India happens to be one of the 100+ countries that Kenyan passport holders need to get an Indian visa first before legally entering the country.
Thankfully though, Kenyan nationals can apply for the India visa through an online ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) or E-Tourist Visa application process which is super fast, simple and straightforward!
It took me about 10 minutes to from start of application until making of payment.
If you’re looking to apply for an India Visa online as a Kenyan, then this guide should be of help to you.
But first, a disclaimer:
I CANNOT guarantee that your Indian Visa application through the online ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) or E-Tourist Visa application or Indian Embassy in Kenya will be approved by following this guide to a T. Getting a visa or not is at the sole discretion of the Indian Embassy consular officer who will attend to your application.
All I am offering here is a comprehensive guide based on my experience applying for an Indian visa online as a Kenyan national. It also incorporates some actionable tips to increase your odds of getting your Indian visa from here in Kenya.
Okay, since we’ve taken care of that, let’s move on…
What's Covered in This Article
What is the India online ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) or E-Tourist Visa?
This is an Indian visa application program (now aptly known as as “E-Visa”) through which instead of physically going to the Indian embassy in Nairobi Kenya, travelers have the option to apply for their Indian visa, pay for it online, print the Indian visa it out, and then present the print-out at their point of entry into India.
But there is a catch:
- Online applications for the Indian visa must however be made at least 72 hours to 30 days before the intended date of entry into India.
- You can only use your Indian e-visa to if arriving at one of the following 9 ports of entry in India:
- Mumbai,
- Delhi,
- Chennai,
- Kolkata,
- Hyderabad,
- Bangalore,
- Kochi,
- Goa and
- Thiruvananthapuram.
Categories of Indian e-visas you can apply for online with your Kenyan passport
As a Kenyan national, you can apply online for a visa to India under any one of the following 5 categories namely:
- India e-Tourist Visa,
- India e-Business Visa, or
- India E-Medical Visa
- India e-Medical Attendent Visa
- India e-Conference Visa
India e-Tourist Visa
- Duration: One year (365 days) from the date of grant of ETA.
- Entries: Multiple
- Stay: Continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 90 days for countries except USA, UK, Canada and Japan. For USA , UK, Canada and Japan continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days.
India e-Business Visa
- Duration: One year (365 days) from the date of grant of ETA.
- Entries: Multiple
- Stay: Continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days. If the intention is to stay for more then 180 days, you shall get registered with FRRO/FRO concerned within two weeks after the expiry of 180 days.
India e-Conference Visa
- Duration: Thirty days (30 days) from the date of arrival into India.
- Entries: Single
India e-Medical Visa
- Duration: Sixty days (60 days) from the date of arrival into India.
- Entries: Triple
India e-Medical Attendent Visa
- Duration: Sixty days (60 days) from the date of arrival into India.
- Entries: Triple
How to apply for an Indian visa online
Step 1: Determine your eligibility
As at the writing of this post (July 2019), following are the eligibility requirements for an Indian e-visa:
Purpose of travel to India
- Your sole objective for visiting India must be for recreation, sight seeing,casual visit to visit friends and relatives, attending a short term yoga programme, medical treatment including treatment under Indian systems of medicine, business purpose, as attendant to e-Medical visa holder, attending a conference/ seminar/ workshop organized by a Ministry or Department of the Government of India, State Governments or UT Administrations etc. & their subordinate/ attached organizations & PSUs and no other purpose/activity.
Passport
- Your Passport should have at least six months validity from the date of arrival in India.
- The passport should have at least two blank pages for stamping by the Immigration Officer.
- India e-visa is Not available to Diplomatic/Official Passport Holders or Laissez-passer travel document holders.
- India e-visa is Not available to individuals endorsed on Parent’s/Spouse’s Passport i.e. each individual should have a separate passport.
- India e-visa is Not available to International Travel Document Holders other than Passport.
Show money
- You must have return ticket or onward journey ticket,with sufficient money to spend during your stay in India.
- International Travellers having Pakistani Passport or Pakistani origin may please apply for regular Visa at Indian Mission.
Step 2: Gathered all required documents to apply for India e-visa online
For a smooth India visa application, make sure to have all your documents ready at hand before you begin the e-visa application.
All documents including Business cards, Invitation letters etc. must be in English otherwise your application will be be liable for rejection.
The entire process may take 10 to 15 minutes to complete the application and make the payment.
Filled in Indian eVisa application
You as the applicant are eligible for all the information entered in your visa application form. Caution must therefore be exercised when providing the information.
