The One Question That Decides Everything
Will you pass through Indian immigration? That's the whole test.
- No — you stay airside (inside the international transit area, connecting onward within 24 hours, bags checked through): per the Bureau of Immigration, no Transit Visa is required for direct air transit
- Yes — you'll cross immigration (leaving the airport, collecting and re-checking bags landside, an overnight hotel outside the terminal, or any connection putting you past the 24-hour mark): you need a Transit Visa or another valid Indian visa
The trap is that the exemption is narrower than travellers assume. Separate tickets where the onward airline requires landside check-in, a transfer that moves you through immigration, or a 26-hour connection all put you on the visa side of the line — book accordingly before relying on the exemption.
What the Transit Visa Actually Is
| Feature | Rule |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Passing through India to a third-country destination — nothing else |
| Entry window | Ordinarily valid for entry within 15 days of issue |
| Stay per visit | Maximum 3 days — irrespective of what the ticket shows |
| Journeys | Single (or double, for a there-and-back routing) as issued |
| Extension | Not extendable, except genuine emergencies (strikes, weather disruption, illness) |
| Where to apply | The Indian mission for your residence. The portal now also lists an e-Transit Visa — see below |
Note the 15-day rule carefully: validity runs from the date of issue, not your travel date. Applying weeks before a trip produces a visa that expires before you fly.
Transit Visa vs e-Visa: Which to Choose
For many nationalities the practical alternative is an e-Tourist Visa — and for some layovers it's simply better:
- Choose the Transit Visa when the itinerary is a pure pass-through: one night at an airport hotel, onward flight, done
- Choose an e-Tourist Visa when you want the layover to be a visit — a day in Delhi between flights, flexibility if plans shift, or a connection longer than the 3-day transit cap. It costs more but removes the tightest constraints
What you cannot do is stretch the Transit Visa into a mini-holiday: 3 days is a hard cap per visit, and the purpose is transit alone.
Documents Missions Typically Ask For
- Passport (standard six-month validity expectation)
- Confirmed onward ticket to a destination outside India — this is the anchor document; transit means through, not to
- Visa for the ultimate destination where required — a Transit Visa's validity will not exceed your destination visa's
- Photographs and fee per your mission's checklist
If Things Go Wrong Mid-Transit
Missed connections and cancellations happen. If disruption pushes you past your permitted stay, the emergency-extension carve-out (strikes, weather, illness) exists — but it's for documented emergencies, handled through the FRRO, not a casual buffer. If your stay has already lapsed, understand your position with our overstay guide before heading to the airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a transit visa for a 5-hour layover in Delhi?
Not if you stay airside — remaining inside the international transit area, connecting within 24 hours, without crossing immigration. If your bags aren't checked through or you must re-enter landside to check in, you need a visa.
My layover is 30 hours. Can I stay airside without a visa?
No — the airside exemption runs out at 24 hours. Past that, you need a Transit Visa (or another Indian visa) even if you never intend to leave the terminal.
Can I leave the airport to see the city on a transit visa?
Yes — once admitted on a Transit Visa you are lawfully in India for up to 3 days. But if sightseeing is the point of the stop, an e-Tourist Visa is usually the more honest and more flexible category.
Can a transit visa be extended?
Only in genuine emergencies — strikes, weather disruption, serious illness — and by exception, not default. Plan your routing so 3 days is enough.
Is there an e-Transit visa?
Yes, now. The official portal lists an e-Transit Visa (e-TR V), valid for 30 days from your first arrival in India with multiple entry. It did not exist when this guide was first written, and the portal publishes no separate stay limit for it — the 3-day stay rule above is the one MHA's guidelines set for the regular Transit Visa. Check the portal for your nationality, and compare the e-Tourist route if the layover is really a visit.
Disclaimer
India Visa Experts is an independent private consulting firm, not affiliated with the Government of India or the Bureau of Immigration. Transit rules — including the airside exemption — are set by the authorities, can vary with your nationality and routing, and change; the BOI's current guidance governs. Verified against official sources in July 2026. General guidance, not legal advice.