India is among the most popular tourist destinations. In consequence, and to facilitate entry to tourists from all over the world, including nationals from Finland, in 2014 the government of India introduced an electronic travel authorization commonly known as Indian Visa for Finland Citizens.
The India eVisa allows travelers to enter the country for short periods of time for tourism, visiting friends and family, short-term medical treatment, and business purposes.
Since 2017, the eVisa for India is divided into three categories:
- Tourist eVisa
- Business eVisa
- Medical eVisa
Do Finns Need a Visa for India?
Finland is among the 169 countries whose citizens are eligible to apply for an eVisa for India. Finns can apply for all types of eVisa: tourist, business, and medical.
The eVisa is easy to request and does not require visiting an embassy or consulate since it is an entirely online process. All applicants from Finland will need is a stable internet connection and the required documentation.
With an Indian eVisa, Finnish travelers can enter India through any of the 28 designated airports and 5 seaports and stay for up to 90 consecutive days.
The tourist eVisa for India cannot be extended and does not allow travel in restricted areas.
Indian eVisas Available for Finland
Finnish travelers should request the type of eVisa most suitable for the purpose of their trip.
The tourist eVisa allows travelers to engage in tourism activities, visit any friends or family or attend activities such as yoga or meditation retreats.
The India business visa for Finns, on the other hand, allows business-related activities in India such as:
- Conducting sales
- Attending business meetings
- Conducting tours
- Delivering lectures
- Recruiting manpower
Finally, the medical eVisa for India allows receiving medical treatment in India.
India eVisa Validity: How long can Finnish travelers use it?
For most countries, the tourist eVisa allows staying in India a maximum of 90 days. The Indian Visa for Iceland Citizens allows a double-entry regime into the country.
The validity of the electronic visa is of one year or until the end of the 90 days. Citizens of Finland can request a maximum of two tourist eVisas within one year.
On the other hand, the business eVisa grants a double entry for up to 180 days for all countries, while the medical eVisa allows three entries within 60 days.
Required Documents for Getting the India Visa as a Finnish Citizen
The following are the India eVisa requirements for citizens of Finland:
- A passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry in India
- An email address to receive the eVisa
- A credit or debit card
- A digital copy of the biographical page of the passport
- A recent passport-style color photo
- Yellow Fever Vaccination Card (if applicable)
Finnish applicants are invited to check all the Indian visa entry requirements in advance as some documents may take longer to obtain.
Important: Finnish children entering India must comply with the same requirements in separate applications, so their parents and/or guardians must be informed about the details.
Additional requirements once Finnish citizens receive the India eVisa
Finnish travelers should also print at least one copy of the eVisa to show at border control together with their passport and to carry with them at all times while in India.
It is important to note that India requires a Yellow Fever Vaccination Card from all citizens that are traveling from a country affected by Yellow Fever.
Upon entry into the country, travelers from Finland will need to provide their fingerprints and photo.
Once all the documentation has been checked, travelers will receive a stamp on their passport so they should ensure they have at least two blank pages in their passport.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Visa for India From Finland?
Obtaining an eVisa for India from Finland is quite a fast process with visas being granted within 4 days from the day of the online application. However, some applications may take slightly longer so Finnish travelers should request their visa well in advance.
It is important to note that any inaccuracies in the application form can lead to delays in obtaining the eVisa or even denial. Travelers should ensure the information matches the one on their passport.
Apply for an Indian Visa From Finland
Filling out the Indian eVisa application form will only take a few minutes.
In the application form, Finnish citizens will need to provide the following information:
- Full name
- Date and place of birth
- Address and contact info
- Passport details
- Nationality
- Marital status
- Profession or occupation
- Details of your stay: places to be visited while in India
- Expected port of entry and port of exit
- Countries visited in the last ten years
- Religion
- Visible identification marks
- Educational qualification
Finally, applicants are required to answer a series of security questions (e.g. existence of criminal records) and to complete the payment of the visa fee with a credit or debit card.
The eVisa will be sent to the email address provided in the application form.