Visa free countries for India are those countries that Indians or Indian passport holders can visit without a visa. Presently, there are 26 such countries in the world. Instead of processing a visa beforehand, holders of Indian passports can visit some of these counties and get a visa on arrival. In other visa-free countries, an eVisa is issued upon arrival. In contrast, in other countries all the immigrant has to show is a means of national identification (i.e. national ID document) without a passport.
India, officially known as the Republic of India is a South Asian country, the second-most populous country, and the seventh-largest country by land mass. As of 2022, India’s economy was estimated at $3.46 trillion (International Monetary Fund (IMF)) with purchasing power parity (PPP) of around $11.6 trillion. By market exchange rates, India has the fifth-largest economy. These economic indices indicate that India is a vast and fast-growing country which makes many people troop into the country yearly for many things – business, investment, recreation, study, adventure, etc. However, many Indians also troop out of the country in search of greener pastures in other countries.
The VisaGuide Passport Index in March 2023, ranked the Indian passport 154th in the world implying that Indians and Indian passport holders would be welcome in many parts of the world given their low-ranking index. In this article, I show the full list of Visa free countries for India, the documents required for processing travel, and a step-by-step guide on how to go about it.
List of Visa Free Countries for India
Below are the 26 Visa free countries and territories that Indian passport holders can travel visa-free in 2023:
- Albania
- Barbados
- Bhutan
- British Virgin Islands
- Cook Islands
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- Fiji
- Grenada
- Haiti
- Indonesia
- Jamaica
- Macau
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Montserrat
- Nepal
- Niue
- Oman
- Qatar
- Senegal
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Vanuatu
Eligibility
For admittance into visa free countries for India applicants must:
- Have a valid Indian passport which must have been procured at least six months before traveling to the destination country. The exemption, for now, is Bhutan and Nepal which Indian travelers can visit without a passport or visa but rather with only a means of national identity as an Indian citizen.
- Purchase the destination country’s stipulated travel health insurance.
Countries that Issue Indian Citizens and Indian Passport Holders eVisa
Indian passport holders can also visit 26 countries without a traditional visa or with an eVisa. eVisa is similar to a traditional visa only it is t processed and gotten online and not at a visa application canter like the Immigration or customs office. Once approved, an applicant is notified by email with a copy of the eVisa attached which should be printed out and presented (if required) at the border.
These countries that issue eVisa to Indian passport holders are:
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Benin
- Colombia
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Georgia
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lesotho
- Malaysia
- Moldova
- Morocco
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Singapore
- Suriname
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Türkiye
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Zambia
Countries that Issue Indian Passport Holders a Visa on Arrival
31 countries issue Indian citizens a visa on arrival in their country. This means that applicants do not have to undergo the stress of applying for access before leaving their country.
The countries are:
- Bolivia
- Botswana
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cabo Verde
- Comoros
- Gabon
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Jordan
- Laos
- Madagascar
- Maldives
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Palau
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
- Saint Lucia
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Zimbabwe
Documents Required for the Application
Regardless that the Visa free countries for India do not require heavy documentation by applicants there is still a bit of paperwork and processing to do. In most cases, applicants are required to have the following:
- Valid Indian passport showing Indian nationality.
- The health insurance that the destination country stipulates.
For countries that honor eVisa, in addition to the above more documentation may be required:
- Proof of paid visa fee.
- Proof of booked accommodation.
- Detailed travel itinerary that shows all the places you want to visit.
- Proof of booked return ticket for the flight home.
- Letter of invitation (if applicable)
For countries that require applying for and obtaining a visa beforehand, in addition to the above, the applicant may be required to present the following documents: documents.
- A filled visa application form.
- Civil status documents (marriage papers, certificates of birth, etc.).
- Passport size photograph of applicant dated not older than six months.
- Proof that you have sufficient funds to cover your visit
- Travel health insurance covers your entire period of stay.
Conclusion
There is no lengthy application for visa free countries for India. No need to book an appointment at the visa center or immigration office except for countries that demand eVisa. In any case, get the required documents ready especially your passport and travel insurance. Book your travel ticket and get ready to embark on your journey. The good thing is that you can move to another visa-free country for India when you exhaust your stay in your present country.