A visit visa application process can be time-consuming, requiring visits to the Visa Application Center (VAC) and the Embassy/Consulate. Moreover, there is no guarantee that your visit visa will be granted by the government concerned.
Countries that offer visa free entry or visa on arrival are a much better alternative. While many countries offer the visa on arrival facility for Indians, there are also many global destinations that are visa free countries for Indians.
Which countries can Indians visit without a visa?
There are 30 countries that you can visit for tourism without a visa on an Indian passport. No prior visa or visa on arrival required. However, specific requirements to be allowed entry may vary from country to country.
Visa free countries for Indians, region-wise
No prior visa (that is, before traveling) or visa on arrival required by Indians to visit these countries as tourists.
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- Bhutan
No visa is required by an Indian national to visit Bhutan. A Voter Identity Card issued by the Election Commission of India, or a valid Indian passport (with a minimum of 6 month’s validity) will be needed to gain entry into the country.
Indian nationals coming to Bhutan by road must get an Entry Permit on the Indo-Bhutan Border opposite Jaigaon in West Bengal. Those coming to Bhutan by air will need to have either one of the Travel Documents above-mentioned and also get the Entry Permit at the Paro International Airport.
Keep in mind that an Entry Permit allows an Indian tourist to visit Paro and Thimpu only. A Special Area Permit will be needed to go beyond that.
Stay : up to 14 days
Places to visit in Bhutan : Thimphu, Bumthang, Paro, Wangdiphodrang, and Punakha.
- Albania
GGenerally, a visa will be needed for an Indian national to enter Albania as a tourist. However, an Indian passport holder that has a valid B-1/B-2 visa for the United States can get an Albania e-visa through the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) process.
An Indian national that holds a visa by a Schengen country, the US or the UK can enter Albania (for 90 days) without a visa. To be eligible, the Schengen/UK/US visa must be valid, multiple entry, and previously-used at least once before traveling to Albania.
ETA processing time : 20 days
Places to visit in Albania: Saranda, Berat, Theth, Kruja, and Tirana.
- Cook Islands
Tourist visas are not required for citizens of India for a stay up to 31 days.
Places to visit Cook Islands: Avarua, Aitutaki, Arorangi, Aroa Marine Reserve, and Titikaveka beach.
- Barbados
No visa is required by Indian nationals looking to travel to Barbados for tourism. However, a prior confirmation will be needed by the Barbados Immigration Department. Visit the official website, fill up the application form and obtain all the necessary documents as required. Barbados grants Indian nationals visa free stay of up to 90 days.
Places to visit in Barbados: Flower Forest, Bottom Bay Beach, Harrison’s Cave, Crane Beach, and Downtown Bridgetown.
- Serbia
Serbia is the only European country that Indians can go to without a visa. There is no need to get a prior visa before entering Serbia as a tourist. Holders of ordinary Indian passports can visit Serbia from India for up to 30 days within a period of one year. Those with official and diplomatic passports of India can visit Serbia for up to 90 days without a visa.
Places to visit in Serbia: Drvengrad, Gamzigrad, Kosmaj, Kalemegdan, and Skull Tower
- El Salvadore
An Indian national does not need a prior visa for traveling to El Salvadore for tourism or business purposes. However, they will need to get an El Salvadore tourist card for USD10 upon arrival in the country. This card will be valid for a 90 days’ period from the date of entry.
Places to visit in El Salvadore: Playa el Espino, Santa Ana, Suchitoto, Tazumal, and Playa El Tunco.
- British Virgin Islands
Indian nationals don’t require a tourist visa to visit British Virgin Islands (BVI) for tourism related matters.
Places to visit in British Virgin Islands: Road Town, The Baths, Smuggler’s Cove, Anegada Island, and Dead Chest National Park.
- Oman
While the Visa on Arrival (VOA) facility was earlier available for Indians traveling to Oman on tourism, the same has now been replaced with the requirement to get a traditional visa to travel to Oman.
Indians that hold any of the following might apply for the Oman eVisa -
- A valid Schengen visa,
- A residence permit from Australia,
- A residence permit from Canada,
- A residence permit from Japan,
- A residence permit from the UK,
- A residence permit from the US, or
- A residence permit from a GCC country.
An Indian national that does not have any of the above-mentioned will have to secure an Oman tourist visa.
Places to visit in Oman: Nizwa, Salalah, Muscat, Khasab, and Bahla.
- Niue
Niue tourist visas are not needed for Indian passport holders. Stay of up to 30 days permitted.
Places to visit in Niue: Alofi, Palaha Cave, Matapa Chasm, Namukulu, and Makefu.
- Dominica
The Dominican Republic (DR) tourist visas will not be needed by an individual - irrespective of their nationality - that is (1) either a legal resident of or (2) has any of the specified valid visas (Schengen, Canada, US, or UK). Those who don’t have a passport or visa mentioned above will have to get a tourist visa to visit the Dominican Republic.
