An Indian passport is a passport issued by the Government of India to citizens of the Republic of India for travelling abroad. It enables the bearer to travel internationally and serves as proof of Indian citizenship as per the Passports Act (1967). This article describes Indian Passport, difference between Passport and Visa, Gives overview for Visa for USA,Singapore,Thailand,Dubai.

About Indian Passport

The Consular Passport & Visa (CPV) Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, functioning as the central passport organisation, is responsible for issuing Indian passports on demand to all eligible Indian citizens. Passports are issued at 37 locations across India and at 162 Indian diplomatic missions (High Commissions, embassies and consulates) abroad.

When we talk of Passport, it means Ordinary Passport: An ordinary passport has blue cover, and consists of 36 or 60 pages. It is valid for 10 years from the date of issue and can be renewed for another 10 years. An Indian citizen can use this passport for ordinary vacation or business travel.  A passport contains the following personal data : name, sex, date of birth, and place of birth, address. The other kind of passports are

• Diplomatic Passport: Has maroon cover ; Issued to designated members of the national government, judiciary , statutory authorities, diplomats, official public couriers and any other person specifically authorised by the Govt
• Official Passport: Has grey cover ; Issued to designated Non-gazetted govt servants or any other person specifically authorised by the Govt deputed abroad on government business.

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  Types of Indian Passport

The Emblem of India is emblazoned in the centre of the front cover. The words ‘पासपोर्ट’ (Hindi) and ‘Passport’ (English) are inscribed above the Emblem whereas ‘भारत गणराज्य’ (Hindi) and ‘Republic of India’ (English) are inscribed below the emblem.

• Indian passport is the only document that identifies you as Indian citizen in a foreign country.
• You can not leave or enter any country without a valid upto 6 months before expiry date.
• If your passport is lost, stolen or destroyed, you should immediately file a report at the nearest  police station, to the nearest passport issuing authority in India and to the  nearest Indian Mission abroad.
• An Indian passport is  valid for 10 years from the date of issue. When a new passport is issued, old passport(s) will be cancelled and returned. Valid visas in the old passport are not cancelled and can be used till the expiration date of a given visa.
• Applicants less than 18 years of age are considered as minor for issuance of passport. A minor, even a month old ,should have a separate passport. Passport is issued to the minor without any police verification.
• Minors between 15 to 18 years of age can apply either for a 10-year validity passport or they can apply for a passport, which is valid till they attain the age of 18 years. Fee for a 10-year validity passport is higher than fee for a passport, which is valid till they attain the age of 18 years. A 10-year validity passport cannot be issued to applicants without police verification on submission of parent’s passport.
• If passport is required on an urgent basis, they can apply under Tatkaal scheme.
• Keep a photocopy of your passport in a safe place, separate from your original passport.
• You can not renew the passport more than one year before the expiration date of your current passport.

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  Sample front page of Indian passport

Difference between Passport and Visa

When travelling to another country, outside the country of which you are a citizen, a passport is required. The purpose of the passport is to certify the identity and nationality of the owner of the passport.  A passport contains the following personal data : name, sex, date of birth, and place of birth, address.

Visa is an official permission that allows you to enter and stay into a specific country. This permission is granted by a government officials of the country you wish to visit. The visa can be a separate document but usually it is a stamp in the passport of the traveller. There are various types of visas, the most used types are the following :

• Tourist visa :the tourist visa is issued for the purpose of touristic travels.
• Transit visa : transit visa is valid only for 5 days and sometimes less and it is issued for passing through a certain country to reach a third destination.
• Business visa :business visa is issued for businessmen who travel to a certain country for business or commercial activities.
• Temporary worker visa :this visa is issued to temporary workers in a foreign country.
• Student visa : student visa is issued to students who are studying in a foreign country.

So Visa is an official permission which  authorizes us to stay in a foreign country and the passport is a document that certifies our identity during our travels. Indian passport holders can travel to 58 countries, without visa and on visa on arrival.

So if you want to visit a foreign country, you need to have a valid passport, i.e passport should not have expired (atleast 6 months validity is required) and you should have Visa to visit the country.  Visa requirements vary for country to country. At many foreign countries, like Thailand and HongKong you get Visa on Arrival for tourism. For Visa to US you have to book an interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Delhi and the U.S. Consulates General in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

Visa on Arrival for Indian Passport Holders

Indian passport holders can travel to 58 countries, without visa and get visa on arrival for tourisim, except India itself. Visitors going for activities other than tourism, including unpaid work, require a visa or work permit except for Nepal and Bhutan. Wikipedia Visa requirements for Indian citizens gives the Visa requirements for Indian citizens in detail. Image below shows the  Countries with visa-free or visa-on-arrival entries for holders of regular Indian passports and List of countries where Indian passport holders can get Visa on Arrival are given below.

