India e-Visa for citizens of South Africa: online application, fees and processing time 2026

Yes, an e-Visa is required: citizens of South Africa apply online before departure.

Data updated on 11 October 2026

Official fees from €24.

iVisa is a paid service, charged on top of the official fees. Partner link: IziVisas earns a commission if you order, at no extra cost to you.

Mandatory arrival form: e-Arrival Card. Within 72 hours before arrival. Free: beware of websites that charge for it.

Fill it in on the official website (indianvisaonline.gov.in)

Indicative information: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before booking. Our methodology · Official portal

South Africa

India

Other direction

Official fee

25-80 USD

Processing time

72-96 hours

Our guide to the India visa from South Africa

Yes, South Africans need a visa to travel to India: they must obtain an e-Visa, applied for online on the Indian government’s official portal, and have it approved before departure.

From South Africa, the application is made on indianvisaonline.gov.in: an online form, scanned documents and payment of the official fee recorded at between 25 and 80 USD. With a recorded processing time of 72 to 96 hours, it is wise to submit the file as soon as the dates of your stay in India are set.

Do you need a visa for India?

Yes. A South African passport does not exempt you from a visa for India: you must obtain an e-Visa, applied for and granted online before the trip. A visa on arrival is not open to nationals of South Africa; the authorisation must be approved before boarding. The general conditions are published at indianvisaonline.gov.in.

How much does an e-visa for India cost from South Africa?

25-80 USD

Official government fee only. Providers and visa centres add their own service charge on top.

What does a visa for India really cost?

The published fee is the government charge alone. Two or three other lines are added before the visa is in the passport, and they are what makes the final bill.

Government fee25-80 USD
Paid to the state, non-refundable if the visa is refused.
Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top
Never compulsory. An intermediary fills the form for you, it does not change the decision or the processing time.

We only display amounts published by an official source. Confirm the total before paying anything.

What documents are required for an e-visa for India?

Documents required for an e-visa for India:

Passport valid 6 months
Recent digital photograph (white background)
Proof of onward travel

Documents and fees

Have a valid South African passport, a recent digital passport-style photo and a scan of the personal data page; depending on the purpose of the trip, other supporting documents may be requested. The official fee recorded ranges from 25 to 80 USD. Before paying, check the exact amount, the required passport validity and the file format on the portal.

How to apply for an e-visa for India from South Africa

1Fill in the form on the destination’s official portal.
2Upload the required documents (passport, photo, supporting papers).
3Pay the fee online by card.
4Receive the authorisation by email, usually without a consular visit.
5Show the authorisation, printed or on your phone, at boarding.

Apply on the official site Official portal

How to apply

Submit the application on the official portal, indianvisaonline.gov.in. The form is completed online; you then upload the photo and the copy of the passport’s personal data page, and pay the fee. The application number given at the end is used to track the file and retrieve the granted authorisation.

Where do you apply for a visa for India from South Africa?

An e-visa for India is filed entirely online: there is no counter to visit and no file to hand in. The only address that matters is the official portal.

The application, the supporting documents and the payment all go through the official portal, from any country.
Lookalike sites copy the portal’s name and layout, then resell the same application with a margin. Check the domain before you type in a passport number.
The authorisation arrives by email. Keep a printed copy, some airlines ask for it at boarding.

Using an online service

You never have to use an intermediary. If you would rather have a service fill in and file the application online for you before departure, iVisa does it for a service fee, charged on top of the official fees. It does not change the decision.

File my application with iVisa

Partner link: IziVisas earns a commission if you order, at no extra cost to you.

You live in South Africa on another passport?

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in South Africa but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.

Your nationality

Pick your nationality to see the rule

How long does an e-visa for India take?

72-96 hours

Indicative time, counted from a complete file. Peak season can be longer.

Processing time and tips

The recorded processing time is 72 to 96 hours. An early application leaves room to correct a document; wait for approval before buying non-refundable tickets. As soon as you receive it, check the name, passport number and dates on the authorisation, then print the e-Visa and keep it with the declared passport until immigration control in India.

Before you fly, and at the border

Passport validity: most countries require the passport to stay valid beyond the return date, and the margin required differs from one destination to the next. Check it on the official source, and count from your return, not from your departure.
A visa is not a right of entry. The border officer decides, and may ask for a return ticket, an address or proof of funds even when everything is in order.
Conditional exemptions exist: several countries waive the visa for holders of a valid visa or residence permit from a third country. This depends on the destination and on the document, and we do not publish that rule when our sources do not carry it. The official page does.
Minors travelling alone or with one parent are often asked for extra papers, typically a parental authorisation and the family record. Ask the post before booking.
Overstaying is not a formality. It exposes you to a fine, to removal, and to an entry ban that can outlast the trip by years, including for the whole area when the destination belongs to one.

Common mistakes

Unofficial intermediary websites, which copy the look of the Indian portal and charge a surcharge, are the first trap to avoid: the application is made on indianvisaonline.gov.in. Other common mistakes are a rejected photo, a typing error in the passport details and travelling with a passport other than the one in the application.

Plan your trip

Nomad Insurance travel cover (SafetyWing)

Medical cover and repatriation, can be taken out mid-trip.

Flights (Trip.com)

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eSIM data (Saily)

Stay connected on landing, with no roaming charges. Requires an eSIM-compatible phone.

Tours and activities (GetYourGuide)

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Other visa types for India

A tourist stay is not the only purpose. These are the other permits the destination issues and that your nationality is eligible for, each with its own fee and processing time.

7 more visa types

Official sources

Guide generated automatically on October 17, 2026, from the verified catalogue.

How we verify this data

Short-stay (tourism)

eVisa / authorization

Entry regime

eVisa / authorization

Apply online

Via iVisa, paid service, partner link

India e-Visa for citizens of South Africa: online application, fees and processing time 2026