The world is quite a large place. And with a population of over 7.8 billion, regulating entry into a country becomes a herculean task. This is precisely why the concept of visa was introduced. The visa is an endorsement that helps people enter and exit several countries easily for various purposes.
Just like any other country, a visa for Indians lets Indian nationals travel and explore other nations around the planet.
Though the concept is fairly straightforward, there is a lot more to it than what meets the eye. There are different requirements, types, documents, and so on. In fact, all of these even vary according to the country you are traveling to, and your country of residence. In the following sections, we’ll have a look at some of the important features of the visa for Indians.
Types of visa for Indians
Thanks to India’s good diplomacy, Indians are granted entry into almost all the countries. However, the visa for Indians that are granted by different countries are available in the following different forms.
Stamped visa
This is the most common type in which a country issues a visa. In this, a visa sticker is stamped in your passport allowing you entry into the country. In this case, you will have to get the visa stamped before you travel to a particular country. Some of the most common visas in these are the Schengen visa, the US visa, the UK visa, etc.
E-visa
Standing for Electronic-visa, this type is the latest innovation in the domain. In this case, the visa is tied to your passport number and stored online. As a result, there is no physical stamping in the passport required. Although, in most cases, you may have to take a print out of the e-visa you receive on your email before travelling. The application for e-visas is also done totally online, making it an easier and faster mode of application. A few countries that issue an e visa for Indians are Australia, Malaysia, UAE, etc.
Visa on arrival
Quite a lot of countries provide Indians with a visa on arrival. This means that all you have to do is to enter the country with your passport. You will then receive a visa at the port of entry. However, most countries will require you to fulfil additional requirements for this. For example, you may have to complete a pre-arrival registration, carry a set of required documents, or meet other eligibility conditions. Some of the countries providing a visa on arrival for Indians are Thailand, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, etc.
Visa-free entry
There are a few countries that allow you to enter and stay for a specific duration without the need for a visa altogether. All you will require is a passport/national ID as per the country’s requirements. Some of the countries that offer Indians to move freely without a visa are Qatar, Indonesia, Fiji, Bhutan, Nepal, etc.
Note:-
The above-mentioned are only applicable to the ordinary Indian passport holders. Holders of Indian official, diplomatic, or service passports have other requirements varying from country to country.
Now that you know the different types of visa for Indians all you have to do is to find the right type of visa applicable to you based on your destination and purpose. For this, you can check out different visa guides available for various countries.