{
  "id": "visa/e-visa-in-advance-no-voa",
  "signature": "AI tells a tourist they can get a visa on arrival in India for most nationalities",
  "signature_zh": "",
  "regex": "(india.*visa.on.arrival|visa.on.arrival.*india|india.*e.?visa|evisa.*india|india.*tourist.visa|india.*visa.free)",
  "domain": "visa",
  "category": "administrative_barrier",
  "subcategory": null,
  "root_cause": "India does NOT offer visa on arrival to most nationalities. The vast majority of tourists must obtain an e-Visa online in advance (apply at least 4 days before travel, up to 30 days ahead) via the official Indian Government e-Visa portal, or a regular visa from a mission. True visa on arrival is limited to a few nationalities (e.g., Japan, South Korea, UAE under specific conditions).",
  "root_cause_type": "generic",
  "root_cause_zh": "",
  "versions": [
    {
      "version": "any",
      "introduced": null,
      "deprecated": null,
      "removed": null,
      "behavior_change": null,
      "status": "active"
    }
  ],
  "os_specific": {},
  "dead_ends": [
    {
      "action": "Fly to India planning to get a visa stamped on arrival at the airport",
      "why_fails": "India has no general visa-on-arrival scheme for tourists. Most travelers must apply for an e-Visa online before departure; the e-Visa must be approved and printed/saved before boarding. Arriving without a valid visa or e-Visa leads to denied boarding or refused entry.",
      "fail_rate": 0.88,
      "condition": "",
      "sources": [
        "https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html"
      ]
    },
    {
      "action": "Apply for the e-Visa the day before flying",
      "why_fails": "The Indian e-Visa application must be submitted at least 4 days before arrival (and can be filed up to 30 days in advance). Same-day or next-day applications are rejected by the system, leaving travelers stranded.",
      "fail_rate": 0.7,
      "condition": "Applying within 4 days of travel",
      "sources": []
    }
  ],
  "workarounds": [
    {
      "action": "Apply for the e-Visa on the official Indian Government portal at least 4 days before travel; carry the approved ETA/e-Visa printout and enter via a designated airport or seaport.",
      "success_rate": 0.9,
      "how": "Use only indianvisaonline.gov.in (avoid third-party agents). Choose the correct category (e-Tourist, e-Business, e-Medical), upload a photo and passport bio page, pay the fee, and wait for the emailed ETA. e-Visa entry is allowed only at designated ports.",
      "condition": "",
      "sources": [
        "https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html"
      ]
    },
    {
      "action": "If you are not eligible for the e-Visa or need a longer/multi-purpose stay, apply for a regular visa at an Indian mission or authorized centre in advance.",
      "success_rate": 0.8,
      "how": "Check eligibility on the official portal; for categories not covered by e-Visa, apply through the Indian embassy/consulate or its authorized visa centre weeks ahead.",
      "condition": "",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.mha.gov.in/en/page/visa-and-immigration-services"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "workarounds_zh": [],
  "transition_graph": {
    "leads_to": [],
    "preceded_by": [],
    "frequently_confused_with": []
  },
  "official_doc_url": null,
  "official_doc_section": null,
  "error_code": null,
  "verification_tier": "ai_generated",
  "confidence": 0.82,
  "fix_success_rate": 0.88,
  "resolvable": "true",
  "first_seen": "2024-01-01",
  "last_confirmed": "2026-06-14",
  "last_updated": "2026-06-14",
  "evidence_count": 3,
  "tags": [],
  "locale": "en",
  "aliases": [
    "visa/e-visa-in-advance-no-voa/in"
  ]
}