India e-Visa for Saudi Nationals 2023: How to Apply for the Electronic Visa from Saudi Arabia?

This article has been reviewed by Wego’s editorial team to ensure that the content is up to date & accurate.

Updated March 2023

The India e-visa service for Saudi nationals is an online visa application system that allows Saudi nationals to apply for a visa to travel to India without the need for a physical visit to the Indian embassy. While the service was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has now been restored, allowing Saudi nationals to apply for a visa to visit India for tourism, business, medical treatment, or to visit friends and family.

Keep reading to find out more about the India e-visa for Saudi nationals, its application process, eligibility, documents required, fees, and more.

India e-visa for Saudi nationals news

The Embassy of India in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, recently announced that the facility of e-visa has now been restored for nationals of Saudi Arabia with immediate effect.

 

Sharing an update on 9 March 2023, the Embassy stated, “The Embassy is happy to announce that the facility of e-visa has been restored for the nationals of Saudi Arabia with immediate effect in all five sub-categories, i.e. e-tourist visa, e-business visa, e-medical visa, e-medical attendant visa & e-conference visa.”

India e-visa for Saudi nationals

The India e-visa service for Saudi nationals is an online visa application facility that allows Saudi nationals to apply for a visa to India through an online platform. This service was launched as a way to streamline the visa application process and make it easier for Saudi nationals to obtain a visa to travel to India.

After having been suspended due to the pandemic, Saudi nationals are now eligible to apply for the India e-visa service. Please note that the e-visa application and fee payment are required to be made a minimum of four days in advance from the date of travel.

Book cheap flights to India

 

Eligibility & requirements

Given below are the eligibility conditions and requirements for availing of the India e-visa services from Saudi Arabia:

• applicants visiting for the following purposes are eligible for the e-visa
  • recreation and sightseeing
  • a casual visit to meet friends and relatives
  • attending short-term yoga programmes or short-term courses in local languages, music, dance, arts and crafts, cooking, medicine, and more, which should not be formal or structured courses/programmes (courses not exceeding six months duration and not issuing a qualifying certificate/diploma etc. to the participants)
  • voluntary work of short duration (for a maximum period of one month, which does not involve any monetary payment or consideration of any kind in return)
  • medical treatment, including treatment under Indian systems of medicine
  • as an attendant to the e-Medical visa holder.
  • business purpose
  • attending a conference/ seminar/ workshop
• the passport should have at least six months of validity at the time of filling out the application
  • the passport should have at least two blank pages for stamping by the Immigration officer
• the applicant should have a return ticket or onward journey ticket with sufficient money to spend during their stay in India

Required documents

The following are the documents required for each category of India e-visas:

e-tourist visa

• scanned bio page of the passport showing the photograph and details
• for short-term courses, a copy of a letter from the institute/organization/hospital concerned on its letter-head
• for voluntary work of short duration, copy of letter from the organization concerned on its letter-head

e-medical visa

• scanned bio page of the passport showing the photograph and details
• copy of a letter from the hospital concerned in India on its letterhead, which includes the date or tentative date on which admission has been suggested

e-medical attendant visa

• scanned bio page of the passport showing the photograph and details

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 to conduct the business (optional)
• for sports-related activity
  • copy of passport page containing personal particulars
  • approval of the Government of India in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (Department of Sports)
  • invitation letter to foreign sports teams and sports persons to visit India by the concerned Sports Federation/Association in India
  • if the applicant had participated in any commercial sports event during his/her previous visit to India, then documents regarding tax compliance for the said visit are to be furnished
  • if the sports event entails a visit to Restricted or Protected Areas in India, below mentioned additional documents are also to be submitted
    • clearance for holding the event from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
    • political clearance for holding the event from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India
    • requisite clearance from the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports

e-Conference visa

• scanned bio page of the passport showing the photograph and details
• invitation from the organizer, which the applicant may seek from this organiser
• political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs
• event clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs

Fees

As per the India visa online website, the India e-visa fee for nationals from Saudi Arabia are as follows:

e-tourist visa

The cost of the India e-tourist visa depends on the validity of the e-visa:

• 30 days e-Tourist visa (April to June) – USD 10 (SAR 37)
• 30 days e-Tourist visa (July to March) – USD 25 (SAR 94)
• 1-year e-Tourist visa – USD 40 (SAR 150)
• 5-year e-Tourist visa – USD 80 (SAR 300)

Other e-visas

The cost of all other Indian e-visas, such as e-business, e-medical, e-medical attendant, and e-conference visas, is USD 80 (SAR 300).

Please be aware that the fee for the India e-visa is subject to change. Therefore, it is advisable to contact the India visa online 24×7 payment helpdesk at +91 11 24300666 for further information.

How to apply for the India e-visa for Saudi nationals?

Saudi nationals can apply for the India e-visa by following the steps given below:

• visit the official indianvisaonline.gov.in website, and fill out the online application form
• upload a photo and passport page
• pay the e-visa fee online, as required
• you will receive the e-visa online at your provided email address
• take a printout of your ETA or India e-visa before travelling to India, as presenting it at an immigration check post where the e-visa will be stamped on the passport is required

Please note that as per the official announcement, the Indian government makes no provision for charging any emergency fees or additional fees for grants of any emergency or express e-visa.

As per the official announcement, Saudi nationals need to apply for the India e-visa and pay the fee at least four days prior to their intended date of travel.

For e-tourist and e-business visas, the application can be made online at least four days before the date of arrival. However, for the e-medical, e-medical attendant, and e-conference visas, the application must be made online at least four days in advance of the date of arrival within a window of 120 days. For example, if you apply for the e-visa on 1 September, you can choose an arrival date between 5 September and 2 January.