My first Indian tourist visa issued last 2010.
Update (4 February 2013): There is an online application available here. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS POST WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ONLINE APPLICATION.
Getting an Indian visa for Filipinos these days is more difficult than before. When I applied for a tourist visa in 2010, I only spent at an hour inside the embassy to file my application and picked it up after 3 working days. Both were done in a breeze. But early this year, the Indian Embassy in the Philippines announced that it has started outsourcing its visa processing to BLS International effective January 12, 2012. (Read the notice here.) THE EMBASSY NO LONGER ACCEPTS PERSONAL APPLICATIONS AND ALL VISA APPLICATIONS MUST GO THRU BLS INTERNATIONAL.Only passport services for Indian nationals are accepted at the embassy. This reminder is nowhere in the websites of both the embassy and the agency although the outsourcing announcement has been posted. I think it is clearer to state such reminder. Japan Embassy in Manila, for example, specifically states that they do not accept visa applications except for special cases.
BLS International is located along 601-A (6th Floor), One Corporate Plaza, Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City. It is a walking distance from Walter Mart and St. John Bosco Parish Church. When I went there yesterday, confident that I have followed all the instructions posted on the website and all the requirements for a tourist visa, I thought I will only take about an hour to file my application. How wrong I was. I took 4.5 hours!!! The office of the agency is too small; it could probably sit 30 people comfortably. But beyond that, the room gets packed. They have 3 personnel at the counter who check the documents, receive payments and issue receipts, 1 security guard cum photocopy operator, 2 other staff whose responsibilities I am quite unsure about and a manager. The good thing, which somehow compensates the slow process,is that all the personnel are very accommodating but sometimes oftentimes they become too accommodating that they lose the entire system altogether. The manager was very friendly and understanding and even asked me “Dear, are your documents completed now?” a couple of times. How sweet is that?! :)
As long as you arrive early and have all the requirements, I am sure that even with this new procedure, applying for a visa would be easy. Anyway, for you not to suffer those excruciating hours of sitting idly, here are some tips I can offer based on my experience.
STEP 1: PREPARE YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
a. Download the application form from here. Accomplish 1 set of form accordingly. DO NOT WRITE N/A, NO DETAILS, or similar answers. WRITE “NO” IF YOU DON’T HAVE AN APPLICABLE ANSWER TO A QUESTION EVENTHOUGH IT’S NOT A YES OR NO QUESTION.
b. Attach 2 pieces of 2X2 ID pictures. Ideally, paste one on the space for ID and staple the other one beside it.
c. Attach 2 copies of the first page of your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months, or better yet for at least a year.
d. Attach 1 copy of confirmed roundtrip tickets. NO ROUNDTRIP TICKETS, NO VISA.
e. Attach 1 copy of your bank certificate to prove that you have enough finances to cover your travel expenses in India.
f. If you have a sponsor from India, attach 1 copy of your sponsor’s SIGNED invitation letter and bank certificate/s. An invitation letter with itinerary is better.
g. Staple all these together, in order, then you’re good to go.
h. If you are submitting on behalf of other people, make sure that you have their LETTER AUTHORIZING YOU TO FILE THE APPLICATION ON THEIR BEHALF WITH THEIR SIGNATURES, YOUR SIGNATURE AND A PHOTOCOPY OF YOUR ID.
i. If you are submitting for a group, in my case for my family, MAKE SURE THAT YOU PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTS FOR EACH OF THEM. For example, if you have an invitation letter from India, photocopy this invitation letter and attach to each applicant.
STEP 2: SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION
j. BLS International accepts applications from 9:30am-12:30pm, Mondays thru Fridays, except holidays. Their website says until 1:30pm but they have a cut-off at 12:30pm. They will no longer accept applicants beyond that time. I advise going there as early as you can to get ahead of the line. I assume if you are the first one, the process won’t take you 30 minutes provided that you have all the documents ready. (Note: Bring all original documents with you, if possible.)
k. Sign the logbook at the table near the entrance. A clerk who will check your documents will call you in order of the logged applicants and will give you a number depending on the visa category you are applying for (e.g. Tourist #28) together with your documents. So it is important that you have filled up the forms properly so as not to slow down the process for the others. IF YOU HAVE MADE A MISTAKE IN YOUR APPLICATION FORM, CROSS IT OUT AND COUNTERSIGN.
l. With your corrected documents and PASSPORT, wait for your number to be called at the counter. Once your turn comes, the counter clerk will again check your documents and issue a receipt upon payment.
m. PROCESSING FEE FOR TOURIST VISA IS P2,100 PLUS A BLS INTERNATIONAL FEE OF P148. Only Peso currency will be accepted. Click here for information regarding other types of visa.
n. Together with the receipt, the clerk will return a stamped photocopy of your passport. Bring these when you claim back your passport.
o. Processing time for Philippine passport holders is 3 working days but they asked me to be back after 4 working days. I filed my application on Tuesday and I can claim in only on next Tuesday.
STEP 3: CLAIMING YOUR VISA
p. BLS International releases passports/visas from 4:30pm-5:30pm. This process is easier and there are fewer people. Sign the logbook and wait for your turn to be called.
q. Before leaving, make sure that your visa details are all correct.
