A visitor visa will be issued to you in case you are visiting India to meet relatives or friends or for any other legitimate purpose at their invitation.
Applicants traveling on a visitor visa are expected to stay with their relatives/friends in India.

The following documents needs to be submitted for a visitor visa:

Documents from India:

1) Sponsorship Certificate: (for format please click here) (for any one place to be visited): This certificate should also be countersigned by any of the following Indian government officials (DM/ SP/SDM/ Tehsildar/ BDO/ SHO/ Groups A officer of State and Central Government/ Principal of a Government college and Principal / headmaster of a Government School), who will certify that they personally know your Indian sponsor. A suitably attested Sponsorship certificate by the designations mentioned above is mandatory for all visitor visa cases.

Note: The Indian sponsor giving such sponsorship certificate should furnish a copy of the sponsorship certificate to the FRRO concerned immediately after he/she has dispatched the same to the Pakistani national applying for visa. It is advisable to have the attesting officer, place of visit and FRRO to be from the same location.

2) The Indian government official should also attach a self-attested copy of their photo identity card along with his/her contact number (landline preferable) along with the sponsorship certificate.

3) Any two of these documents of the Indian invitee: Passport (preferred), copy of electricity bill, telephone bill, ration card, election card, clearly mentioning the address and contact numbers.

Documents from Pakistan:

1) Copy of NADRA Card along with its English translation and the translated copy should be notarized.

2) Copy of any one utility bill, such as electricity bill/ gas bill/ landline telephone bill (as address proof)

3) In case you are employed, any one of the following:

• For Government employees: A letter from the Head of the Department or copy of the clearance received from the competent Government authority.
• For private sector employees: A letter from the Organisation giving the details of designation, duration of service and address of the applicant.
• For self employed: A copy of the registration of the business establishment by the Government of Pakistan with English translation.

4) Valid Polio Vaccination Certificate.

NOTE

Any person related to media/ journalism who is going to India for non-journalistic / visit purpose should apply for Journalist Visa only. They have to provide following two additional documents:

1. A letter from Employer about her Employment, Role etc. In case of a free-lance journalist, a self certification of being free-lance journalist, time and duration since in the profession.
2. A Self declaration about the purpose of visit, tentative schedule and an undertaking that the visit will not be used for any journalistic/ official work.

Guidelines for filling the visa application form
Online Application Form for Individual Case
Online Application Form for Group Case

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For how many cities can I apply for a visitor visa? Do I need an invitation from all the cities I intend to visit?

You can apply for a maximum of 5 (five) specified places. For this you would need a sponsorship letter from at least one place. You do not need a separate invitation / sponsorship certificate for each city.
In addition to sponsorship certificate, you do not need a separate invitation from the same person.

How early should I apply for visitor visa?

Please be advised that the visa process for Pakistani/ Pakistan origin nationals is a 100 percent prior reference process and the clearance from India is mandatory. The clearance can take upto 90 days for Pakistan/ Pakistan origin nationals, after which the Visa will be processed.

What is the maximum duration for which I can apply for a visitor visa?

You can apply for a visitor visa for a maximum stay period of 3 months. However, duration of visa issued will be decided by the High Commission based on the merits of each case.

What should be the gap between two visits to India?

If you are a holder of a visitor visa, then between two visits, there should be a minimum gap of 2 months from the date of exit from India to the date of re-entry into India on the next visit.

Can I have a different port of entry and different port of exit?

Normally, the same checkpost and the same mode of journey sfor entry and exit would be permitted. In cases where the applicant, at the time of application, has indicated clearly an Exit point different from the Entry point or a mode of Exit journey different from the mode of Entry Jouney, it can be allowed.

However this is subject to the exception that Exit from Attari (by Road/ by foot) cannot be accepted, unless the entry was also on foot visa Attari. The Visa sticker shall carry the endorsement accordingly.

In case you intend to enter India from one Immigration Point and exit from another, then the same should be mentioned while filling the online visa application from.

In case of a family, who will be visiting India together, should we get a separate sponsorship certificate for each member of the family?

In case you and your family will be visiting India together, then in such a case you need to submit only one sponsorship certificate, which will have names and photographs of all the members of the family.

In case I do not have a utility bill in my name, what should I do?

Even if you do not have in your name, any utility bills of your present residence, you can still submit the same along with your visa application. However, you would be required to submit an affidavit, duly notarised, explaining the reason why the utility bills are not in your name. Please note that the address you enter in the visa application form should match the address mentioned on the utility bill of your present address.

Can I get a multiple entry visitor visa to India? Is there some special visa for senior citizens or Pakistani nationals married to Indian nationals and their children? Is there any special documentary requirement?

Since December 2012, the following category of people, if they request, can be considered for issuance of two year multiple entry visa for up to 5 (five) places:
a) Senior citizens (those above 65 years of age);
b) Pakistani nationals, married to an Indian national; and
c) Children below 12 years of age accompanying parent(s) as given in (b) above.

In case you are in category b) and c), you will have to furnish the following two ADDITIONAL documents along with rest of the documents and visa application:

• duly attested marriage certificate (with English translation, if the original is in any other language), and
• copy of spouse's Indian passport with valid Pakistani visa or resident permit

In case I am a member of a reputed music troupe, actor/actress, sportsman, cultural troupe or other category who would be earning an income for their performances in India, then what kind of visa should I apply for?

In case you are a member of any of the above, and would be liable to pay taxes in India as per law, then you should apply for a VISITOR VISA and put purpose of visit as COMMERCIAL PERFORMANCE. If these two entries are not made against the appropriate column in the visa application, your visa application will be summarily rejected.

Since you will be liable to pay taxes in India for the income earned in India, you are advised to obtain a PAN (Permanent Account Number) card from the Income Tax Department in India during your first visit to India, as it has to be mentioned at the time of paying taxes.

What documents should I submit in case I want to apply for a visitor visa for a commercial performance? What documents should be submitted by members of reputed music troupes, actors/actresses, sportsmen, cultural troupes and others who would be earning an income for their performances in India?

The following documents needs to be submitted along with your visa application:

Documents from India:
1) Letter of invitation from ALL the organisers of the events in India
2) Any two documents of the Indian invitee such as passport (preferred), copy of electricity bill, telephone bill, ration card, election card, along with their address and contact numbers.

Documents from Pakistan:
1) Copy of NADRA Card along with its English translation and the translated copy should be notarized.
2) Copy of a utility bill, such as electricity bill/gas bill/ landline telephone bill
3) Request for letter for visa by the company/organisation/individual

Is there any special endorsement on the visas of members of reputed music troupes, actors/actresses, sportsmen, cultural troupes and others?

Yes. In case you fall under this category, an additional endorsement "commercial performance permitted" and "liable to pay taxes in India" will be made on your visa.

In case it is not endorsed on your visa, please let us know. This is important because if you do perform in India without that endorsement, it would amount to visa violation and could result in visa cancellation, deportation or non issuance of visa in the further.

All sportsmen/ sportwomen must apply for Business Visa for participation in any Sporting Event in India.