Indians that are a legal resident of or hold a visa from any of the Schengen countries, Canada, US, or UK will not require a tourist visa for Dominica.
Initial stay of 30 days allowed. If staying beyond that period, an additional fee upon departure will have to be paid.
Places to visit in Dominica: Boiling Lake, Roseau, Victoria Falls, Kalinago Territory, and Cabrits National Park.
- Qatar
Indian nationals traveling to Qatar on an Indian passport (valid for at least six months’ from the date of application) are eligible for the Qatar visa waiver upon arrival, doing away with the need to get a Qatar visa for tourism. Hence, Indian nationals don’t need a visa to visit Qatar. Citizens of 95+ countries can avail visa-free entry into Qatar. The length of stay allowed varies from visitor to visitor.
Do note that India is not on the list of countries eligible for Qatar e-Visa.
Places to visit in Qatar: Mathaf, Film City, Barzan Towers, Falcon Souq, and Zekreet Fort.
- Fiji
Citizens of India don’t need a tourist visa to travel to and stay in Fiji for up to 120 days. A Fiji visa for tourism purposes can be for - a single entry: a Single Entry Visa (SEV); or for multiple entries: a Multiple Entry Visa (MEV). While the SEV is valid for three months, the duration of stay allowed on an MEV for each entry should not exceed four months.
Places to visit in Fiji: Suva, Naddi Village, Lautoka, Nausori, and Levuka.
- Macao
Indian nationals can avail visa-free entry into the Macao Special Administrative Region for 30 days.
Places to visit in Macao: Macau Tower, Guia Fortress, Kun Iam Statue, St. Paul’s Ruins, and Senado Square.
- Micronesia
Indians citizens can travel to Micronesia without a visa. After arrival in the country, your passport can be shown at the immigration country to get an entry stamp. Usually a stay of one month is allowed visa-free for Indians. The exact duration that you can stay will be as per the stamping done.
Places to visit in Micronesia: Weno, Colonia, Yap, Kosrae, and Pohnpei.
- Haiti
Nationals of certain countries -Yemen, Vietnam, Iran, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Libya, Syria, Panama, and Columbia - must apply at least one-month prior for a Haiti tourist visa. Nationals of all other countries, such as India, don’t need a visa for visiting Haiti. Only the passport - valid for a minimum of six months - will have to be submitted to the Haitian immigration on arrival in the country. A tourist fee of $10.00 will have to be paid at the airport.
Places to visit in Haiti: Labadee, Citadelle, Gelee Beach, Bassin Bleu, and Site des Ramiers.
- Jamaica
Indian nationals do not require a Jamaica tourist visa for visiting the country for tourism purposes.
Places to visit in Jamaica : Bob Marley Museum, Rio Grande, Black River, Boston Bay, and Blue Mountains.
- Montserrat
Indian nationals, living in India and traveling to Montserrat from India, don’t require a visa to travel to Montserrat.
Places to visit in Montserrat: Plymouth, Cot Trail, Woodlands Beach, Soufriere Hills Volcano, and Rendezvous Beach.
- Nepal
Every foreign national that intends to enter Nepal - except the nationals of India - will need a Nepal tourist visa. As an Indian national, you don't need a visa to visit Nepal. While some might get a visa before they travel to the country, others can obtain a Nepal visa on arrival instead. Indian nationals can use either their Election card (issued by the Election Commission) or valid Indian passport to enter Nepal.
Places to visit in Nepal: Nagarkot, Mount Everest, Davis Falls, Ilam, and Khumbu Valley.
- St. Kitts and Nevis
As India is not on the list of countries that need visas to travel to St. Kitts and Nevis, Indian nationals can travel to the country without a visa.
Places to visit in St. Kitts and Nevis: Basseterre, Mount Liamuiga, Timothy Hill, Banana Bay, and Port Zante.
- Mauritius
No visa required for Indian nationals to visit Mauritius as tourists.
Places to visit in Mauritius: Port Louis, Ile Aux Cerfs, Le Morne Brabant, Tamarind Waterfalls, and Flic en Flac.
- Trinidad and Tobago
Indian citizens don’t need a visa to visit Trinidad and Tobago and stay within the country for up to 90 days. As of now, all foreign nationals traveling to Trinidad and Tobago will be required to get a TTravel Pass from the online gateway.
Places to visit in Trinidad and Tobago: Fort King George, Pigeon Point, Cumana Bay, Port of Spain, and Maracas Bay.
- Senegal
No visa required for Indian nationals looking to visit Senegal as tourists.
Places to visit in Senegal : Dakar, Ziguinchor, Tambacounda, Mboro, and Thies.
- Seychelles
Regardless of your nationality, there is no requirement to get a Seychelles tourist visa if visiting the country for the purposes of - holiday, visiting friends/family, pleasure, or business. A Seychelles visitor’s permit will be issued on arrival in the country.
