Sep 29 2011
Getting an Indian visa in Bangkok
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This post last updated January 21, 2013
Getting a visa to India in Bangkok takes a little longer and is a bit more complicated than for most other Asian countries, but it’s not rocket science if you know where to look. It is also 100% not necessary to have a third party take care of the process, particularly Khao San agencies. Follow these steps, and you’ll be on your way to the subcontinent in no time.
Incredibly fun times.
The most important aspect of the Indian visa process to be aware of is that visa applications are only available online; if you show up at the India Passport & Visa Services Centre and ask to fill out an application by hand, you’ll be out of luck. Applications must be filled out online (see below for instructions), then downloaded, printed and brought to the Visa Services Centre in person. Note that this is a different location than the actual India Embassy, which is situated a kilometre away on Sukhumvit Soi 23.
Things became extra confusing when no one bothered to update the “tourist visa” link on the official Embassy of India Bangkok’s website, which is now a dead end. Although the correct link can be located elsewhere on the embassy’s website, the site you want is called Apply for Visa to India in Thailand, which is specific to the visa process and more up-to-date than the embassy website. It also provides info on India visas and services elsewhere in Thailand.
Seems like it should be, but this is not the website or the place you want.
Although the Apply for Visa to India in Thailand site has most of the info you’ll need, the actual visa application is found at still another site, and at time of writing one of two links on the Apply for Visa to India in Thailand site was broken. To find the correct link, click “Online Applications” from the left sidebar and then the “Apply Now” icon at the bottom of the screen.
The best info is found here, though the application is elsewhere.
You’ll then be whisked to the standardized Indian government page that all visa applicants from anywhere in the world must go through. Once again, however, there’s a problem with the “Online application link” on this homepage — it’s an “untrusted connection” according to our computers. Rather than taking the risk, click “Online Visa Application” from the left sidebar and hit the “online application” link.
Getting warmer …
The application page you need will then emerge after navigating this maze of electrons, but we’ll make it easy on you: just click here for the application page. Fill out the multi-page application, submit, then download, print and keep your temporary application ID number for reference.
Eureka!
With the finished, printed visa application in hand, head to the India Passport & Visa Services Centre (see directions below). You’ll also need your passport, two 2X2 inch passport photos, two photocopies of your passport and Thai visa page (if you have one) and a separate reference form, which can be downloaded via this page and must be printed and filled out by hand. You’ll also need the visa fee, which varies depending on your nationality. Fees are not always updated online, so it’s wise to bring some extra baht along just in case.
Update Feb 16, 2013: Comments in early Feb 2013 indicate an onwards flight or some other proof of leaving India are now an absolute requirement. See the comments below for more detail.
Applications must be dropped off between 08:30 and 14:00 Monday through Friday, excluding Indian and Thai holidays, and pick-up is between 14:00 and 17:00. Processing time typically takes six working days, although it can apparently take up to eight working days without warning. It’s possible to track your visa application online by inputting your passport number and last name on the Apply for Visa to India in Thailand homepage. Also note that if you can’t make it to Bangkok in person and have a reliable postal address in Thailand, it is possible to apply by way of a courier.
For most nationalities, a tourist visa gets you a six-month double entry stay. Although it still says otherwise on India’s official tourist visa FAQ form, an official at the Visa Services Centre in Bangkok told us that most nationalities are no longer required to stay outside of India for a minimum of two months after leaving the country, though the requirement apparently stands for Chinese and most Middle Eastern nationalities. A variety of other visas — including business, journalist, medical and student — can also be processed in Bangkok, though you’ll need to get the specifics on these from the Visa Services Centre or India’s Ministry of Home Affairs.
To get to the Visa Services Centre, take the BTS sky train to Asok station and exit to the east, following signs for the MRT. Rather than going into the MRT station, continue walking along the elevated walkway above Sukhumvit Road. Once you reach the end of the walkway, exit on the stairs on the left hand side and continue walking in the same direction on Sukhumvit until you reach Soi 25. The visa processing centre is located on the 15th floor of the Glas Haus building, smack on the corner (see map).
India Passport & Visa Services Centre
Glas Haus 15th Floor
Sukhumvit soi 25, Bangkok
T: (026) 652 968
Open Mon-Fri, 8:30 – 17:00; closed on Indian holidays
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Tags: India, Indian embassy, visas
Hello,
I have a situation. I am a Singaporean who is going to marry a Morrocan man. But he is currently working in Milan, Italy. He has a work permit. I would like to know more on how do I apply my visa or how is the process of getting a work permit to stay in Milan.
Please help me as I am desperate in doing the documents as soon as possible.
thank you.
Hi! Do you need to present inward and outward flight ticket from India in order to get the visa? Thank you! Peter
I just went in last week. It took 6 days, not 5. You cannot pay extra to rush it either. 6 business days (so if you drop off on a Monday, you get it back the following Monday).