OTHER IMPORTANT REMINDERS
r. MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL YOUR REQUIREMENTS AS YOU DON’T WANT TO PAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AT THE AGENCY: Printing fee per page is P50. Receiving a fax per page is P40. Photocopying per page is P2.50. And you have to log on a sheet of paper every time you avail these services.
s. PLEASE REMOVE ANY PASSPORT COVER BEFORE YOU HAND IN YOUR APPLICATION. Taking off your passport cover at the counter takes a significant amount of time, seriously!
t. Bring anything to occupy you while waiting.
u. Bring a fan, it could get a little dense in there.
v. Bring food in case you get stuck. (I was so hungry at that time that I was already seeing my fellow applicants turning into fried chickens. Hahaha!)
w. Finally, please don’t make a scene. If you are in a hurry and pissed by the slow process, have patience. It is annoying for other applicants who try to be calm despite hunger, heat and lost time. Trust me, setting a rampage won’t help AT ALL. Just think that once you get your tourist visa, everything else in your travel will be incredible, like INDIA! :)
Safe travels and see you in India!
==================== Last updated: January 22, 2012
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Good day!
I just want to know if the round trip tickets requirements needed to be confirmed or it’s just a reservation?
Thank you and God bless.
There’s an information in the website which says:
“Non-refundable tickets or reservations should not be purchased until all visas and passports are secured and in your possession.”
But when I applied for my visa, I produced confirmed tickets. That’s just my experience.
on your blog, you suggest to write “NO” instead of “NA”…i had check the application online to india they suggested to answer “NA” if no applicable answer….
so, it is not a conflict?
Please note that this post was written before the implementation of the online application.
Hi!I have to visit my fiance who is studying in Michigan.I want to visit him for 15 days in the month of may from India. He is staying with his friends there. Will it be difficult to get a visa on these grounds? Also what all documents will be required? kindly help.
You are on a wrong thread. If I understand your question right, you are asking information about US visa for Indians. Please read the title of this post.
Hi there. I’ve just seen this post. I would like to ask if your husband has sent you a sponsorship letter for you to go to India? I’ve been planning to go to India, from Bangkok to Chennai (they say it’s better to travel south if you’re a woman, and alone but I’ll be visiting my fiance too)where forums say I can get a VoA. I already have tickets (bought so suddenly as they were cheap and since I already had tickets for Vietnam and Thailand, thinking a detour to India would be delightful) and I chose that option since I’m from Mindanao and going to Manila to apply for a tourist visa seems like a hassle. As for the bank statements, I’m on a paperless account since I work and do business online. I only have my e-banking downloadable files and paypal and they both have a reasonable sum of money. So far, I’ve only read through VoA forums taken at Delhi airport so I’m still a bit confused.
Yes, my husband gave me a sponsorship letter with itinerary, invitation and bank statement. I also submitted a bank statement of my own, just to make sure. I maintain an online account but one can always request for a statement officially issued by the bank, which for my case took only a day.
I see, Thank you. Where should the letter be addressed?
Either to the embassy or to you.
hi this is jay again, i m planning to apply for another 6 months visa for my fiance, she was here from june 2012 to nov 2012 and now in phil. i want to bring her again on jan 2013 is it possible to get another round for six month?
Sorry for the late reply. I am traveling for the holidays. Yes, I don’t think there will be a problem as long as you fulfill the required interval. Plus, having an approved visa in the past really helps. Thanks for the question.
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would you share your itinerary?
I contacted a travel operator (Caper Travels) to give me a quote on a 15-day itinerary – Delhi, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Pushkar, Agra, Darjeeling. Price is high, as there’s only 2 of us going (mom and me)
Haven’t really researched extensively yet, so the only thing I thought was to find a “trusty” operator, as I fear India could be not so tourist-friendly…
I’d appreciate if anyone can share their favorites and must’s and recommendations on hotels and restos, see if i can forego buying the pricey package.
thanksies!
Hi April. Thank you for your question. The first time I went to India was with a local. I stayed at their house in Mumbai, then went to Mathura to stay in an ashram. I visited Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Qtub Minar and Red Fort. We didn’t stay in a hotel and we had our own driver at that time. The second time was for my wedding. Basically, I am not helpful when it comes to itinerary as I didn’t travel the way a tourist does. Have safe travels.
Hello Ma’am.
Good day!
I am Indian Citizen, married to Filipina, have a son in the Philippines, me and my wife working in Saudi Arabia. Now the Question is, within 10/15 days i will go on Exit from Saudi Arabia, to Philippines,(Thrice i have been to Philippines before). Since my wife still will work in Saudi while i am gone on exit, i want to take my son from Phils to India, since he is not keeping in good Health. So will it be difficult for me to take my son to India(even he have been to India once, he have Filipino Passport) for Medical treatment, and after that he will stay with me for a couple of months till we join my wife again in Saudi Arabia…Please help me on this matter. Thank you Ma’am and waiting to hear from you..
Regards.
Mr. Khan
If your question is, “will it be difficult for you to bring you son to India,” why would it be? I don’t understand why would it be a problem.
If your question is about obtaining a visa for your son, the procedure is listed in this post and for sure it will be easy already because his father is an Indian citizen.
Thank you for that comments ma’am…I appreciated it.
2nd question, how easy would it for me to acquire a dual citizenship for my son, so that in future he can escape all this hassles getting visa to n fro India/Phils?
Since this is a post about tourist visa and I have no experience applying for a dual citizenship, please refer to the official website of the Indian Embassy in the Philippines http://www.embindia.org.ph/
This was really helpful. :) I will be flying to India February next year and I’ll be staying there for at least 3 months. Will I be assured of visa issuance so long as I have enough money to cater my stay there and a round trip plane ticket? I’m planning on having spiritual journey there. :) I hope you don’t mind me asking. :)
Yes, as long as you submit all required documents. Proof of financial status (i.e. bank statement) will be very important especially for a 3-month itinerary (I highly recommend that you give them an itinerary as well with accommodation and contact details). I suggest you provide as much documents as you can to prove that you will go back to Philippines (e.g. certificate of employment). It is not very difficult and even after submitting your application and they see that they might need further requirements from you, they may contact you and give you a chance to submit additional documents. Good luck and have safe travels!
