How to Apply for an Indian Visa for a Conference or Workshop

Visiting India for leisure can be one thing. However, visiting the country for business-related activities can be a whole new game. This process requires going through an India eVisa application that is definitely more complicated than it seems.

So, it becomes important for you to understand the process to its core and choose the right kind of visa that matches your travel purpose. Other than that, having a clear understanding will also help you to avoid all possible mistakes.

Understanding the Indian Conference Visa

We will break down the basics of this visa before moving on to the intricate matters. This way you will have a strong foundation that will make the rest of the process easy.

What is a Conference Visa?

A conference visa or an e-Conference visa for India is a travel permit that is designed especially for foreign nationals who are coming to India to attend any conference.  This helps individuals to take part in international conferences, workshops, and even seminars. However, you will not be able to take part in any other business-related activities like setting up a branch or starting a new business. Your activities will be restricted to the event that you are attending. These conferences are mostly organized by Government of India or State organized.

Who is eligible?

The eligibility for an e-Conference visa for India depends on the following:

• The applicant must have the sole purpose of attending a conference, workshop, or seminar held in India.
• The applicant must have a valid passport (one that comes with a minimum validity of 6 months starting from the date they exit from the country and at least two blank pages)
• The applicant must not be persona-non-grata* to India’s government.
• The applicant must not be included in any negative list or warning circular.
• The applicant must be financially capable of taking responsibility for the different expenses that will be incurred during the trip.

*Persona-non-grata is an individual who is not welcomed or favored.

Duration and validity of the visa

An Indian Conference visa comes with a validity of 1 month or 30 days starting from the date you enter the country. Other than that, it is important to remember that the visa only allows you a single entry.

The difference between a Conference Visa and others

Conference Visa

Purpose: This Indian eVisa application is filled out for taking part in any government organised conference.

Validity: This visa stays valid for 30 days

Tourist Visa

Purpose: Tourist e-Visa is applied solely for leisure purposes like exploring the different landmarks of India and experiencing the culture.

Validity: This comes with different types of validity. These are 1 month, 1 year, and 5 years.

Business Visa

Purpose: Business e-Visa is applied by people for taking part in business-related activities like setting up a branch, opening a new business, or investing in an existing one.

Validity: This visa stays valid for a year or 365 days.

Prerequisites for Applying

There are a few things that all e-Conference visa India applicants require when they are applying for the visa. These are a mandatory part of the process, and your application might get rejected if you fail to provide them. Some of these things are:

• A letter of invitation from the conference/workshop organizer.
• An approval from the Government for the event.
• A Passport that meets the validity requirements (minimum 6 months, blank pages).
• Recently taken passport-size photographs as per Indian visa requirements.
• Other supporting documents like proof of residence, financial stability, and other things required by the authority.

Step-by-Step Application Process

The Indian eVisa application process involves a few different steps, all of which play an important role in the process. Some of these steps that you will be required to follow are:

Step 1: Check Eligibility & Gather Documents

The first thing that you are required to do in the process is to check the eligibility of your country in applying for the visa. After that, gather the necessary documents.

Step 2: Online Application Submission

Next, you will be required to visit the online portal for the online visa application. During this step, you will also have to ensure that you are carefully filling out all the details related to yourself and your visa purpose. After that, you will also have to scan and upload the required documentation.

Step 3: Payment of Visa Fees

Once you are done with the visa application process, you will have to pay the fee related to the process. However, remember to check the fee before paying, as that differs depending on your nationality and the type of visa that you are applying for.

Step 4: Track Application Status

Once you have completed the above-mentioned steps, you will be required to check the status of the India eVisa application till it gets approved. Usually, it takes around 3 to 5 days for application processing. But if you have to wait for longer, contact the Helpdesk.

You will receive an approval letter email on the ID that you provided on the application form when your visa application gets approved. After that, you will have to get a few printed copies of the letter and bring them with you.

Receiving & Using Your Visa

Once you receive your visa, you will have to thoroughly check it to identify any mistakes. Also, check the entry and exit regulations related to the visa. However, it is important for you to remember that this visa is non-extendable, so you will not be able to apply for any type of extension. First, exit the country before the expiry of your visa and then reapply.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Making mistakes can be common across all processes. However, making even the littlest of mistakes might have a big impact during the application of the e-Conference visa for India. Some of the mistakes that you should avoid making include:

• Providing any wrong or incomplete information on the form for the e-Conference visa application.
• Applying too close to your actual travel date and being unable to effectively deal with delays.
• Submitting invalid documents during the application.
• Ignoring additional documents required for certain events.

Feeling confident to apply for an e-Conference visa for India?

Attending a conference or seminar or taking part in a workshop is incomplete without taking part in the India eVisa application process. However, just any eVisa won’t do the job, and you will be required to apply for an e-Conference visa. Even though the process for applying for this kind of visa may appear tough, you can easily simplify it by learning the basics of the process. This will help you with things like filling out the application, adding documents, and receiving the visa. Other than that, you should also be aware of the common mistakes to avoid them at all costs so that you do not face any delay.

However, if you still end up facing some problem after following all the steps correctly, then you must contact the Helpdesk for effective assistance.

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