly when you arrive... I feel like such an idiot !

Same here, I feel the same way...

I don’t know what to do. If I trust their answer, I’ll be freaking out until I’m on the plane.

So, for my peace of mind, I’ll probably apply for another one...

As for your flight... our little secret. 😉

At the same time, it’s not surprising because they’re very strict about photo requirements: white or light background, no smiling, shoulders only, no chest visible, the face must take up almost the entire photo frame, etc...

Yet, I know a young woman who submitted a photo with a black background, a big smile, and her entire upper body visible down to her chest—basically the exact opposite of what’s required. Normally, her photo should’ve been rejected, and so should her visa application. But she got her ETA approved in 48 hours!!!

Or, as a friend told me, maybe they’re getting so few applications and so few Western tourists in India that they’re no longer strict about their paperwork requirements.

Me too, I think the same way...

I don’t know what to do. If I trust their answer, I’ll be freaking out until I’m on the plane.

So, for my peace of mind, I’ll probably apply for another one..

As for your air... let’s keep that between us.😉

No, my air conditioning isn’t just between us because I know several people at least have read—and approved—my reply.

Me too, I think the same as you...

I don’t know what to do. If I trust their response, I’ll be freaking out until I’m on the plane.

So, for my peace of mind, I’ll probably apply for another one...

As for your air... let’s keep that between us. ;)

On top of that, they add another layer in their requirements, specifying that the ETA IS NOT THE VISA and doesn’t guarantee that the visa will be automatically granted upon arrival. Which airport are you arriving at? Anyway, make sure to print this response in case you run into any issues upon arrival to prove your good faith.

Please, Anémone17, chime in and give your opinion! You too, Vagam0nde. I really messed up and I'm not reliable.

For the airport, it'll probably be Mumbai. Or Goa. Or Bangalore. Or Kochi. Not sure. Actually, more likely Kochi.

good evening lula, hello everyone just read carefully above:

Date of issue of ETA: December 28th, 2022 Date of expiry of ETA: December 27th, 2027 Visa Processing Fee Paid (Excluding Bank Charges): $80 e-Visa Validity period is 5 Years from the date of issuance of this ETA.

which shows the ETA expiry date, i.e., December 27th, 2027 so it’s valid! sorry marien, but that’s what’s written! and have a great trip, lula!

Hello VagamOnde, So kind of you to chime in. And good call by Marien to tag you. So you’d say it’s all good. Not sure if that reassures me or not. What would you do in my shoes? Would you head straight to the airport?

hi lula, yeah, I’d leave without worrying. but since I’m no longer in India and have never done an e-visa, things often change in these processes, so it’s best to read carefully.

yes, thanks!

I’m sorry, Lula, if I worried you and if I said something silly. Regarding what I said about the ETA being valid for 4 months, it might have been my misinterpretation of this: For e-Tourist Visa (01 year / 05 years), e-Business Visa, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visa, applicants from eligible countries/territories can apply online at least 4 days before the date of arrival. Applications can be made up to 120 days in advance of the proposed travel date. (ii) For e-Tourist Visa (30 days), applicants from eligible countries/territories can apply online at least 4 days before the date of arrival. Applications can be made up to 30 days in advance of the proposed travel date. I interpreted that you *had* to travel within 120 days after applying. I assumed you’d given your arrival date in India within that 120-day window, even though you’re traveling 2 years later...

I read all the fine print at the bottom of the ETA page, including this: This electronic travel authorization does not entitle you to guaranteed entry into India. Your entry can still be refused upon arrival. That’s what made me say the ETA is a travel authorization, but it’s not the visa. The actual visa will be the little sticker pasted in your passport. Basically, after reading that, I concluded the ETA is granted, but the real visa isn’t *really* confirmed until you arrive at the destination airport. I’m truly, sincerely sorry if I freaked you out, and I wish you a great trip and hope everything goes smoothly when you arrive. Let us know how it goes here, I hope! From now on, I’ll refrain from answering questions like this where everyone has their own interpretation of Indian requirements and regulations.

excuse marien, but that's what it says! and have a great trip lula!

I'm particularly surprised that you're saying the opposite here of what you privately agreed with about my intervention. And I congratulate you for reassuring Lula, whom I’ve upset so much.

given that I'm no longer in India and having never done an e-visa, things often change in these processes, so it's important to read carefully.

It's true that you, who have never applied for an e-visa and haven’t traveled in several years, are in a better position to talk about e-visa requirements. And it's too bad that I read all the fine print carefully and with my long experience of the Indian administration's rigidity and complications.

Marien, don’t be sorry, please. I asked this question because I was unsure myself, and I vaguely remembered that the validity was limited. On the contrary, thank *you* for taking the time to reply and letting us exchange thoughts. I’ll definitely share later what I ended up doing and whether I re-entered India with this e-visa or another one.

"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!

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!!!

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?

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! !

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....😐

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!!!

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.!

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!

which airport was it? I almost have an idea 🙁

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

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...

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.