Hi again, just wanna update you guys! Im now in a hotel in bustling Delhi after touring around Northern India for the last 10 days. And YES, i got Visa on Arrival! In my experience, it was actually hassle fee. I just showed them my return ticket, day by day itinerary and all my accomodation details. The officer is a slow yet chatty man, and even joked that Im the only one who had filled out the form neatly and correctly. I paid $60 and gave 1 passport size photo. The VoA desk is just behind the main escalator leading downwards to the final immigration counter at Delhi. Hope this helps! PS I love India, already! :)
This is really helpful. Thank you Herchell. And yes, India is indeed incredible not to fall in love with. Enjoy and have safe travels.
All Philippinos can get a Tourist Visa on arrival with a maximum validity of 30 days with single entry facility by the Immigration officer at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, KOCHI (recently added) Airports and NOT in any other Immigration Check Posts(ICPs).http://www.immigrationindia.nic.in/visa_on_arrival2.htm
Thank you for a much more detailed info about VoA. I’m sure a lot of people will find this helpful.
hi! this is a great help for people wanting to apply for a visa. I just would like to ask, I am 59 yrs old, I will be applying for a tourist visa since my daughter who is now in India and married to an Indian, will be giving birth this february. I don’t have a a job or any bank accounts. but based on your blog, i think an invitation from my son-in-law and his financial statements would be good enough? or maybe i can also attach medical reports as proof that my daughter will need my assistance ? and also, if I cannot personally apply for the visa, can i seek visa assistance from any travel agencies? thank you for sharing your knowledge
Hi. Thanks for the questions.
1. Invitations and proof of financial status from your sponsor, in this case your daughter or her husband, is required.
2. I think it is not strictly required to show a medical report but if you have it, it won’t hurt attaching one. The more documents you have with you at the time of the application is better. The BLS International staff or the agents may also advice you on this.
3. Yes, you can seek assistance from travel agencies (for a fee, of course) BLS International does not require personal appearance and if someone else will do the application on your behalf, make sure that they have authorization letter from you. The agency will guide you with this.
Good luck! It’s not really that difficult to get an Indian visa as long as you have all the requirements. The BLS International staff were kind enough to assist me in which documents should I submit when I did my application.
Hi TBT,
I appreciate your wonderful help in sharing your experiences to the folks like me. My filippino fiancee is working in Hong Kong. I would like to marry her in india, if Allaah wills. And I want to get indian passport for her. So that she can go and come to india multiple times in her vacation. Would you please help me how can I meet my needs and what documents are required.
Thanks in Advance
S_faith
This thread is about Indian visa. I have no experience of getting an Indian passport. But if you mean Indian visa, she can check the documents required by the Indian embassy/consulate in Hongkong (if she meant to apply there). If she will apply in the Philippines, the information is already in this post.
An Indian tourist visa allows you multiple entries provided that “there should be a gap of at least 2 months between two visits to the country on a Tourist Visa. In case of requirement to visit the country within 2 months, permission should be sought from the Head of Mission concerned. In such cases, registration would be required within 14 days of arrival.” – excerpt from the Indian embassy in the Philippines’ website.
Read this the Citizenship Act, 1955 Section 5(1) (c) Citizenship by registration. – (1) Subject to the provisions of this section and such other conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed, the Central Government may, on an application made in this behalf, register as a citizen of India any person not being an illegal migrant who is not already such citizen by virtue of the Constitution or of any other provision of this Act if he belongs to any of the following categories, namely:
(c) a person who is married to a citizen of India and is ordinarily resident in India for seven years before making an application for registration.
What this means? After the marriage with this Iranian lady wait for seven years before she can apply for Indian Citizenship & apply for Indian passport on basis of this acquired Indian citizenship. The best course the Government of India provided for all such cases where Indian citizen marries a foreign national is to provide such foreigner spouse PERSON OF INDIAN ORIGIN CARD (PIO CARD) by virtue of all such benefits accrue to such person :- 1)No visa required for visiting India.
2) No separate “Student Visa” or “Employment Visa” required for admissions in Colleges/Institutions or for taking up employment respectively.
3) A PIO Card holder will be exempt from the requirement of registration if his stay on any single visit in India does not exceed 180 days.
4) In the event of continuous stay in India of the PIO Card holder exceeding 180 days, he/she shall have to get himself/herself registered within 30 days of the expiry of 180 days with the concerned Foreigners Regional Registration Officer / Foreigners Registration Officer
5) Parity with non-resident Indians in respect of facilities available to the latter in economic, financial and educational field.
6)All PIOs including PIO Card holders shall enjoy parity with NRIs in respect of all facilities in the matter of acquisition, holding, transfer and disposal of immovable properties in India except in maters relating to the acquisition of agricultural/plantation properties. No parity shall be allowed in the sphere of political rights.
7)Facilities available to children of NRIs for getting admission to educational institutions in India including medical colleges, engineering colleges, Institute of Technology, Institute of Management, etc. under the general categories.
8) Facilities available under the various housing scheme of LIC, State Government and other Government Agencies.
9) Special counters at the immigration check posts for speedy clearance.
