All foreign nationals entering India are required to possess a valid international travel document in the form of a national passport with a valid visa obtained from an Indian Mission or Post abroad.
India offers two ways of acquiring Tourist Visa to India
All Individual visa seekers are requested to apply for the Indian Visa through online application link https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/
Regular VISA Application
In either case, no hand written application form will be accepted by any of the Indian Mission/ Post, where-ever online Visa facility has been implemented.
The application form completed in all respect and submitted successfully, is to be submitted at the concerned Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) or directly to Indian Mission/ Post in absence of IVAC, on the scheduled date of interview along with the requisite supporting documents.
All information regarding instructions for filling the form, passport photo size and scheduling the appointment can be ganied from the Indian Visa official link https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/
Important Notes for Regular Tourist Visa
Today India has also become accessible to travelers looking for a last minute holiday getaway and to those who may not have considered traveling to India in the past.
Passport holders of below listed countries will be able to apply and pay for an online visa using the Indian government's tourist visa website, removing the need to book an appointment at the outsourced visa processing agency, or make a laborious postal application.
The ability to apply online from home would be "far quicker and easier" and it would also enable people to apply for visas nearer to the date of departure.
The cost of eVisa (Visa on Arrival) is USD 60 (�39), and rather than book an appointment at an application center or provide documents in the post, applicants will now be able to upload documents, pay the balance and track their application online. However applicants could expect to pay a processing fee of USD 1-2.
Visas will still not be issued immediately - once an online application is submitted, travelers can expect to receive entry documents via email within four days. But it is an improvement on the previous arrangements, which saw a typical postal application take up to two weeks.
e-Tourist Visa (Visa on Arrival) Facility is available for holders of passport of following countries/territories**** eVisa is a single entry visa that's valid for 30 days, from the time of entry. Otherwise, if you want a India tourist visa for longer duration than 30 days or you're not from one of those countries mentioned above, your Indian visa must be obtained before arriving in India (Regular Visa Application)
** Please note that India has decided to provide Visa on Arrival facility to 180 countries in different phases. More countries will be eligible for Visa on Arrival in the coming time and we will update the list of approved countries accordingly (List of Eligible Countries updated on 28 November 2015)
Applications must be made online at this website, no less than five days and no more than 30 days before the date of travel.
As well as entering you travel details, you will need to upload a photograph of yourself with a white background that meets the specifications listed on the website, and the photo page of your passport that shows your personal details. Your passport will need to be valid for at least six months.
Following this, pay the fee online with your international debit or credit card. You will receive an Application ID and the eTV (electronic Tourist Visa) will be sent to you via email within three to five days. The status of your application can be checked here.
Important Notes for eVisa India (Visa on Arrival)