Other requirements depending on purpose of travel:
-
For e-Tourist Visa
- Scanned Bio Page of the passport showing the Photograph and Details *
- Hotel details (with address and contact number)
- NOTE: This information will be required when you get to the ‘References in India’ section of the online application form.
- TIP: Click on this link for a list of best hotels in New Delhi and the best hotels near the Taj Mahal palace.
-
For e-Medical Visa
- Scanned Bio Page of the passport showing the Photograph and Details *
- Copy of Letter from the Hospital concerned in India on its letterhead which including the date / tentative date which admission have been suggested .
-
For e-Medical Attendant Visa
- Scanned Bio Page of the passport showing the Photograph and Details*
-
For e-Business Visa
- Scanned Bio Page of the passport showing the Photograph and Details*
- Copy of Business Card
- Any letter of invitation if applicable from indian parties which wish you conduct the business (optional).
-
For e-Business Visa visiting “To deliver lecture/s under Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN)”
- Scanned Bio Page of the passport showing the Photograph and Details*
- Invitation of the host institute to the foreign faculty
- Copy of the sanction order under GIAN issued by the National Coordinating Institute viz. IIT Kharagpur
- Copy of the synopsis of the courses to be taken up by the faculty
-
For e-Conference Visa
- Scanned Bio Page of the passport showing the Photograph and Details*
- Invitation from organizer, which applicant may seek from this organiser.
- Political clearance from Ministry of External Affairs
- Event clearance from Ministry of Home Affairs
Digital photograph
The digital photograph you provide for your India visa application online must meet the following requirements:
- Format – JPEG
- Size
- Minimum 10 KB
- Maximum 1 MB
- The height and width of the Photo must be equal.
- Photo should present full face, front view, eyes open and without spectacles
- Center head within frame and present full head from top of hair to bottom of chin
- Background should be plain light colored or white background.
- No shadows on the face or on the background.
- Without borders.
- Scanned Bio Page of the passport showing the Photograph and Details.
- Format -PDF
- Size : Minimum 10 KB ,Maximum 300 KB
- Other document for Business/Medical Purpose
- Format -PDF
- Size : Minimum 10 KB ,Maximum 300 KB
Entry date and and exit date of your travel in India
Debit card, credit card or PayPal account
You will need a valid debit card, credit card, or PayPal account to pay your India visa application online.
Step 3: Apply for your India e-visa online
Simply log on to the Government of India E-Visa application website: indianvisaonline.gov.in and complete your visa application.
Step 4: Pay your India eVisa fees online
You can use either a credit card, a debit card or PayPal.
SBI (State Bank of India) ePay and Axis are the banks that the Government of India uses to accept payments for the online Indian Visa applications.
When re-directed to the payment portal,click on the bullet that says “Yes”, click on “Pay Now”,and select your preferred option.
The next web page you land on will give you the option to pay for the visa fee with a debit card, a credit card or with PayPal.
Once you have completed payment, you can click on https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/PaymentCheck to verify your evisa payments. You will need your Application ID and Date of Birth.
As at the time of my application, the India eVisa fees for Kenyan passport holders was US$ 80. For the latest fee chart, you can check here.
In addition to the visa fee, you will need to pay for the bank charge which is 2.5% of the fee.
India e-visa Payment Helpdesk
SBI ePay: +91-22-2752-3816
+91 1800-22-401 (24 x 7)
Axis Bank : +91 1800-419-0073 (24 x 7)
Step 5: Receive your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)
Click on https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/StatusEnquiry to check the status of your India eVisa application.
Your ETA Will be sent to your via the e-mail address you registered in step 3 above. Download and print it out.
+91-11-24300666 (24 x 7)
indiatvoa@gov.in
Step 6: At India Immigration
When you get to the Immigration Check Post upon arrival in India, present your ETA print out to your immigration officer handling your passport and they will stamp the evisa on your passport.
Eligible Nationalities to apply for India eVisa (as at July 2019)
Only nationals of the following countries are eligible to apply for Indian eVisa:
- Albania
- Andorra
- Angola
- Anguilla
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Aruba
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Bolivia
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon Union Republic
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Cayman Island
- Chile
- China
- China- SAR Hongkong
- China- SAR Macau
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Cote d’lvoire
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- East Timor
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Montserrat
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger Republic
- Niue Island
- Norway
- Oman
- Palau
- Palestine
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Republic of Korea
- Republic of Macedonia
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saint Christopher and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Tonga
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turks & Caicos Island
- Tuvalu
- UAE
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
- USA
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City-Holy See
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
As immigration rules change from time to time, go through instructions available on the website of Bureau of Immigration at https://boi.gov.in in case of any changes.