Now go ahead & get married to this lady in a proper manner first (best will be to get married to her under the Foreign Marriage Act,1969 if you both are in a foreign country or under the Special Marriage Act,1954 if you both are in India. In both the cases you get a valid marriage certificate from the Marriage Officer/Registrar that you will be requiring for the purpose of PIO card now & for her citizenship purpose latter on)
Hi. Im planning to go to India and to have a Visa on Arrival when I get there. I read that it’s only possible to have the visa valid on major airports, but what if i arrive in Delhi, a major airport and plan to fly to Varanasi, a minor airport, after a week, would i need to apply for visa then from the embassy? Please help. Thanks a lot!
It means that you can only obtain visa on arrival from major airports. If New Delhi is your port of entry, you can apply for VoA from there and your visa will be valid for all of India. I can’t think of a visa that is not valid for the whole country.
Haha that’s what I thought too! It’s like having a visa to Philippines and be only allowed to visit Manila and Cebu. Thinking of India makes me really excited, and reading your blog makes me reconsider blogging and wandering and discovering, whichever comes first! thanks for the inspiration, bella!
I planned to take my fiancee to india by jan 2013..i knw abt d BLS since i had a enquiry wid them reg her visa b4…but i need more information regarding the funds…i have my bank balance of somewat around 300K n my fiance she too have 100K in her bank…is this fundds enough to get her a visa for min 4 mos to stay there since v ll b getting married..regarding the letter of invitation for her supporting docs since am going to b her sponsor do i have to get any kind of signature from natary public in tht letter of invitation…and also v r not going to let the embassy knw tht v ll b getting married…..since am working and staying here in KSA at present…i cant get the signature from notary public…
I had been b4 in phils Last march n i planned to come again by jan to take my fiance together wid me to india…
which ll b better for her to apply for visa..after i reach or b4?
Now she resides in Davao..so she knw a agency there who processing for Indian Visa…which one u prefer, the agency in Davao or BLS?
And also i want to knw if i ll b buying to and fro tkt for her for 5 Mos..i mean by the end of Jan i ll b taking her to India n i ll b buying her return tkt by May or Jun..is it possible to apply for visa wid 5 Mos Tkt?
Anticipating ur earliest reply..
Hope u ll help me to get married wid my fiance..
God Bless
1. Amount in the bank statement – please read previous comments.
2. Notarized documents – I presented supporting documents from my sponsor without notarization. But if you want it notarized, you may do so as well.
3. It doesn’t matter when she applied for visa. Just make sure you have ample time for application before your expected departure.
4. I don’t know about the agency in Davao. BLS International accepts applications thru agencies as far as I know. It’s just that, BLS is the main agency the Indian Embassy in Manila directly deals with.
5. Technically, tourist visas can have 6-month validity. But usually (please see previous comments), they give 3-month visa. My father got a 4-month visa, my friend got a 3-month visa, and me and the rest of the entourage got 3-month visas although we submitted similar requirements. I asked BLS why so, and the one in-charge at that time told me that they are unaware about the factors that make the embassy decide regarding visa validity.
Hope these help. I was also married in India and didn’t encounter much problems with the application. I just showed them my wedding invitation and complete documents. All my family members and friends got their visas on time and attended my wedding. I didn’t stay long in India though so the 3-month visa sufficed. Good luck and advance congratulations.
Can I ask the documents you presented in India because me and my Indian fiancee are planning to marry there (Andhra Pradesh) this February and we are still confuse of the documents we need to process? Last April we tried to marry here but unfortunately some of the documents he presented to the Indian embassy in Manila were not accepted because they said they need documents which are issued in India because my fiancee got some documents from the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi in which he is currently working. We are asking for his brother’s help but he still don’t know the requirements upto now and we are getting worried. I will truly appreciate your response and thank you in advance.
Hi. My in-laws were the ones who supervised our documents in India as both of us were not there at that time. I remember submitting to them my birth certificate, passport, CENOMAR and ID pictures.
I have applied already for our Cenomar (I got him again a Cenomar just to make sure if ever our embassy in India will ask upon registration) and will be processing it for DFA authentication together with my birth certificate. I’m praying for the wedding to get on scheduled coz if not we need to wait again next year for his vacation. Thank you very much for your immediate response.
Hi Nanda,
I got married to a filipino in aug-2012 and planning to get her to India in Jan-13, but also struggling with the plethora of stuff available on the website as well as all the forums.
If it is ok, can you please share the name of the travel agency in Davao, so my wife can get more clarity from them.
Thanks in advance.
Regards
Suman Dodril Hipson
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hello i would like to ask if its okay to apply a tourist visa in india ,cuz my fiancee from usa will be stayin there in india for 1month and he wants me to visit there,but the problem is i dont have bank account or savings fund,but hes the one will produce all my expenses,like airtickets hotels etc…i will be stayin to he”s hotel…is it okay to apply tourist visa in india even i dont have savings fund,but i have round triptickets ,passport,the only thing i dont have is savings fund…but my fiancee from usa will took gudcare of everything…do u think they will allow me to apply tourist visa even i dont have savings …im from philippines…i hope you can answers all my question thanks…
Kindly read the comments because all your questions have been dealt with before. Good luck!
hi, i often read comments in this site…i’m glad that i learn things on this site…by the way, i am a filipina and i have some issue that needs an answer…my fiance is a citizen of India and he want to marry me in India…but, for now, he want me to live in India with his family…Is it possible for a filipino citizen to live in india before marriage? and what are the things i should do?…
Hi. I was also married in India but didn’t live there before that. So when we got married I was under a tourist visa. The easiest way to stay with his family is to be on a tourist visa for a few months.
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indian visa on arrival is still going on or its change the policy on indian visa arrival. thank
Sorry, I didn’t understand your question.
Hello there.