List of countries where Indian passport holders can get Visa on Arrival are:

• Antarctica
• Bhutan, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands
• Cambodia,Cape Verde, Comoros Islands, Cook Islands
• Djibouti,Dominica
• Ecuador,El Salvador,Ethiopia
• Fiji,FYRO Macedonia
• Gambia,Georgia,Grenada,Guinea-Bissau,Guyana
• Haiti, Hong Kong
• Indonesia, Iraq (Basra)
• Jamaica, Jordan
• Kenya
• Laos
• Macau,Madagascar,Maldives,Mauritius,Micronesia,Montserrat,Mozambique
• Nauru, Nepal,Nicaragua,Niue
• Palau
• Samoa,Sao Tome & Principe,Seychelles, South Korea (Jeju)
• St. Kitts & Nevis,St. Lucia,St. Vincent & Grenadines,Svalbard
• Tajikistan,Tanzania,Thailand,Timor Leste,Togo,Trinidad & Tobago,Turks & Caicos Islands,Tuvalu
• Uganda
• Vanuatu

Indian Applying For US Visa 

To apply for a Visa to travel to the United States the process includes the following steps:

1. Determine the type of Visa required to travel to the United States. Information about Visa types can be found at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en.html.
2. Complete the online visa application form, DS-160. The DS-160 is a U.S. Government on-line form and can only be completed at US Consular Electronic Application Centre website or https://ceac.state.gov/CEAC. Each applicant must complete this form ,sign it electronically, upload a passport-size photo and submit it
3. Return to this website and complete the following application steps to schedule a Consular Section appointment:
   • Create a user account
   • Enter the DS-160 confirmation number for each applicant applying for a Visa
   • Complete the courier document return process
   • Pay the Nonimmigrant Visa (MRV) application fee(s).  Visa applicants, including children, are required to pay a non-refundable, non-transferable visa application fee, sometimes referred to as the MRV fee, before applying for a nonimmigrant visa. The visa application fee must be paid whether a visa is issued or not. The type of visa for which you apply determines the fee amount. The US tourist visa fee for Indians is 160$ (roughly INR 9,900),for petition-based visas, such as work and religious visas, fees are US$190. K visas cost US$265 and the fee amount for E visas is US$205; the exact amount will be calculated automatically based on recent exchange rate and given to you at the end of your application.
   • Schedule a Consular Section appointment: The good part about a US visa application is that you don’t have to show confirmed flight and hotel bookings – the way you must for most other countries. The painful part, however, is that you have to make yourself available in person, TWICE. For Visa to US you have to book an interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Delhi and the U.S. Consulates General in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Check appointment wait times here based on your location, and book both your appointments right after submitting your forms, especially if you have to travel to the nearest big city for these.
   •  Attend the Consular Section appointment.
     • The first appointment is at VFS USA, where your fingerprints are scanned and your photograph is taken. The process takes less than five minutes, and it’s better to show up a little earlier than your given time slot, since it’s on a first-come first-serve basis.
     • The Visa Interview The second and more crucial appointment is the visa interview. Applicants are sent inside for the interview in batches,. The immigration officer is likely to ask you about your invitation letter if you have one, your purpose of visit, how you’ll fund your trip, and how long you plan to travel for. Answer truthfully and confidently. The result of your visa application is told to you by the immigration officer there and then! You must arrive earlier than your given time slot and be prepared to wait on the benches outside . Remember that phones, electronic devices and bags are not allowed to be taken in – carry only your forms along.
     • Documents: Unlike other visa applications, the US embassy does not ask to see confirmed bookings or other documents during the process. However, these can be asked for incase of additional screening. To be on the safe side, I carried along an invitation letter from my brother who lives in the US, a copy of his employment visa and passport, . Luckily, I wasn’t asked to produce any of these.If you have a relative residing in the US, it can be extremely helpful to have an invitation letter, written by them, preferably on the letterhead of the company they work for, stating that you’ll be visiting and staying with them for a given period of time. You may carry your bank statements, resume and a cover letter
4. After Consular Section interview, check  website for visa status and delivery information.  After a successful interview, it usually takes 2 working days for your passport to be ready for collection. While submitting the application form, you can choose to sign up for free SMS / email alerts and track the status online. The passport needs to be collected at VFS USA, by submitting a photocopy of your passport or another valid Indian ID. Someone can collect it on your behalf with an authorization letter signed by you.

