PassportSouth Africa

Trip checklist: India

For South African passport holders. Last checked 5 October 2026.

Visa requirement

South Africans need to apply online for an e-visa before travel to India.

Permitted stay

e-Tourist 30 days: valid 30 days from first arrival, multiple entry (the portal text says multiple; older versions said double), not extendable or convertible. e-Tourist 1 year and 5 years: multiple entry, valid from date of grant, no more than 180 days in India per calendar year. e-Business: 1 year, multiple entry, maximum 180 days continuous stay.

Before you go

  • Purpose of visit

    e-Visa sub-types available to South Africans: e-Tourist (30 days, 1 year, 5 years), e-Business, e-Conference, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant, e-Ayush, e-Student, e-Transit, e-Family, e-Emergency X-Misc. e-Visa is not valid for Protected/Restricted or Cantonment areas without prior permission.

  • Passport validity

    At least six months' validity at the time of application (High Commission: six months from date of departure from India for regular visas) and at least two blank pages.

  • How to apply

    Apply online only at https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/ (Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs). Apply at least 4 days and up to 120 days before arrival. Fees for South Africans: e-Tourist 30 days USD 0 (both seasons); e-Tourist 1 year USD 25; e-Tourist 5 years USD 25; e-Business USD 25; e-Medical and e-Medical Attendant USD 0. A bank charge of about 3% (4% PayPal) is added to any non-zero fee; fees are non-refundable. Biometrics are captured at immigration on arrival. Enter through one of the designated e-Visa airports or seaports (portal currently lists 36 airports and 38 seaports, up from the 32/5 cited by older sources); exit via any authorised checkpoint.

  • Where South Africans apply

    e-Visa: online only. Regular visas: through VFS Global (no walk-ins at the mission) at Johannesburg (Isle of Houghton Office Park, Boundary Rd, Parktown; covers Gauteng, North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga), Cape Town (1st Floor, 47 Strand Street; covers Western and Northern Cape) and Durban (91-123 Cowey Road, Essenwood; covers KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Eastern Cape). Submission Mon-Fri 08:00-14:30. Mission: High Commission of India, Pretoria; Consulates General in Johannesburg and Durban. Regular visa fee per High Commission schedule from 1 April 2026: visas up to 90 days free for South Africans; tourist visa up to 1 year or 1-5 years ZAR 485 total; business visa ZAR 1,420 total.

  • Return or onward ticket

    Required: return or onward journey ticket.

  • Proof of funds

    Required: sufficient money to spend during the stay (no fixed amount published).

  • Accommodation or invitation

    Not required for e-Tourist. e-Business/e-Conference need an invitation letter from the Indian organisation.

  • Vaccinations, including yellow fever on return to South Africa

    Yellow fever certificate needed only by people arriving from or transiting through a notified yellow-fever endemic country (South Africa is not on the list); without it, quarantine for up to 6 days. A South African flying via, for example, Addis Ababa or Nairobi with only an airport transit is a grey area; check ihpoe.mohfw.gov.in. India is not a yellow-fever risk country, so South Africa's certificate rule does not apply on return.

  • Arrival forms

    e-Arrival Card (digital disembarkation card) introduced from 1 October 2025 for all foreigners. File within 72 hours before arrival on boi.gov.in, indianvisaonline.gov.in or the official 'Indian Visa Su-Swagatam' app. It is free; ignore paid third-party sites. Reports say the paper card was phased out after March 2026 (not confirmed at tier 1).

  • Extending your stay and overstaying

    e-Tourist 30-day visa cannot be extended or converted. Overstay must be regularised through the FRRO/e-FRRO system before exit; penalties not checked.

  • Transit

    e-Transit visa available (30 days, multiple entry). Airside transit without leaving the international area generally does not need a visa (not verified at tier 1).

  • Travelling with children

    Every child needs their own passport (six months' validity) and their own e-Visa application.

  • Confirm with the embassy

    Rules change. Check the official source before you book.

Where to apply

Research sources

  1. 1. Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs (official e-Visa portal) (Official, indianvisaonline.gov.in) https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html
  2. 2. Government of India e-Visa portal (country-wise e-Tourist fee table) (Official, indianvisaonline.gov.in) https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/images/Etourist_fee_final.pdf
  3. 3. Government of India e-Visa portal (e-Business/e-Medical fee table) (Official, indianvisaonline.gov.in) https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/images/eTV_revised_fee_final.pdf
  4. 4. High Commission of India, Pretoria (Official, hcipretoria.gov.in) https://www.hcipretoria.gov.in/page/general-visa-requirements/
  5. 5. High Commission of India, Pretoria (visa fee schedule from 1 April 2026) (Official, hcipretoria.gov.in) https://www.hcipretoria.gov.in/content/1743414634Visa.docx.pdf
  6. 6. Bureau of Immigration, Government of India (Official, boi.gov.in) https://boi.gov.in/boi/contents/immigration/policy-and-law/health-regulation
  7. 7. Embassy of India, Manila (Government of India notice) (Official, eoimanila.gov.in) https://eoimanila.gov.in/docs/1759814939e-Arrival%20Card%20for%20International%20Travelers%20to%20India.pdf
  8. 8. Government of India e-Visa portal (fee/bank charge notes, fake-site warning) (Official, indianvisaonline.gov.in) https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/Registration

From doineedavisa.co.za/india. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.