I am indian and my wife is from Philippines. we are living in USA on H1B and H4B visa respectively. We are planning to visit Philippines from 19th dec 2012 to 3rd jan 2013 and then go to india from 4th jan 2013 to 19th jan 2013.
last week I went to Indian embassy at San francisco to apply for my wife’s indian visa. I applied for 6 month visa but she only got approved for 3 months which expires on dec 26th 2012. However we are going to india on jan 4th.
What options I have now without changing the tickets?
can I ask embassy to void this indian visa so that I can reapply in november?or any other option?
I suggest 2 options:
1. Re-apply for a visa on November. It’s odd that gave you a visa for only 3 months if you showed your tickets for January?
2. If you think you will run out of time, you can also opt for a VoA (Visa on Arrival). Just make sure you have all the necessary requirements.
hi.,i have one question here..,Sir.,I have girlfriend in Philippines.,we had planned for marry and she is ready to come here.,I don’t think so that she will have 50Kpeso in her bank.,so what if she is give my reference on ask by the authorities.,is it possible that she will get visa on my bank account statement.,and what other documents she will need by which i can help her to take her here.how many days that visa will be valid.,coz i will need 1 to 2 month to complete legal formalities for marriage.
plz tell me sir.
thank you
First of all, I’m a lady.
Second, yes she can use your bank statement as proof of financial capability.
For the rest of your questions, please check the comments for they have been asked and answered before.
Thanks.
thank you so much madam.,sorry to say you sir..,my apology..!!
No problem and good luck.
I have a bank statement here showing my 40K pesos on my account.Will that be sufficient for my one month stay in India? and how recent should bank statements/certificates be? thank you
Hi. Please check the previous comments with regard to your first question. Regarding the date of your bank statement, as far as I know, BLS International or the embassy has no specific requirement for that. But for my application, my bank statement was less than a week old.
Ok thatnks.,,if possible can apply through email?
I believe there are no online applications. If it is really impossible for you to apply personally, ask an agency to do that on your behalf.
Hi,wat f I’m pregnant wat documents need to process…bcos m husband ask me to visit his parent’s ..thanks
I’m sorry I don’t know if there are special requirements for pregnant women. The website didn’t specify anything about that case so I’m thinking it would be the same.
Hi I want to ask u.,my husband is an indian citizen. And he ask me to go India just to visit his family but his working in Singapore now,,he is my sponsor also..what documents do I need to processes I already have a letter and bank statement of my husband….
The documents you need are already stated in this post. Thanks!
Hi, I’m Annie and planning to get a tourist Visa for India. I’m from the Philippines and I have $6,000 in my bank. If ever I will bring my daughter with me could this be sufficient for both of us? I already have a valid passport , ITR, bank certificate, insurance policy, 2 copies id photo but no plane tickets yet. My friend send me a wedding invitation for his sister’s marriage this coming October 25, 2012. If I will bring my daughter with me, does she need same documents? What other documents do I need to get a Visa? Do I need a business permit? What if I don’t have this would it be possible for me to get a Visa?
Hoping and thanking for your immediate response.
Hi Annie, thanks for the comments.
First, about the bank statement. As I mentioned in the other comments, it is the discretion of the embassy whether to give you a visa or not depending on your bank statement. I also mentioned in the comments that my friend was requested for a 50,000peso-bank statement by BLS International just to make sure that she will be given a visa but she only had 30,000pesos and she decided to go for it. Luckily, she was granted a tourist visa valid for 2 months. This is my benchmark in giving comments to some inquiries here and I have to reiterate that there is no minimum requirement (on paper) about how much a bank statement should show.
Second, about your daughter’s requirements. I am not sure about the documentation for kids. It would be better to ask BLS International. But I am guessing that you will be asked for a consent to travel as one of the requirements.
Third, about other requirements, the more requirements to prove that you are going back to Philippines, the better. I think a business permit or an employment letter showing that you have a stable source of income would surely cement your application. I suggest that you also bring a copy of the wedding invitation sent to you. My friends and my whole family applied for an Indian visa so that they could go to my wedding in India and all of them were asked for a copy of the invitation. I also showed, during my application, return tickets and an itinerary of my stay, where I will stay, contact numbers of my accommodation, contact persons if applicable.
I hope these help. Please share your experience here as well. Good luck and have safe travels.
Hi again….is it possible for me to get VOA? Since I dont have Visa yet and the date that my friend is expecting me to be there in India is on Oct. 25th ,2012…Is it possible for me to get Visa here in PHILIPPINES FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME? Hence, my problem is my business permit is not yet done…and i am self employed so i am not attached to any company. Please tell me what to do…Thank u if u can reply ASAP.
Processing time is 3-4 working days. In lieu of business permit, submit a bank statement showing proof of enough finances.
Of course it is possible for everyone to get a VoA.
Is it possible for me to get VOA?
Hi thank you for this information but i wanna ask about my case. Im a Filipina nurse here in Saudi and i wanna visit India for maybe 10 days only.My destination will be Mumbai..do u think the embassy will ask me to whom I will stay and why i choose that place?actually i dont know anyone there but i just heard the city is good.other requirements and money matters no problem..only Im worried about is that maybe they will doubt on me coz its my first time going there and i will b alone plus i dont know anyone so please tell me what i will do or help me with this matter. (worried they will reject my application) thank u sooo much!I would highly appreciate if u will send me a reply:-)
Hi. You then have to provide the details of where you are going to stay, e.g. hotels? If you are traveling with a tour agency, provide their details as well. The embassy in Philippines accepts, in case you are a tourist who doesn’t know anyone there, the name, address, contact numbers as a reference.
im going alone without any agent at all so all I need to do is provide them all the details of the hotel where Im gonna stay? What if I will visit other place there so do I need to include all the hotels where i will stay? Thank You…
Yes, include the contact details of all your accommodations.