Tourist Visa for Singapore

Indian passport holders can apply for a Singapore tourist visa that allows a stay for maximum period of 30 days with a validity of 2 years . Indian citizens need to apply for and obtain an e-visa before entering Singapore. There is no visa on arrival facility

With effect from 1st April 2009, the Singapore High Commission no longer accepts individual walk-in applications. All applications would be submitted via a new electronic visa (e-Visa) application system that allows visas to be processed online. Applications must be submitted to any of the authorised visa agents at Annex A. Applicants whose application has been approved, can have the e-Visa printed online by the authorised visa agents. Official information for Singapore Visa  http://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/overseasmission/new_delhi/visa_information/overview.html  Please ensure that all the documents are in English. If not, then official translations of the documents should also be attached.

1. Valid passport with at least six months validity on the date of entry into Singapore;
2. All visa applicants are required to complete the attached visa application form 14 A in full i.e. all columns and blank spaces to be completed.  Download the Singapore tourist visa form online and complete it with information and signature.
3. 2 recent coloured passport size photographs adhered to the form (35 mm wide by 45 mm high without border and taken within the last 3 months; taken full face without headgear, The facial image must be between 25 mm and 35 mm from chin to crown; taken against a plain white background with matt or semi-matt finish.) Please note that scanned or unclear photographs will not be accepted.
4. Any other relevant supporting documents deemed to merit the consideration of the application. (e.g. Letter of Introduction, In-Principal Approval Letter, Letter of Guarantee from Shipping Agent, Company Invitation Letter, Employment Letter, Residential Proof etc).
   1. A confirmed return air ticket with the tour itinerary is necessary. You should have sufficient funds for the period of stay in Singapore along with confirmed return flight tickets.
      It will be good to attach the confirmed bookings of your hotel in Singapore, although it is not a mandate.
   2. A covering letter from the applicant mentioning the reason of travel and dates of travel, addressed to ‘The Embassy of Singapore / The Consulate General of Singapore’.
   3. If you are a first time traveller to Singapore, then there is a need to attach income tax papers of last 3 years along with bank statements of last 3 months.
   4. Moreover, the consulate has the right to ask for additional documents as deemed necessary
5. The visa processing fee for each application is S$30. Visa processing fees are paid upon application of visas. The online payment mode accepts Master/ Visa, Debit/ Credit cards only. The processing fee is non-refundable regardless of the outcome of the application or if you withdraw the application after submission. In addition to the visa fee of S$30 the authorised visa agents will also impose a fixed service charge of Rs. 300 only for each visa application.
6. 1 working day after submitting the application to the authorised visa agent. This excludes the day of submission, weekends and public holidays. Count a week.
7. The online visa is given for “two months – multiple entry” only. The regular e-visa may be for “two months-multiple entry” or “two years-multiple entry” depending on the decision of the Singapore Consulate.

In case you have more than 4-5 hours in between your connecting flights, you can opt for a free Singapore tour by registering yourself at the Changi Airport for the same. This is only applicable if your halt is less than 8 hours, otherwise you’d need a transit visa.

A print-out of the e-visa (see picture below) is to be carried to the airport for verification at the airline check-in counter in India.

At the airport in Singapore, the immigration staff will see your return air-ticket (for return or onward journey within 30 days), your passport having a remaining validity of at least six months, hotel address, and sufficient funds required for stay in Singapore.

Visa for Thailand

You can get a 30 day tourists visa in advance from your nearest Thai consulate. More information at http://www.vfs-thailand.co.in/

Citizens of India who wish to visit Thailand for a period not exceeding 15 days can obtain a Visa (Visa on Arrival or VOA) from the designated channels of Immigration checkpoints in Thailand that provide facilities for issuance of the aforementioned visa. You must be in possession of the following if you wish to visit Thailand. Ref : Visa on Arrival at suvarnabhumiairport

• A valid passport.You will need a passport valid for at least 6 months following your departure date, with at least 2 remaining unused pages for any necessary entry and exit stamps that may be issued.
• Visa on arrival application form(pdf) with recent photo (4cm x 6cm).The fee for the application is THB 1,000. They also have a fast track counter where an additional fee of 200 Thai Baht is charged.
• Carry Two colour photos (35mm x 45mm), not older than 3 months, taken against a white background.
• A confirmed travel itinerary or fully-paid ticket usable within 15 days from entry date.
• Proof of accommodation: Hotel confirmation mentioning the names of all applicants/guests.
• Funds of at least THB 10,000 per person and THB 20,000 per family .
  • Photocopy of credit card with original credit card statements of last 6 months.
  • Last 6 months bank statement with original bank seal and a minimum balance of Rs.20,000/person.
• If you wish to get an extension (for Visa on arrival) and stay longer in Thailand beyond the allowed 15 days, you need to submit an application to the immigration office in Bangkok

Thai immigration form/ card is given inside the flight by cabin crew once you board the flight to Thailand. Thai immigration form has two parts: Arrival card and departure card. This form is for the immigration purpose and it does not guarantee your visa. However, it is submitted along with the visa form once you arrive in Thailand.

