How Much Fine Is Imposed for Overstaying Indian Visas?
If you were to ask someone for a good tourist destination in the Southeast Asia region, there is a high chance that the answer you get will include one of the many locations present in India. India is the 2nd largest country in the Southeast Asia region and boasts one of the most culturally diverse populations in the whole world.
It also has several different kinds of landscapes like mountains, deserts, forests, and beaches. To visit India for a tour, you can quickly apply for an Indian e-visa. An Indian e-visa is a document in electronic form that legalizes your visit within the Indian borders, however, there are several different kinds of e-visas offered by India for different purposes.
All of these e-visas also allow different time periods for staying in India for a visitor and restrict visitors to limited activities based on the type of e-visa. Just like most countries, overstaying in India beyond the designated time allowed by the e-visa is considered an offense, and you will be required to pay a fine if you do not leave the country within the designated time period.
So, let us look at how much fine is imposed for overstaying Indian visas.
Penalty Charges For Overstaying on Indian E-Visa
There are multiple charges that you may be subjected to, depending on your overstay duration. These charges are mentioned below:
0 - 15 days of Overstay - You will not be charged any penalty for overstaying in India for up to 15 days after your e-visa visit period expires. However, this will reflect poorly on your record for applying for an Indian e-visa in the future.
16 - 30 days of Overstay - A charge of 10,000 Indian rupees will be imposed on you if you overstay in India for more than 15 days but less than 30 days.
31 - 90 days of Overstay - If you overstay in India for more than 30 days but less than 90 days, you will be charged 20,000 Indian rupees as a penalty.
91 days - 2 years of Overstay - For tourists who overstay in India for more than 90 days but less than 2 years, a penalty fine of 50,000 Indian rupees will be charged to you. You can also receive a ban on your travel to India.
More than 2 years of Overstay - Any tourist who overstays in India for more than 2 years will be charged a penalty equivalent to USD 500 along with a longer travel ban. In some circumstances, you may be sent to prison for a period that can last up to 5 years for being an illegal immigrant.
If you are caught doing other activities which are considered an offense under the Foreigners Act, you may be subjected to other forms of punishment as well.
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If you are a foreign national who has applied for an Indian e-Visa and your plans have changed because of unforeseen circumstances, what should you do? Extend the e-Visa? Or, Renew? Find out more at Renewal or Extension of the e-Visa for India.
How Much Period of Stay Is Allowed by Indian E-Visa?
To avoid the penalty charges imposed on overstaying tourists, we need to understand how long each Indian e-visa type allows entry.
Indian Tourist E-visa
Tourists who are looking to visit India for tourism purposes are required to apply for an Indian Tourist e-visa. An Indian tourist e-visa allows visitors to engage in the following activities during their stay in India:
- Sightseeing
- Visit Family and Friends staying in India
- Unpaid Voluntary work for 1 month
- Short-term courses that last 6 months in the fields of art, craft, music, dance, medicine, and cooking.
- Recreation
- Yoga Programs in short-term
Depending on how long you wish to stay in India, there are 3 types of Indian tourists e-visa which are:
30-Day Indian Tourist E-Visa
A 30-day Indian tourist e-visa allows for a tourist to stay within India for 30 days during its active period. It only allows for double entry in India meaning you can visit India only twice during its active period. At this point, the 30-day Indian tourist E-visa is non-extendable, and staying for longer than 30 days will result in penalties.
If your visit was due to a medical reason, then an extension of 6 months can be granted by the Indian government, provided your specific case requires an extended stay in India.
1-Year Indian Tourist E-Visa
Tourists who wish to visit India for a maximum period of 365 days shall be required to apply for a 1-year Indian tourist e-visa. This visa allows for multiple entries which allow tourists to visit India as many times as they want within the validity period of the 1-year Indian tourist e-visa.
When you visit India with this e-visa type, you are allowed to stay in India for a maximum period of 90 days on each visit. This restriction, however, is different for foreign visitors from the U.S., Japan, U.K., and Canada as tourists from these countries are allowed to stay in India for 180 days.
This limit set by the government cannot be extended unless your visit is for a medical purpose in which case you can be given an extension for 6 months depending on your specific case.
5-Year Indian Tourist E-Visa
If you are a tourist looking to visit India for more than 365 days, your only option is to apply for a 5-year Indian Tourist E-Visa. This visa remains valid for 5 years and just like the 1-year version, allows multiple entries in India during its active period. It also has the same stay duration as the 1 year e-visa with no extension allowed other than for medical reasons.
What to do In a Situation When I Need an Indian E-visa Extension?
If you believe you need to stay in India for longer than your allowed e-visa duration, the first thing you need to do is remain calm and contact the Foreign Regional Registration Office. This is the official Indian Authority that has the power to handle all visa-related matters. Tell the authorities of this department about your visa expiration date and seek guidance.
Tourists who are allowed to extend their stay in India will have to apply for an extension to the office of the Foreign Regional Registration Office. If possible, try to start this process early on as you will be required to provide the reasons for your overstay and then provide proof for the same.
Along with the application, you will also be required to submit some documents such as your passport, passport-size photographs, any documents that prove your reason for your stay, and additional documents that the Foreign Regional Registration Office may request, depending on your specific case.
All of this, along with the time it will take for the authorities to investigate your case, can take very long to process your application. The easiest reasons for extensions are medical emergencies or family issues with family members who live in India.
What is so unique about India?
India is a country that is one of the best tourist destinations, not just in Southeast Asia, but the entire world. The country is home to one of the most culturally diverse populations in the world with followers of many religions residing in India and almost 22 officially recognized languages. This has given India a vast array of religious monuments and ritual sites from different religions.
To visit India, you require an Indian tourist e-visa which comes in 3 different forms depending on how long you wish to stay in India. It is important that you plan your trips carefully as overstaying in India can result in serious penalties and other punishments. Fortunately, if you have a legitimate reason for overstaying in India, you can apply for an extension of stay.
So, if you wish to visit India, we suggest you start applying for your Indian tourist e-visa as soon as possible and start booking your reservations early. India is a very popular country for tourism which makes getting reservations hard and delays in e-visa approvals very common.
Ensure you have checked your eligibility for Indian e-Visa. Citizens of most countries including Jordanian citizens, French citizens, Mexican citizens, Hungarian citizens and Latvian citizens are eligible for Indian e-Visa.