Thank you so much for the info…It do helps a lot ^_^ Godbless You!
You’re welcome. Please share on this site how it goes so others could also learn from your experience. Thank you too and have a e day.
hi i read new info in requirements of tourist visa…im employed so do I need to show to embassy my employment certificate and salary cert as well? also would it b possible to apply a visa 10 days before my scheduled flight? im so worried now coz i got the ticket already and i can apply only when im already in philippines…another thing is that if i will ask for help in an agent, do I need to go with my agent for personal appearance and interview? thank u…
Employment and salary certificates are not strictly required but if you have them ready, it won’t hurt to submit them. I submitted mine.
I don’t know whether you need personal appearance with agency because I haven’t done that before. But I believe you don’t have to.
I got my tourist visa 3-4 business days after submissions of application.
Can anyone help me? This is my first time to apply for visa and I don’t know what to do..I’m a Filipina and I’m planning to visit my bf in India..Most preferably, I want to stay there for 3 months then go back to Manila as Im working here as a nurse..Should I apply for VoA?as I checked it the maximum days is only up to 30 days OR for normal tourist visa with 6 months validity..Can u help me so I can book the ticket ASAP..How much money should reflect on my account before they allow me? Thanks
Please read the comments as your questions have been asked and answered before. Thank you.
Thanks..but will they question the amount of money i have on my account if im planning to stay there for 2 months? I only have like 35K pesos here…I praying that everything will be okay… (crossed fingers)
The amount is based on the embassy’s discretion. But I believe they will question your 35k because it is not sufficient for 3 months. As I said in my previous comments, my friend applied for a tourist visa and planned to stay for only a week and BLS International advised her to have at least 50k. She only had 30k in her account but she still submitted her application. Fortunately, the embassy granted her a visa.
Hi I just want to know, whether the Indian embassy issue a tourist visa which is longer than 3 months? I applied for a six months tourist visa before but they only give me 2 months as validity date. So I’m kind of wondering whether the visa they issue is based on the duration of your tickets?
I believe that your return tickets will be carefully considered for determining the length of your visa. Based on the embassy’s website, tourist visa could also come with 6-month validity.
hi good day i have a question because i plan to go in India only for 4 days because my fiancee have business trip there im here at Philippines and my fiancee is from us so we gonna meet there in india my fiancee is the one who will provide all expenses even the bank statement he is the one who will provide for me my question is is it okey that all documents that i need is came from him the only hing i will bring that mine is passport and picture the rest is for my fiancee and we already book for the hotel we dont have ticket because the girl that i talk thru phone in india embassy she told me that we help me to arrange my choices of ticket like that but you said no ticket no visa i was confuse hope you help me thanks
These are my opinion. First, I believe there is no problem for your fiancé to provide the documents. Second, as far as I remember, an applicant needs return tickets before granted a visa. The rule might have changed and I am not aware of it. But I haven’t encountered any embassy arranging for the tickets of an applicant. And third, the last time I applied for a visa, I didn’t deal with their embassy but with BLS International as per their new procedure. I hope these help.
P.S. I am someone sharing my experiences in acquiring a visa and have no authority in assuring a successful visa application.
My dear, thanks for the helpful information. I am bound for Kochi by September and I am informed there is no VoA processing there. Also, I leave directly from Davao to Singapore flight. My question is, do I have to fly to Manila to process/claim my visa or can it be sent to me via courier if I have a travel agency process it? Many thanks for visiting my blog. :-)
Hi Jojie. I don’t have a clue why this comment went to spam. Good thing I checked my spam messages and found this. Terrribly sorry for the late reply. I believe you can go for a VoA in Mumbai and New Delhi. I am not sure about Kochi. About you processing/claiming of visa, you could probably ask the travel agency if you can do it via courier. For BLS International, the official agency processing the visa as authorized by the Indian Embassy, requires you to pick it up personally if you apply a visa by yourself. I know it’s late but I hope this somehow helps. Enjoy Kerala!
Thanks for the reply! Hehe schedule is so tight I don’t think I will make it to Kochi and Kerala this time as trip is on Sept. 26 and visa processing will take a week from my travel agent. Hope I can make it next trip. :-)
Oh, I see. Anyway, there will always be a next time. Kerala is a wonderful place! Have safe travels.
Hugs!!!
Hi….is roundtrip ticket check in d immigration upon arrival in india?coz im planning to book 1 way ticket only for d reason dat im.nt sure d exact date wen to return coz rebooking is quite expensive so im planning to buy ticket wen im about to go bk..is dat ok or no? thank u so much :) (by d way ive got my tourist visa approve)…so im thinking dis wud work or no…:)
Hello. It’s a surprise that you got your tourist visa even without a return ticket. Usually, the embassy/agency would ask for return tickets as an important requirement. And based on my experiences, not only in India, but also in countries where I was visiting as a tourist, immigration officers would normally ask for my return ticket. Hope this helps.