Once you submit the Thai immigration form along with visa form at the visa on arrival counter. They keep the arrival form. Departure form is pinned along with the passport. So you need to fill in the departure card while you are departing from Thailand. In case you lose the departure card, you can also get them at the airport immigration counter once again.

Preliminary examination takes 1-2 minutes and usually no questions are asked if the documents are in order. A token number is given to the tourists for appearance at relevant Visa / Immigration counter. Wait time at this point is about 10 minutes. Token number and counter number are displayed on a LED screen and also announced over a PA system. One should proceed to the relevant counter and stand at the place marked on the floor for picture taking by the counter staff. Two immigration officials are present at the counter where Visa and Immigration happen simultaneously. The first official examines the documents, accepts the fee and makes a receipt. The second official staples your departure card to the passport and stamps Visa on the passport.

Visa for Dubai

Depending on the purpose of your visit to the UAE, there are several different types of visa you can obtain. Visa for a period of 14, 30 and 60 days, are for Tourist of Business. All visas are single entry and valid for all Emirates.Visa holder can travel any of UAE city from the seven Emirates without any hassle ,Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah. You can apply for Dubai visa anywhere between 58 to 5 working days prior to your travel date. Visa processing time is 3-6 working days

The Dubai visa is an electronic document, for which you need to apply online through the agents such as VFS or MakeMyTrip.com,Musafir.com . It will be sent to you via e-mail and you just have to print it and show at the entrance of UAE on passport control.

• Fill-up the Form: It is advised to fill-up the complete order form.
• Photographs: Scanned colour copy of your passport size photograph. For offline application 2 passport size photographs taken against a white background with a matte finish.
• Upload documents: Applicants are requested to upload documents as per the requirements. All must submit
  • • + coloured photocopy (First two pages, Last two pages, Observation Page – if any, Valid travel records – if any). You may be asked Original passport for verification (valid for 6 months from the date of travel)
    • Onward and return confirmed ticket of Emirates in original + Photocopy
    • Invitation Letter if any, from the host company in the UAE
    • For female applicants and students who are above 18 years and travelling alone require NOC from parents / husband, Photo ID of parents/ husband. Coloured copy of the host passport / residence visa
• Make Payment: Pay the required fee for Dubai Visa.  Requirements/Fees are subject to change from time to time.It depends on Visa Category and is Rs 4999 and above.
• If  applying online you need to attach the scan copy of the photograph, first & last page of the passport. Each scanned Document should be in JPEG format and should be less than 38 KB

You can qualify from any one of the below criteria for UAE visa application.

• Criteria I: Travel Record
  • Applicants who have travelled at least once in the last 5 years to or has a valid visa for countries like USA, UK, Schengen countries, European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Canada, Switzerland and Japan or have evidence of travel records in the last five (5) years to the UAE.
• Criteria II: Financial Records
  • Applicants not qualifying as per Criteria I (Travel Record) are required to submit either Form 16 or last 2 Years Income Tax return with a minimum gross income from business, profession or employment, which should exceed Rs 2 lakhs Per annum. Or
  • Investments amounting to Rs 5 Lakhs or above, in form of fixed deposits in Banks or Post Office. Investments to be a year prior from the date of application with a validity of more than 12 months, Investments in Co-operative Banks or Societies are not acceptable.
• Criteria III: Invitation from immediate family member residing in UAE on family status Spouse and children below 21 years of age AND / OR parents above 60 years of age can be invited. Supporting documents required:
  • Invitation letter, passport copy and Valid residence visa copy of the host in UAE
• Newly Married Couple: If spouse name is not endorsed on the passport:
  • Marriage Certificate / Notarised Affidavit on an INR 100/- stamp paper
  • Newly married couples traveling immediately after marriage are required to submit NOC from parents with photo id proof, Wedding card and Marriage photograph of the couple

Sample Dubai Visa looks as follows Click on image to enlarge.

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