For Swiss citizens the most common and convenient option is the e-Tourist Visa, part of India’s e-Visa program. Swiss nationals are eligible to apply for this visa, provided they meet a few basic requirements. The applicant’s passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of arrival in India, and you must possess a return ticket or an onward journey ticket.

The application process is entirely online. To begin, you should visit the official Indian e-Visa website at https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/. The form requires personal details, passport information, and travel plans to be filled out. The website might crash several time in the middle of the application process, so equip yourself with all the patience you have before you start.

Some hints for filling out the form:

• Before booking your flight: Please check if the airport through which you want to enter India is on the list of accepted ports of arrival. Most of the international airports are on the list, though. You have to decide on a port of arrival before filling out the form.
• The phone number has to be given without the +41, and without spaces in between the numbers. Also, if you reload the page or go back to a previous page, check that all the correct boxes/options are still selected, sometimes the website resets them to their default position/selection.
• Applicants must also upload documents, including a scanned copy of the passport’s bio page in PDF format and a recent passport-style photograph in JPEG format.
• If you resize the photo and it meets all the other requirements, and yet the photo doesn’t upload, try uploading it using a different device.
• Once the form is completed and documents are uploaded, the visa fee must be paid online. The cost of the visa depends on the type and duration selected. When you land on the payment page for the visa fee, select the Axis bank portal for payment with your card.

After submission, the application is typically processed within three to five working days. If approved, you will receive an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) via email, which must be printed and presented upon arrival in India.

For other nationals, please check if you are eligible for the e-Visa as well. And if so, please read the hints above.