Hi, i would like to ask if once i have my tourist visa on hand. Is there any problems in airport immigration Manila or some chances to offload? i heard from others that if you using tourist visa the airport immigration officers asks you many questions and sounds that they have doubts in your stay in that country. They have doubts that you may work there and not just do a visit. I also experienced this when i went to singapore they ask questions and ask some documents like company i.d. etc..I hope you can help me so i can start my visa application. thanks
I didn’t encounter much questions and there’s nothing to doubt if you are only a tourist. It’s common for immigration officers to scrutinize cuz that’s their job especially for Filipinos cuz it’s known that we have a lot of fellowmen abroad on illegal stay. Its also common for them to ask for company ID so I bring mine with me all the time. Make sure that you have your contact information with you in India, i.e. address and phone number, with you all the time as well. Good luck and there’s nothing to worry much if you have proper documentation. Have safe travels.
Thanks..
Hi there!
You mentioned that your friend applied for a VoA. Is it hard to get a VoA based on his experience? Also, do I still need to bring a bank certificate in applying for a VoA or are credit cards & pocket money enough to prove your financial stability?
Hi. Thank you for your question. My friend brought all required documents for his VOA. Just to play safe. You don’t want missing documents when you are already at the immigration of India. I suggest, if time still permits you, to apply for a visa prior your departure at it would be less risky.
Is a bank statement really required?
Based on my experience, it is. They will not list it as a requirement if it is not important.
Ay okay. I’m just worried about my two cousins who will be joining be. Is it hard ba to get a VOA and how long does it usually take before they grant it?
A VOA (Visa on Arrival) is granted upon arrival. My friend, with all his documentations, got it in less than an hour at the immigration of Mumbai International Airport. It is not hard to get a VOA as long as you have all the documents. But as I said if you read the other comments, if you have time naman for normal processing of visa, I suggest that you do it instead of the VOA. You don’t want to be at the immigration in India and find out that you lack some documents. That is risky and a waste of time and money. But if you don’t have time for the normal processing of visa, 3-4 days, then go ahead with the VOA.
Okay. Thank you so much for your help. Really appreciate it. :)
No problem. Let me know how it goes. Have safe travels.
Hi…i have read all the useful info about tourist visa application..thank you so much for all d info their is 1 thing that i would like to ask about the air ticket i’m planning to spend 3mos vacation what should be the date on my round trip ticket? Thank you very much and more power :)
Hi. Based on what I understand from your question, you want to ask when your return ticket should be. It depends how long you want to stay. 3 months, then example departure date is july 30 and return date is oct 30. I’m sorry but I’m a bit confused with your question. Thank you for your question. If you could follow up on this, I’ll try my best to find the best answer.
Hi,
I am travelling this month with my 2year-old son. And i don’t have bank statement. Will my sponsor’s bank statement be ok ? And how long is the visa validity now ?
Yes, your sponsor’s bank statement would suffice, if the amount reflected is deemed enough by the embassy. Having your own bank statement gives them an assurance, though, that you have your own finances and you have assets to get back home. Validity of visa for tourists is usually 3 months. I got 2 months and my dad got 3 months. When I asked for an explanation of the difference, the agency said that it is the discretion of the embassy to decide on how long the visa validity would be.
ohh ok.. thanks for your help… This will be my 5th trip but the last one was 2009 so i heard lots of changes. 1st trip of my son though so kinda excited :-)
And i just want to verify din.. kasi i called BLS and i asked how much yung required nila na amount sa bank statement. They said should atleast be Php100k ??? 100 thou ??? Seriously ???
They said the same thing to my friend. I think that’s the safest amount. But my friend was able to get a visa with a 30,000 bank statement.
Is bank certificate enough or I need to get bank statement..? Thanks
I’m not sure about the difference between the two. But based on this http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060612072204AA2obzY either will suffice. The important thing is that the bank statement is an official statement from the bank reflecting the amount you have in your account duly signed by a bank official, usually the bank manager. Printed online statements are usually not acceptable.
So which, according to you, is the simple and easy process? The VOA or goin through the BLS Agency? We’re afraid to apply for the VOA as what if they deny her a visa at immigration coz of lack/insufficient docs. Can you tell which all documents your friend presented at the immigration in get VOA? Thanks once again..
There is no easier process. But if you have time constraint, like you need to leave for India soon and you cannot wait for the 4-day regular processing at the BLS International, then you go ahead for the VOA. But if you have time, I suggest obtaining the visa ahead of time. It is more sure and you can prepare more if in case they request for additional documentations. VOA is risky but less time-consuming. Personal application is less riskier but will not work if you have to leave immediately. If your friend has ample time, I strongly suggest that s/he goes to BLS International instead and apply from there. Sure you don’t want to waste the plane tickets if immigration disapproves VOA on the spot.
Yeah, you’re absolutely correct. We dont wanna waste the plane tickets if immigration denies VOA. I guess its better if she just apply through the BLS. Thank you very much for your help :)
Hi.. I have a question. My friend from Philippines wants to visit India. She can apply for a visa-on-arrival according to new system. So, my question is, does she still has go to the said BLS Agency and do all the procedure? Or is there another way to get a visa-on-arrival?
Please update me with this ‘visa-on-arrival’ thing and the what all docs that I will need to provide her before she gets here. Would be a great help. Thanks a lot.
Hi. Thank you for dropping a question. For visa-on-arrival (VOA), your friend doesn’t need to go to BLS Agency. All s/he needs to do is carry with her all the requirements when s/he flies to India. VOAs can be processed at the immigration. A have a friend as well who did this procedure and he was able to get the VOA. Just make sure your friend has all the requirements. I hope this helps.
hey! just read ur blog and it really helped me alot…im planning to apply for a tourist visa to visit a friend in mumbai. just have some questions…u mentioned before that a friend of urs was granted a visa with a 30k bank cert…is that enough? my friend will be givin me an invitation letter and his bank cert..how much should he have to support my application??? im just planning to stay for a week… thanks a lot…
Hi. There’s no exact amount that could guarantee a successful application that’s why I gave that example about my friend. But I believe that with your sponsor’s bank certificate alongside yours of 30k will be a strong proof of your financial capability. I think there’s no need to worry then. Let me know how it goes. :)
hi there… thanks for the reply. im planning to apply for the visa next week fingers crossed! so i will still apply at that agency and not at the embassy right? will post updates of my app :) and another question…where do u get ur tickets? i want to fly straight to mumbai not to delhi coz PAL only offers flights to delhi…i wanna know which sites to use..thanks a lot!