They also offer to take passport photos for you for 250 Baht (you get 6). That was 90 Baht more than I could find on the street, but more convenient.
The minimum processing time is 6 working days. I applied for (US) tourist visa yesterday. I want to fly to India on this weekend, so I’m hoping the Consulate told me 6 days to be on the safe side? The visa is automatically good for 6 months, with double entry.
Hi Erin,
The above information actually needs to be amended, I had the same issue. It takes SIX working days, not five, no exceptions. So if you hand it in on Monday, you’ll have to get it back next Monday.
Hope that helps,
Emma
Hi Shane,
This is true. Only issue with getting passport photos at Visa centres (or photocopying if you forgot your forms) is that the queues can be long for these services, making your trip to the embassy even longer than the normal wait period.
Emma
hi, me, my husband and our 3 years old son we need to apply for an indian visa tomorrow here in bangkok. the only problem is that my son will be at school, so anybody knows if he have to be present at the time of the application or just showing his passport would be fine? thanks
Hi, just to be clear, can you apply for another visa, even if you have just had one, provided that you have been out of India for 2 months prior to application? I’m in India at the moment, but want to visit SE Asia during the monsoon and then return in the winter months when the weather is better. By this time my current visa will have expired (15 September) but I will have been out of the country for 2 months.
I am a British national, does anybody know if you get 3 months Visa from Bangkok as the article says, or 6 as others have noted? I would really appreciate a confirmation as I may brave it out in the wet and the heat if this is not possible!
Many thanks in advance
Hi! I have a UK passport and want to apply for a 6 month vacation visa in Bangkok, is that possible? Also I won’t be heading to India until the 16 dec, I’m assuming that’s when the visa will start? Any info would be fab
many thanks
I have dialed this phone number (02 665 2968) several times but got only instruction from a machine to dial No. 0 (Zero) than the dial tone sounded for few times before the line was cut. I wonder if this number is still valid for your office???
If not please let me know if there is other number to reach you.
Thank you.
Ratana, DC
Where can I download “reference form”?
I opened many website but could not find the “reference form” for foreigner residing in Thailand. There is only one website I found but when linked to open the document…always came up with error on that page…please help..
Hi Ratana,
The telephone number is still the current one according to their website and I’ve updated the “reference form” link to one that actually works.
The online application form though is not working — will have our researcher in Bangkok look into it.
Cheers
Did anyone have luck recently getting a 6 month visa from Bangkok on a British Passport? I will have been out of India for two months by the time I apply…
Katie, have you applied yet?
All information appreciated
Many thanks
Hi,
I am on holiday in koh Samui from Monday 5th Nov – Monday 12th and leave at 10.00am for my flight to Bangkok. I will be in Bangkok for 3 nights and leave to go back to london on Thursday 11pm. Basically I want to fly to India from Uk on Monday 19th Nov.
Can anyone please advise if I can get a Indian visa from Koh Samui or apply on KS and pickup in Bangkok when I reach there. I can submit a photocopy of my passport with all relevant docs and photos and then when I reach there can submit my passport.
Do Bangkok offer an emergency service for extra money where I can get the visa in 24hours???
Hi,
If applying for an Indian visa in Bangkok do you have to leave your passport with them at the embassy or just the photocopy ones?
Reason I ask Is that I will be flying into Bangkok, the next day applying for the India visa, then heading to one of the islands for a few weeks, so I will not be back in Bangkok until then plus I would prefer to fly to the islands rather than take the bus so I will need my passport, can anyone tell me if this is possible?
Much obliged,
Roger
Hi sir I am an indian guy living in Mumbai I want to invite my one of my friend from bangkok I want to no that can I invite my friend to India how he or she get the visa plz reply me on my mail bye thanking u.
Hi,
I’m an american national applying for an indian visa in Bangkok and was wondering what I need to put down under the “Referance Name in Thailand” section? Can I just leave that blank? Thanks!
Dear Sir
I am a retired Canadian expat married to a Thai wife and have a scheduled life threatening cancer operation in Coimbatore India.
I am informed that we require a visas.Can you please inform us how we can obtain them as quickly as possible as this is an urgent matter.. Our home is quite distant from Bankok.
Do we have to be physically present in Bankok or could this be done on line.
As it is a very serious operation requiring several weeks post operative therapy please inform us of the lenghth of stay allowed and how long would we have to wait for the visa to be issued as well as the cost for me and my wife.
Thank you
Waht about a business visa? Does it also take 6 days???
The info here is wrong.
You have to apply online then take the application form printed out (with the other docs) to the Vfs Global office. The application process does not start till u physically deliver this printout.
Start the application here
http://www.ivac-th.com/
But where on earth is the VFS global centre for Indian Visas in Bangkok?
Now I know!
