India e-Visa for Children and Minors: What Parents Need to Know

Does my baby need an India e-Visa?

Yes. Age makes no difference. Any foreign national entering India needs a visa or an OCI card, and that includes infants. The baby needs their own passport, because a child listed in a parent's passport cannot get an e-Visa. If your child's passport is still being issued, wait for it before you apply. The e-Visa is linked to the passport number, so it has to match the passport the child travels on.

Who fills in the form for a child?

A parent or legal guardian completes the form on the child's behalf. Enter the child's own details exactly as printed in their passport: full name, date of birth, place of birth and passport number. The form also asks for both parents' details, which every applicant gives, so have your own passport information to hand.

For contact details, use your own email address and phone number. For occupation, choose the option that fits a child, such as student for a school-age child, or the option for minors if the form offers one. Our guide to what to put for occupation covers the choices.

What documents do I need to upload for a minor?

If the portal asks for anything extra for a minor, it will show it in the upload step. Upload exactly what it requests. More detail is in how to upload documents on the Indian e-Visa website.

How do I take a visa photo of a baby or toddler?

The rules are the same as for adults: a square JPEG with a plain white background, the face clearly visible and looking at the camera. Lay a baby on a plain white sheet and photograph from directly above, or sit a toddler on your lap with a white sheet draped behind them so your hands and body stay out of the frame. Use daylight and avoid shadows across the face. Then run the image through our free visa photo tool to crop it to the right shape and size. See also the Indian e-Visa photo requirements.

How much is the e-Visa for a child?

The government fee chart sets fees by passport, not by age, so a child pays the same as an adult with the same passport. Most passports pay the standard rates below, plus a 3% bank charge. Argentine and Uruguayan passports pay no fee, children included.

US passports pay $160 for the 5-year e-Tourist; UK passports pay $484. The 30-day and 1-year rates are standard for both. For a family of four on the same passport, multiply the fee by four. You can check any passport with our fee calculator.

You can apply for every family member yourself on the Indian Visa Online portal and pay only government fees. If you use our service, the all-inclusive price is per applicant: for example, $97 standard for a 30-day e-Tourist visa.

Can the children's visas be different from mine?

They can, but they do not need to be. A child can hold a 30-day e-Tourist visa while a parent holds a 5-year one. Just make sure every family member's visa covers the full trip. Children travelling with a parent who has an e-Business or e-Medical visa usually apply for an e-Tourist visa themselves. An e-Medical Attendant visa is for up to 2 people accompanying a patient, and it is linked to the patient's application. If the child is the patient, they get the e-Medical visa and up to 2 attendants can apply with them.

Common mistakes

• Applying for one parent and assuming the children are covered.
• Using a child's old passport after a new one has been issued. Children's passports are often issued for shorter periods, so check that each one is valid for at least 6 months from arrival and has 2 blank pages.
• Uploading a photo with a parent's hands, a toy or a patterned blanket in the frame.
• Swapping two siblings' passport scans or photos between applications.
• Typing a nickname instead of the name in the passport.
• Leaving the children's applications until the last minute. Apply at least 4 days before arrival for every traveller.

Next step

Gather each child's passport, take their photos and scan the bio pages. Then start your family's applications with us or apply on the Indian Visa Online portal. Most complete applications are decided in 24 to 72 hours, but each one is decided separately, so do not travel until every family member's e-Visa has been granted. For the rest of your preparation, see the documents checklist.