The India e-Visa asks for surprisingly little paperwork — but the little it asks for is checked strictly, and the two most common documents are exactly the two people get wrong. Here is the complete checklist of what you actually need, straight from the official portal at indianvisaonline.gov.in, plus the file specifications that trip most applicants up.
Every applicant needs two things
Whatever your visa type or nationality, two documents are mandatory for everyone:
- A scan of your passport's bio page — the page showing your photograph and personal details.
- A recent passport-style photograph.
Depending on your visa category, the portal then asks for one additional document (covered below). That's it — there is no long dossier. The catch is that both mandatory files must meet precise technical specifications, or the application is liable to be rejected or sent back for a re-upload.
1. The photograph — where most rejections start
The portal requires a recent, front-facing photograph on a plain white or light background. The published file specification is:
- Format: JPEG.
- File size: between 10 KB and 1 MB.
- Shape: square — equal height and width. This is the single biggest failure point: passport photos in the US, UK, Canada and Australia are rectangular, so cropping an existing passport photo to a square is almost always necessary.
- Composition: full head visible from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, face centred and looking straight at the camera, eyes open, no spectacles, no shadows, no borders, plain background.
Blurry, dark, or off-centre photos and busy backgrounds are the usual reasons a photo is bounced. A phone selfie against a white wall in good, even light generally works once cropped square.
2. The passport bio page scan
Upload a clear scan of the bio page (the one with your photo and details) as a PDF between 10 KB and 300 KB. It must be legible and uncropped — all four corners and the machine-readable strip at the bottom visible.
Your passport itself also has to qualify:
- Valid for at least six months beyond your date of arrival in India.
- At least two blank pages for stamps.
- An ordinary passport — diplomatic and official passport holders are not eligible for the e-Visa, and neither are people travelling on refugee or other non-standard travel documents.
- Every traveller needs their own passport and their own application — children cannot travel on a parent's e-Visa.
3. The one extra document — by visa type
The e-Visa comes in several sub-categories, and the additional document depends on which one you're applying for. The official requirement for the common types:
- e-Tourist Visa: no extra upload beyond the photo and passport page. (You are not required to upload flight or hotel bookings, though carrying proof of onward travel and accommodation is sensible for immigration on arrival.)
- e-Business Visa: a copy of your business card is required, and a letter of invitation from the Indian company you'll be dealing with is accepted if applicable (optional).
- e-Medical Visa: a copy of a letter from the hospital in India, on its letterhead, stating the date or tentative date of the suggested admission.
- e-Medical Attendant Visa: tied to the patient's e-Medical visa — only two attendant visas are granted against a single e-Medical visa.
Critical language rule: every supporting document — business cards, invitation letters, hospital letters — must be in English. A document in any other language makes the application liable for rejection, with no chance to explain.
4. What to have ready before you start (not uploaded, but needed)
The form takes about 10–15 minutes if everything is at hand. Before you begin, have:
- Your passport details — number, place and date of issue and expiry — to enter exactly as printed.
- Your travel dates and a port of entry from the e-Visa designated list.
- An address in India (hotel is fine) and a reference contact.
- A payment method — the government fee is paid by card or wallet, and must be paid at least 4 days before travel or the application is not processed.
- A Yellow Fever vaccination card, if you're arriving from or have recently been in a yellow-fever-affected country — without it you risk a six-day quarantine on arrival. This is carried at the airport, not uploaded.
5. After you apply
Once granted, your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) arrives by email. Print a copy and carry it — and confirm the status shows GRANTED on the portal before you fly. "Applied" is not "approved," and airlines and immigration want to see the granted ETA.
Quick reference checklist
- ☐ Passport valid 6+ months, 2+ blank pages, ordinary type
- ☐ Bio-page scan — PDF, 10–300 KB, clear and uncropped
- ☐ Photo — JPEG, 10 KB–1 MB, square, white background, no glasses
- ☐ Business card (e-Business) or hospital letter (e-Medical) — in English
- ☐ Payment method ready, applying at least 4 days before travel
- ☐ Yellow Fever card if arriving from an affected country
- ☐ Printed ETA showing GRANTED before departure
Nationality-specific requirements
Fees and a few document details vary by passport. See the guide for your country: American, British, Canadian or Australian citizens. If a document is rejected, our guide to common rejection reasons and how to fix them walks through the recovery path.
The whole point of getting the documents right the first time is avoiding a re-upload cycle that eats into your lead time. If you'd rather have a second pair of eyes check your photo and passport scan against these specs before anything is filed, start your application with us — we review every document against the official requirements before submitting on the government portal.
Document requirements and file specifications were checked against the official portal at indianvisaonline.gov.in on August 11, 2026. Specifications can change — always confirm the current requirements on the official portal before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need for an India e-Visa? Two are mandatory for everyone: a scan of your passport bio page and a recent front-facing photograph on a white background. Depending on the visa type you may also need one extra document — a business card for an e-Business visa, or a hospital letter for an e-Medical visa.
What are the India e-Visa photo requirements? A JPEG between 10 KB and 1 MB, square (equal height and width), front-facing with a plain white or light background, full head visible, eyes open and no spectacles.
What is the file format for the passport upload? A clear PDF of the passport bio page, between 10 KB and 300 KB, showing your photo and personal details uncropped.
Do supporting documents need to be in English? Yes. All supporting documents, including business cards and invitation or hospital letters, must be in English, or the application is liable for rejection.
Do I need to upload flight and hotel bookings for a tourist e-Visa? No. The e-Tourist visa requires only the photo and passport page. Carrying proof of onward travel and accommodation for immigration on arrival is sensible, but they are not part of the online upload.