Heading to India from South Africa? You'll need a visa sorted before you fly — there's no visa-on-arrival for South African passport holders. The good news: for a standard holiday, the whole thing can be done online through India's official e-Visa portal, and short-term visas up to 90 days are issued free of charge to South African nationals under a special fee arrangement.

The e-Tourist Visa comes in three flavours. A 30-day version, valid from your first arrival, plus one-year and five-year options that allow multiple entries with a maximum stay of 180 days per calendar year. There are also e-Visas for business trips, medical treatment (and accompanying attendants) and conferences. The application itself asks for your personal and passport details, a digital photo in JPEG format (10 KB to 1 MB, plain white or light background, no spectacles or shadows), and a PDF scan of your passport's information page (10 KB to 300 KB). Your passport needs at least six months' validity and two blank pages, and every detail must match it exactly — small typos can sink an application.

Timing matters. You must apply at least four days before travel (the minimum, not a guarantee), and applications can go in up to 120 days ahead. Once your Electronic Travel Authorization shows "GRANTED", print it out — you'll present it at immigration on arrival, where biometrics may be taken. Note that e-Visas are only accepted at designated airports and seaports, so check your entry point before booking flights.

Two warnings worth heeding. First, stick to the official indianvisaonline.gov.in portal; India's consular authorities have flagged copycat sites charging inflated fees or promising guaranteed express approvals. Second, there's a big change for anyone needing a regular visa (for work, study or journalism, say): VFS Global stopped handling Indian visa applications in South Africa in January 2026, with consular authorities taking over from February. You now apply through the mission for your province — Johannesburg covers Gauteng, North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga; Cape Town covers the two Cape provinces (in-person applications at 34 Bree Street by appointment); Durban covers KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and the Eastern Cape.

One last step people miss: India also requires all foreign visitors to complete a free e-Arrival Card online within 72 hours of arrival, covering your passport details, address in India and recent travel history. It's separate from your visa and doesn't replace it. Carry proof of a return or onward ticket too, and keep an eye on vaccination rules if you're transiting through other countries. Longer-term regular tourist visas can cost around R485 including the Indian Community Welfare Fund fee, but fee information varies across official sites — confirm the exact amount on the portal for your category.

For most holidaymakers bound for Mumbai, Delhi or Goa, the e-Tourist Visa plus an e-Arrival Card is all you need. Apply early, double-check every field against your passport, and you're set.

Story via Travelstart Blog