Indian eVisa for Benin Citizens: Key Points to Follow
India is a famous destination for not just tourism but also for great business opportunities and healthcare options available. So if you are a citizen of Benin and want to explore India as a tourist, do business, or maybe get healthcare treatments, you can do it easily by applying for an Indian eVisa.
An Indian eVisa is an electronic visa where the entire application process is done online without the need to visit an embassy or consulate. The Indian government introduced this electronic visa to make short-term travel to India easier and quicker. There are 171 countries that are allowed to apply for an Indian eVisa and Benin is a part of this list.
Now that you’re aware of what an Indian eVisa is, you should also know that this visa only allows short-term visits to India for specific reasons. So go through all the information given below to know all the requirements of an Indian eVisa.
Do Benin Citizens Need an Indian eVisa to Arrive in India?
Any citizen of Benin needs a visa to enter India. But if you’re planning to visit India for tourism, business, medical treatment, or transit, you can apply for an Indian eVisa and save your time and money by not going to an Indian embassy. However, if you need to travel for some other reason, you’ll need to apply for a standard visa from the embassy.
Categories of Indian eVisa
Tourist eVisa
Tourist eVisa is for those who want to explore India for its culture, heritage, and other tourist activities. Tourist eVisa is available in 3 validities according to your requirements: 30-day validity, 1-year validity, and 5-year validity. According to the validity you choose, you’ll have a specific number of days allowed to stay in the country.
Business eVisa
If you need to conduct business activities in India, like attending a meeting, a conference, or a business event, you can apply for this eVisa. This visa is applicable for 1 year, and you’ll be allowed to stay in the country for 180 days overall and you can enter India multiple times.
Medical eVisa
If you need medical treatment in India, this eVisa is perfect for you. It is valid for 60 days and you can enter India 3 times within these 60 days.
Medical Attendant eVisa
Every person who comes to India with a medical eVisa is allowed to have 2 attendants travel with them. If you’re attending a patient traveling to India, you need to apply for this specific eVisa. It has a validity of 60 days and you can enter India 3 times within these days.
Transit eVisa
If you’re stopping in India for transit reasons and you plan to leave the airport or the ship, then you need to apply for a transit eVisa. If you’re planning to stay at the airport or the seaport and not leave them, you don’t need any eVisa. This visa let’s you come to India 2 times and the validity is only applicable to direct transit.
You must apply for the appropriate eVisa category based on why you are traveling. If this is incorrect in your application, it will be rejected, and you’ll have to refill the entire form and wait for approval.
Documents You Need When Applying for an Indian eVisa from Benin
Passport
You need to have a Benin passport that is valid for a minimum of 6 or more months from the date/day you plan to enter India. There must be at least 2 empty pages in your passport. You need to also ensure that your passport is regular or ordinary because a diplomatic passport can’t be used to apply for an Indian eVisa.
Photograph
Your photograph is an extremely important part of the eVisa application. There are specific requirements related to the photographs that you upload. One of them is that your photo must be recent—it can’t be any older than 6 months. Remember to read all the requirements related to the photo.
Email Address
When you fill your Indian eVisa application, you’ll also have to fill in your email ID. This email address will be used to send you all the information related to your application—the confirmation, the status, and the approval letter as well. So, make sure that you fill in the right email ID and that you have access to it at all times.
Credit/Debit Card
You also need to pay a visa fee while submitting the form. The website you use to fill the form will offer you some payment modes. However, all websites have the option of using a debit/credit card. So, keep one of these with you when filling the form.
Return Ticket
You have to have a return ticket to your own country or to another one. This ticket works as proof that you’ve planned your stay according to the rules and the limit that you’re eVisa allows you.
Financial Sufficiency
You’ll also have to provide financial proof that you have the funds to cover your stay in the country. You can show your financial stability with your three months’ worth of bank statements.
Other Important Information You Need to Know
You’ll need to have a few more documents depending on the eVisa category you apply for.
- If you apply for a medical eVisa, you’ll also need a letter from the hospital where you’re getting your treatment from. The letterhead of this letter must be clearly visible.
- If you’re applying for a Business eVisa, you need a letter from the company that you’re doing business with and their business card as well. You must ensure that the letterhead of this document is clearly visible.
- You’ll need an invitation letter from your relatives or friends if you intend to stay with them.
Other than these documents, you have to keep the following things in mind:
- You cannot enroll in a university degree with an eVisa. If you want to enter a university degree program or want to work as an employee in India, you’ll need to apply for a standard Indian visa instead.
- Do not overstay your visa or you’ll have to face serious consequences like heavy fines or being banned from entering the country.
- You’re also not allowed to enter a military or cantonment area with an eVisa. You will need to obtain special permission from the Indian government for such a visit.
- It is best to carry the printed copy of your approval letter, as it is easier to carry and present when needed. You can also carry a soft copy, but that’s more prone to being lost amongst other things in your device.
Processing Time for an Indian eVisa
An Indian eVisa application is mostly processed within 3 to 4 days. But it can be delayed or even rejected if there are any issues or errors in your application. This makes it vital that you check all the information and the documents thoroughly. It is best to fill the form about a week before your time of arrival in India.
How to Apply for an Indian eVisa?
Once you have all the important documents with you, filling the form will take you minutes.
- Go to an Indian Online Visa Website. It can be the official website or a reliable one.
- Fill the form with care. Be sure to verify everything twice to avoid any mistakes.
- Pay the online visa fee.
- Submit the form.
And with this, you’ll be done with your Indian eVisa form. Once your form is submitted successfully, you’ll get a confirmation email at the email address you have shared in the form.
If there’s any other query troubling you regarding Indian eVisa, head to the Online Indian Visa Helpdesk