India e-Business Visa: One Year, Multiple Entry, 180 Days per Visit
The India e-Business visa for meetings, trade, setting up a venture, recruitment and exhibitions: fees by nationality, documents, validity and the limits on what you can do.
What This Means for You
If you are on the e-Visa eligibility list and travelling for meetings, trade, recruitment or an exhibition, the e-Business visa gives you a year of multiple entries for a single online application. Have a business card and a letter from the Indian company you are dealing with ready to upload, apply at least four days before you travel, and do not use it for anything that looks like a job.
Overview
The e-Business visa covers a business visit to India: attending technical or business meetings, buying or selling goods and services, setting up an industrial or business venture, recruiting staff, taking part in an exhibition or trade fair, working as an expert on a project, conducting tours, or delivering lectures under the Global Initiative for Academic Networks. It is applied for online in the same way as the e-Tourist visa and issued as an Electronic Travel Authorisation.
Validity and stay: The standard e-Business visa is valid for one year from the date the ETA is granted, with multiple entries. The portal states that continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 180 days. A 30-day e-Business visa counted from the date of arrival also exists for shorter trips, and the fee schedule covers both.
Fees (official schedule dated 15 April 2026, in US dollars): US$120 for most nationalities, including Canada, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Singapore, Kenya, Ghana, Brazil, Mexico and Russia. Higher rates apply to some passports: US$140 for the United States, US$242 for the United Kingdom, US$215 for Australia and Saudi Arabia, US$220 for the Philippines, US$200 for Ireland and Thailand, US$190 for the Czech Republic, US$165 for France, US$145 for Poland, US$130 for New Zealand and Ukraine, and US$415 for the United Arab Emirates. Japan and South Africa pay US$25. Several nationalities, including Indonesia, Argentina, Angola, Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Tanzania, pay nothing. A 3% bank charge is added to every paid fee.
The same portal also issues e-Medical and e-Medical Attendant visas for treatment at a recognised Indian hospital, valid one year from arrival with multiple entries. Those cost US$80 for most nationalities, US$100 for US passports, US$129 for UK passports and US$120 for Russian passports, with up to two attendants per patient on e-Medical Attendant visas.
What the e-Business visa does not allow: taking up employment with an Indian company, journalism, or any activity outside the declared business purpose. Anyone coming to work for an Indian employer, even briefly, needs an Employment visa through the regular route, and intra-company transferees, project workers and interns have their own regular categories.
Eligibility Requirements
- National of a country on the official e-Visa fee schedule
- Purpose is a business meeting, trade, setting up a venture, recruitment, an exhibition or trade fair, expert work on a project, conducting tours, or a GIAN lecture
- Ordinary passport valid for at least six months at the time of application, with two blank pages
- Return or onward ticket and enough money for the stay
- Not a Pakistani national and not of Pakistani origin through either parent or grandparent
- Not intending to take up employment with an Indian entity or to carry out journalism
Required Documents
Passport
RequiredOrdinary passport valid for at least six months from the application date with two blank pages
Digital photograph
RequiredSquare JPEG between 10 KB and 1 MB, full face, eyes open, no glasses, plain white background, no shadows
The same specification as the e-Tourist visa; a non-square photo is the usual cause of a re-upload request
Passport bio page scan
RequiredPDF between 10 KB and 300 KB showing the photograph and personal details
Business card
RequiredA copy of your business card showing your name, position and company
A company letter confirming your role is accepted where you have no card
Invitation letter from the Indian company or organisation
RequiredLetter on the Indian entity's letterhead stating the purpose of your visit, the dates and the relationship between the two companies
For exhibitions the organiser's confirmation of your stand or registration serves the same role Try it now
Details of the business in India
RequiredThe form asks for the name, address and contact details of the Indian company and the nature of the business to be conducted
e-Arrival Card confirmation
RequiredFree online arrival declaration within 72 hours before landing
Separate from the visa and required on every trip, not just the first
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Application Steps
Confirm eligibility and the fee for your passport
Check the e-Business fee schedule on the portal for your nationality. If the business column shows a dash, the category is not available to you and you need a regular Business visa.
Collect the business documents
A copy of your business card and an invitation letter from the Indian company or organisation, plus the Indian entity's full contact details.
Prepare the photo and passport scan
Square JPEG between 10 KB and 1 MB; passport bio page as a PDF between 10 KB and 300 KB.
Complete the e-Business application online
Select e-Business visa at indianvisaonline.gov.in, enter your details and those of the Indian business, upload the documents, and pay the fee plus the 3% bank charge.
Wait for the ETA and check it
Track the application with your ID, respond to any re-upload request, and confirm the status is GRANTED. Check the ETA against your passport and print it.
File the e-Arrival Card and travel
Submit the free e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before landing, then enter through a designated airport, seaport or land checkpost where the officer stamps the visa into your passport.
Visa Fees
| Type | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| e-Business visa (most nationalities) | $120 | One year from grant, multiple entry |
| e-Business visa (United States) | $140 | - |
| e-Business visa (United Kingdom) | $242 | - |
| e-Business visa (Australia, Saudi Arabia) | $215 | - |
| e-Business visa (Japan, South Africa) | $25 | - |
| e-Medical visa (most nationalities) | $80 | US$100 for US passports, US$129 for UK passports, US$120 for Russian passports |
| Bank charge | $3% | Added to every paid fee; non-refundable |
Example savings (paying from India)
Example savings based on typical bank markup (3–5%) vs Wise mid-market rate. Your savings depend on your currency and bank. Actual amounts vary. Affiliate disclosure
Common Reasons for Refusal
Understanding these can help you strengthen your application
- 1No invitation letter, or a letter that does not name the applicant or the purpose
- 2Purpose that amounts to employment in India rather than a business visit
- 3Photo or passport scan outside the specification
- 4Applicant of Pakistani origin or holding a Pakistani passport
- 5Passport with less than six months validity
- 6Nationality not on the e-Visa schedule, or a dash against the business column for that nationality
If your application is refused: You will receive a letter explaining the reason. In most cases, you can reapply immediately with a stronger application addressing the concerns raised.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I attend a conference in India on an e-Business visa?
Can I work for an Indian company on an e-Business visa?
How long can I stay on each visit with an e-Business visa?
Do I need a GST or company registration in India to apply?
Is the e-Business fee refundable if the visa is refused?
Can I extend an e-Business visa in India?
Generate Your Documents
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Important
Requirements may change. Always verify current requirements with the official embassy or consulate website before applying.
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Official Sources
This information is based on the following official sources. Always verify with these sources before submitting applications.
The only official e-Visa application site: eligibility, validity, document specifications, designated entry points and FAQs.
Official fee table for the business and medical e-Visa categories by nationality.
Free arrival declaration that every foreign passport holder and OCI cardholder must submit within 72 hours before landing.
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