Every week we see travellers stopped at check-in counters in Toronto, London or Dubai because their India entry documents do not match their passport. The rules are simple once laid out.
Who needs what?
Indian passport holders need nothing extra. OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card holders enter visa-free for life — but the OCI must be carried alongside the CURRENT foreign passport. Everyone else — including children born abroad without OCI — needs an India e-Visa or a regular sticker visa.
The India e-Visa in 60 seconds
Available to citizens of 170+ countries including the USA, Canada, UK and Australia. Apply online 4–7 days before travel; the 30-day tourist e-Visa costs $25–40 depending on nationality and season, with 1-year and 5-year multiple-entry options available.
The OCI trap that catches families
If you renewed your foreign passport, your OCI card must be re-linked (and re-issued once after age 20 and after 50). Airlines can and do deny boarding when the OCI shows an old passport number. Check this a month before flying, not at the airport.
Minor children born abroad
A child with a Canadian or US passport and no OCI needs an e-Visa like any foreign national — this is the single most common last-minute discovery. Apply for the child’s e-Visa when you book the tickets.
Booking flights to India through Explera? We check every traveller’s documents — passports, OCI validity, e-Visa eligibility — before ticketing, so there are no surprises at the counter. It is part of the service.