Places to visit in Seychelles: Praslin, Mahe, Victoria Market, Eden Plaza, and Le Jardin Du Roi.
- Kazakhstan
An individual with an Indian passport can come to the country for “continuous visa-free stay in Kazakhstan for up to 14 days”. The maximum duration that an Indian might stay visa-free in Kazakhstan is 42 days within every 180-day period.
Places to visit in Kazakhstan: Almaty, Taraz, Astana, Semey, and Shymkent.
- Iran
On December 14, 2023, Iran announced the lifting of visa requirements for nationals of 33 countries, including India.
Places to visit in Iran: Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan, Mashshad, and Tabriz. - Sri Lanka
Nationals of seven countries - India, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, and Thailand - can stay visa-free in Sri Lanka for up to 30 days. An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will have to be applied before travelling. Visa free entry launched as a pilot program that will run until March 31, 2024.
Places to visit in Sri Lanka: Colombo, Dambulla, Kandy, Jaffna, and Galle. - Thailand
The Thai Government has granted visa exemption for tourists from India and Taiwan. The Thailand tourist visa exemption for Indian nationals is in place from November 10, 2023, until May 10, 2024.
Places to visit in Thailand: Bangkok, Pai, Krabi, Chiang Mai, and Phuket. - Vietnam
An Indian passport lets you visit Vietnam without a visa for tourism purposes. Recently, Vietnam joined the list of countries that announced visa waivers for Indians.
Places to visit in Vietnam: Hanoi, Da Nang, Golden Bridge, Halong Bay, and Cu Chi Tunnels. - Malaysia
From December 1, 2023, nationals of India and China can enter Malaysia for tourism without the requirement to get a visa.
Places to visit in Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur, Batu Caves, Johor Bahru, and Legoland Malaysia. - Kenya
Beginning January 2024, Kenya will become visa free for all tourists. There will no longer be any requirement to get a visa to enter Kenya for tourism purposes.
Places to visit in Kenya: Nairobi, Eldoret, Mombasa, Meru, and Thika.
In conclusion
Being visa free for Indians means that no visa will be required of any kind from Indian passport holders. There is no requirement to get a tourist visa before you travel, an electronic visa (e-visa), or a visa on arrival to visit a tourist destination that is among the visa free countries for Indians.
Visa free countries for Indians should not be confused with countries that offer the facility of visa on arrival for Indians. If a country is visa free for Indians, you will require no kind of visit visa at any point of time to enter that destination. In case of visa on arrival, on the other hand, you will have to get a visa stamping done at the port of entry after you enter that country as an Indian tourist.
Other FAQs
1. What are the different visa types?
A permanent visa is issued when an individual decides to settle abroad, taking up permanent residency in that country.
A temporary visa is issued for a short stay in another country, such as for the purposes of -
- visiting friends/family,
- tourism,
- study abroad, or
- work overseas as a skilled worker.
2. What is an e-visa?
An electronic visa, commonly referred to as an e-visa, is an official document provided online for entering the country for a particular purpose. You can easily apply for an e-visa online and on your own. There is no requirement for visiting any Visa Application Center (VAC), Embassy, or Consulate.
3. Why do countries give e-visas?
Many countries across the world have introduced an e-visa service for facilitating tourism to their country. With the e-visa facility, you can easily apply online and get your travel authorization in your email.
4. How to get an e-visa?
Fill up the e-visa form online, entering the required details (personal and travel-related). Then, you will have to upload your recent passport photo, along with the needed supporting documents.
The entire process takes a short time, provided you have the required documents ready with you.
5. What is an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)?
Digitally linked to the traveler’s passport, an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) is a requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals traveling to a country by air. An eTA enables an individual to travel multiple times to a country within a specific predetermined period.
6. Where can I apply for eTA?
An eTA might be applied online or issued at the port of entry in some countries.
7. What is an Entry Permit?
An entry permit, at times issued in place of a visa, is an official document authorizing an individual to enter the country, allowing them to legally remain within the country for a certain period of time. For example, the UAE offers entry permits to foreigners for entering and staying in the UAE for a short period. Later, a UAE Residence Visa is issued to the foreign national already within the country, having entered using the UAE entry permit.
8. What is Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR)?
Quite similar to an eTA, PAR is a travel authorisation that might be done through a simple pre-registration process over the internet. The rules and requirements vary. For example, Hong Kong offers Pre-Arrival Registration.
9. What are the general requirements for a tourist visa?
- Passport, with at least - (1) one blank page left, and (2) a validity of six months remaining beyond the date of arrival,
- Evidence of arrangements having been duly made for accommodation for the entire duration of the stay,
- Tickets, for the return journey to home country, or for onward journey to another destination,
- Proof of sufficient funds to cover stay, and
- Any other document justifying the grant of the visa.
10. How many countries can Indian travel to without a visa in 2024?
As per 2024 Henley Passport Index, there are 59 countries in the world that Indian passport holders can travel to without a visa.
