This post is intended for travelers who want to travel and stay in India as a tourist for more than a month. Although it is now possible for Filipinos to obtain a tourist visa-on-arrival (VOA) in a number of major airports in India, I still opted to apply for a multiple entry tourist visa that would let me to stay in the country for 6 months.
India is such a huge country with diverse attractions. An Indian VOA, which is only valid for 30 days, would not be sufficient for my planned itinerary from Kerala (South) all the way to Himachal Pradesh (North). I also had a two-week side trip to Nepal from New Delhi so getting for this type of visa made total sense.
Applying and getting approved for a multiple entry Indian tourist visa was easier than expected. The Indian Embassy in the Philippines is outsourcing all its visa applications to a processing center named BLS International Services located in Makati City. The whole process of submission took less than 30 minutes as there were, luckily, only a few people applying. I was able to pick up my approved visa after 4 working days.
1. Fill out the Online Visa Application Form
First thing first, you need to fill out the online visa application form: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/info1.jsp Once completed, take note of your temporary application number. Print and sign the application form and paste your photo as per permission’s specifications.
2. Prepare all your supporting documents.
Verify and arrange them with document checklist along your application form. In my case, I submitted the following requirements:
- Two 2x2” colour photographs
- Passport and photocopy of its bio page
- Copy of two-way airline tickets (This is not a requirement but I submitted it anyway because I have already booked my arrival and departure flights to Kochi and Kathmandu. A reservation ticket would suffice, based on the agency’s website.)
- My planned itinerary
- Recent Bank statement
- Alternatively, you can submit an invitation letter from family, friend, or sponsor in India. I didn’t submit this one as I was traveling on my own.
3. Submit your visa application and documents to BLS International Services.
Pay for the tourist visa fee (2,210 pesos) and processing fee (148 pesos). Voila, you’re done! Wait for 3-5 days for processing. You will be notified if your visa is ready. You can either pickup your passport or have it delivered to your address.
* * *
For those who want to apply for an Indian tourist visa and other types of visa, you can visit the Application Center located at:
Address:
Address:
BLS International Services
9th floor, 902, One Corporate Plaza,
A Arnaiz Avenue,
Makati City, Philippines
9th floor, 902, One Corporate Plaza,
A Arnaiz Avenue,
Makati City, Philippines
Contact Numbers:
+63 2 5555060/4789152
Telefax: +63 2 4789152
E-mail: info.ph@blsinternational.net
Telefax: +63 2 4789152
E-mail: info.ph@blsinternational.net
Submission Schedule:
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Passport Pickup:
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Passport Pickup:
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Good luck on your visa application! If you have further questions, feel free to comment below.
Hello! My name is Sherwin -- Ish, for short, and I hail from the archipelagic country of the Philippines. I am an occasional nomad, a multidisciplinary writer-researcher, and a photography enthusiast. I created this travel blog with the aim of inspiring others do the same thing without spending a fortune. Yes, traveling while carrying a Philippine passport does not have to be expensive and difficult. With proper planning, lots of research, little money, and a ton of guts, you can do it! Here you will read advice and tips on budget travel, free volunteering opportunities, and backpacking on a shoestring to different destinations around the world. 
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