U must go the online route but it’s the same address, you still go to
INDIA VISA APPLICATION CENTRE,
VFS (THAILAND) LTD,
15TH FLOOR, UNIT 1503,
GLAS HOUSE BUILDING,
SUKHUMVIT 25, SUKHUMVIT ROAD,
BANGKOK-10110.
As the original blog says.
I got the info from
http://www.ivac-th.com/important.html
Please update the blog with this new info because not everyone reads the comments and if someone turns up with that obsolete visa form that you link to then they will be in trouble!
Just a quick note to say the above post has just been fully updated as of Jan 21, 2013 by one of our writers who visited in person to suss it out.
PLEASE READ THE UPDATED POST before posting and thanks to all the comments for pointing out the “issues” with sorting a visa out.
Cheers & enjoy India!
Stuart @ Travelfish.org
I never knew about the separate Reference form for non-Thai nationals applying for Indian visas in Thailand, thanks for pointing that out. And thanks for all the other info too.
The direct link to download that REFERENCE form is
http://www.ivac-th.com/pdf/non_residents_25102012.pdf
Please feel free to delete this and any of my comment posts if you incorporate the info.
Just a few things to add to the BLOG info
I went to get an Indian tourist visa from the Bangkok office today 28th January 2013
1.I paid 4590 BHT for a 6 month tourist visa, just for UK citizens. I think USA may pay the same. It works out at 96 GBP or 153 USD
2. Now you need proof of inbound and outbound flight. I was saved proving an outbound flight because I declared that I was leaving the country overland, via Sonauli to Nepal. They were firm about this new requirement.
3.They want proof that you have somewhere to stay in India, a booking at an Indian hotel. Or they accept a declaration from you stating the name and address of the hotel where you will be staying. I did that at the office.
4 Just in case you declare on the online application form that you are an artist, photographer or such like (“media professional”). They may require you to write a short note saying that you do not intend to engage in any professional work in India and that you are going just for tourism. But you can do that at the application center.
UK citizens have to pay a full 1,000 baht more than Americans, and Americans pay around 1,000 baht more than most other nationalities. UK and US pay more than any other nationalities. ASEAN nationalities pay significantly less — I believe 1,300 baht or so. The fees listed on the page linked to in the article seem to be correct as a base, but there are “extra” fees involved that aren’t posted, at least not clearly (generally not more than 500 baht though).
Please add the “compulsory inbound and outbound flight requirement” to the blog posting or people turning up without flight tickets are going be frustrated.
Maybe you are waiting for confirmation by another poster?
Please confirm this someone.
This post has been updated the 21st of jan. Too bad they implemented a whole new set of fucked up rules on the 2nd of jan… I arrived there and i had averything that was mentioned in the post above and i had the following problems:
1. Normal pasport pics are not sufficient. You need the square 2 by 2 inch ones. You can get them ther for a rip off price of 250 baht.
2. Make sure you fill the reference form in with black ink. If it is blue, they will send you next door to get a copy so its black. Ridiculous…
3. You need to have a return flight and a booking reference. Because i do t know how long i will stay in india or where i will go next, i only had a single flight. Next to the visa office there is an office where they can book you a fake return flight for 500 baht. They give you the confirmed flight details and cancel the flight after a couple of days… So if you can, just book a return flight to save you a lot of hassel…
I ended up doing the first line 3 times… Spent 5 hours there and spent 1000 baht for nothing… Be prepared and you ll be fine. Good luck!!
hello, i have been wanting to apply for visa to india in bangkok , but i have a problem that my passport is only valid for 5 and a half months until i need to renew it for that reason . I can’t apply online because the site wont let me , is there a possibelety for a speical request or someone i can speak to in bangkok about that ?? waiting for a speedy reply because going to bangkok in 2 days.
regerds Iggi
Hi Iggi,
You’re going to need to contact the embassy directly with that.
Sorry can’t be of more help.
I’ve just seen this notice on the VFS Thailand website:
From 7 July 2013, VFS India Passport & Visa Application Centre will not be operational. The above arrangement is in order to provide effective passport delivery service to all applicants until our last day of operations which is 06 July 2013.
Does this mean that all applications now have to be done through travel agents? I only arrive in Bangkok in July… so this is now creating a big problem for me. Any help appreciated.
I applied for a India Visa on the 30th of April. Here some new facts about the application-process:
1. As Neil already wrote, it‘s absolutely required that you have a hotel-reservation for your first days in India, otherwise you have to write a substantiation why you don‘t have an accommodation for your stay.
2. You have to fill the non-thai form with black ink. Otherwise you can do it again…
3. This is what a guy (he works and lives in BKK) told me, I can not 100% confirm this information:
From the 1st of May you can‘t pick up your passport with accepted visa at the India Passport & Visa Services Centre – you need a address (e.g. hotel) where they send it