TGDo you need a visa for India in 2026
Yes — India has no visa-free entry. But the 30-day visa changed in 2026 for Russian citizens: here is what exactly.
The short answer: yes, India always requires a visa. There is no visa-free entry for Russian citizens and none is planned — you cannot simply arrive and get a stamp at the border.
The good news: there is no need to visit an embassy or hand over your passport. India has an electronic visa (e-Visa) that is arranged online and arrives by email.
What changed in 2026
The arrangement was announced in December 2025 and took effect on 1 January 2026. There are three changes, all in the traveller's favour.
- The consular fee for the 30-day tourist visa was dropped for Russian citizens
- You may enter within 120 days of the date of issue — it used to be 30
- The visa allows two entries within the same 30 days of stay
The practical value of those 120 days: the visa can be arranged well in advance, before the tickets are booked and the exact dates are fixed. Applying too early used to mean the visa expired before the trip.
The visa types
- 30 days — two entries, a stay of up to 30 days. The usual choice for a holiday
- 1 year — multiple entry, up to 90 days per visit
- 5 years — multiple entry, also up to 90 days per visit
The one-year and five-year visas share one limit: no more than 180 days in a calendar year in total. Travellers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan may stay up to 180 days per visit.
The 30 days count from your first entry
Not from the date of issue and not from the date you booked. The clock starts the day you cross the border. That makes planning much easier: the visa can sit ready for months, and the countdown begins on arrival.
What is difficult about it
The visa is electronic, but India's form is one of the longest. It asks for citizenship at birth, your parents' details, your employer, the countries you have visited in recent years and your address in India. Our own form has 16 fields, and that is the shortened version.
Mistakes are expensive: inaccurate details or a photograph that fails the requirements are grounds for refusal, and the portal itself works unevenly.
We fill in the form, bring the photograph up to the requirements, pay the fee and see the application through to the issued visa. You just pick the dates.