Last time I went to India, I took Cebu Pacific to Singapore then from there Indigo to Mumbai. Indigo is really affordable and they use the Changi International Airport instead of the budget one. CebuPac uses the budget one. I recently took Jetstar to Singapore and it lands at the main airport, which is good. I highly recommend Jetstar and Indigo.
oh ok…thanks for the info..helped me a lot.:)
No problem. I’m glad to be of help.
hi hello thnk you so much for the information in here. i m submitting indian visa application for my finance and she is not working as such i m her sponsor. i understand documents required but can i get the visa done within 3 working days i m planning to submit on tuesday and collect it friday as we fly to mumbai on saturday
Hi Jay. It says that you can get the visa after 3 working days, but sometimes, due to volume of application, they ask you to pick it up after 4 days, which happened to me. I advise that when you are lodging your application, you make it clear to them that you need the visa after 3 working days. Good luck!
hi, this is jay again i m applying the visa for my fiance but she is not working and do not hv bank statement. so i attach my sponsor letter with my bank statement showing more than rupees 100k. is this ok? is it mandatory for my fiance to show her bank statement??
If you are the sponsor, then your bank statement would be enough. Adding her own bank statement simply strengthens her application proving that she has resources back home and will come back. But I believe that your 100k account would suffice.
hi i m malaysian living and working in mumbai i m going to apply indian visa for my fiance to visit india with me for 5 months. i understand on document required and i plan to submit the visa application on monday will i get it by friday???
Submitting the application on Monday, provided that you have complete documents/requirements, will release a visa for you by Friday. I got mine in 3 working days.
thnks for the information cheers
hi friend,
good day to you, after reading all your advise and following exactly as mentioned in here, i succesfully obtained a 6 months visa for my beautiful filipino gf and she stayed with me in mumbai for 5 months (june 2012 to nov 2012) before we leave to malaysia to celebrate diwali. today she is in phil to complete her 2 months interval before getting back to mumbai with me….hope i can get another 6 months visa for her….any tips?
hi..i just want to know if i still have to undergo an interview with the consular there regarding my visa..or just complete my requirements then submit and wait for the visa to be release? and also i want to know if once i applied for visa is it guaranteed that i will be approved for visa. thanks!
Hello good friend. Thanks for your query.
(1) The embassy does not require an interview. Complete requirements will suffice. During the filing, the staff of the agency will usually ask you casual questions. But nothing formal.
(2) Regarding guarantee, there is almost no guarantee in most visa applications. But I am confident that if you have all the requirements and you are not suspicious hehe then there will be no reason not to give you one. I’ve got my Indian tourist visa twice already.
Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Hello,
I would like to apply for an Indian visa in Manila to visit the country for a couple of months and I just read your post.
I have some doubts concerning the following points:
- Point 13 i): an Indian Sponsor should be provided. The name and telephone number of a guesthouse can be provided as Sponsor? I’m visiting India as a tourist and I don’t have any friend living there or company waiting for me so, what should I am suppose to write down in this point?
- PART II: they ask for name, company and addresses of two references in India. As I would like just to visit India for tourist purposes and I don’t know anyone living in India, what I should be supposed to write down?
- Bank Certificate. A copy of the bank accounts showing the money that I have on them should be enough?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Cristina.
Hi Cristina, sorry for the late reply. I just arrived from India and was not able to update my blog while traveling.
A sponsor is someone who can shoulder some of your expenses in India if you are doubtful that your current finances are not enough to sustain you during your stay. This makes your guesthouse ineligible to be considered as a contact person. Besides, they sometimes ask for your sponsor’s bank account if yours is not sufficient. Your guesthouse’s contact person and contact number could be included under references instead. I heard from the staff working there instructing someone who had no listed references to do so.
If you are a tourist and doesn’t know anyone in India, it is okay not to list any references. You can do the aforementioned instead (i.e. contact persons and numbers of your accommodation there).
A bank certificate is an official letter from the bank testifying how much you have in your account. For example, an e-statement you printed yourself does not, technically, equate to a bank certificate. It is easy to request for a bank certificate. It usually takes 1-2 working days.
Note: My friend had 30,000 pesos in her bank account and she was given a 3-month visa for her 1 week travel. In case your finances are not enough, they would probably request for additional documents from you, e.g. additional accounts that may support your travel.
I hope these information help you. Please let me know how your application goes. Good luck!
I hate when countries make it so cumbersome to get visas.
Enjoy India!
Right. Something we have to deal with in exchange of border security hehe. Thanks Marcia. ^_^
I’m not really surprised regarding that changes in their organization. It seems over the the last few years that more and more embassies go through a third party ..(UK Embassy, US Embassy ….)..well those are my observations from The Netherlands :)
I will go to India this June, so hopefully getting a visa will not be too difficult ….
A lot of embassies are outsourcing their visa services but it should always be to make the process faster and more efficient. I’m sure you won’t have difficulty obtaining one as long as you have all the requirements on-hand, even those that were not posted on their websites, just to be sure. Get a visa soon and enjoy India! :)