Last Updated 06 August 2026

Tourist Visa and Visit Visa from India— Complete Guide for Indian Travellers

A "visitor visa" is for temporary stays (like visiting family, attending events, or medical treatment), while a "tourist visa" is specifically for leisure travel and sightseeing. 

Visit/Tourist visas are official travel documents given to foreign visitors for vacation or sightseeing. For example, if you are from India and looking to visit the US, you need to apply for a US tourist visa. Every country has its own visa policies for tourists and corresponding embassies and consulates to help you get a visa for short-term visits.

These Travel visas/ Tourist visas have a limited validity period, and foreign visitors traveling with them are not allowed to do any business-related activities in another country. However, the eligibility requirements, application criteria, and other required documents can vary from country to country.

Most Popular Visit or Tourist Visas

• Australia Tourist Visa
• Canada Tourist Visa
• UK Tourist Visa
• US Tourist Visa
• Schengen Visa

Most Popular Business Visas

• Australia Business Visa
• Canada Business Visa
• UK Business Visa
• US Business Visa
• Germany Business Visa

How to get a Visit or a Tourist Visa?

To apply for a tourist visa, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Locate an embassy/consulate near you.
• Step 2: Submit all the documents required.
• Step 3: Pay the required tourist visa fee.
• Step 4: Attend the visa interview.

Documents Required for a Tourist Visa

The documents required for a Tourist visa are listed below:

• Financial documents: Bank statements (6 months, salary + savings account; avoid sudden large deposits), ITR for 2–3 years, Form 16, salary slips (3 months), fixed deposit statements.
• Employment documents: Offer/appointment letter, salary certificate, leave-approval letter, company HR letter on letterhead confirming employment, salary, and return requirement.
• Property/asset documents: Proof of ties to India (property papers, family home, vehicle RC) — critical for overcoming presumption of immigration intent.
• Travel documents: Passport valid 6 months beyond return with 2 blank pages, confirmed return flight, hotel booking or invitation letter.
• What to avoid: Sudden large deposits, no-show letters, undisclosed assets, and inconsistent figures across documents — these are the most common India-specific rejection triggers.

Tourist Visa Fees by Country

Tourist Visa Validity

The validity of a tourist visa is usually for 30 days. However, some countries may issue a tourist visa for a year with multiple entries— still, you’re allowed to stay only 30 days per entry.

Quick and Efficient guidelines for Visit/Tourist visa

While visiting a foreign country with a Visitor visa, the following guidelines have to be followed:

• A Visit Visa is for short-term travel, tourism, or visiting family and friends.
• Should not work with a tourist/visit visa.
• No Business activities under a tourist visa.
• You are not allowed to study while you have a tourist visa.
• You cannot become a permanent resident with a tourist visa.

Which Countries Can Indians Visit Without a Visa in 2026?

Indian passport holders can travel visa-free or with visa-on-arrival to approximately 60 countries. Highlights include the Maldives (30 days, on arrival), Mauritius (90 days, on arrival), Thailand (30 days, visa-free — see note above), and Indonesia (e-VOA USD 35, 30 days). Nepal requires no passport at all — an Aadhaar card is sufficient.

• Fully visa-free: Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Jamaica, Dominica, Haiti, and 50+ Caribbean/Pacific island nations.
• Visa-on-arrival / e-VOA: Thailand, Indonesia (e-VOA $35), Sri Lanka (ETA $35), Kenya, Cambodia, Vietnam (e-Visa $25), Qatar, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe.
  e-Visa destinations: Turkey, Egypt, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and 60+ others.
• Japan's special rule: Indian nationals who have held a valid US, UK, or Schengen visa within the past 3 years can visit Japan visa-free for up to 90 days — one of the most valuable and least-known benefits for well-travelled Indians.
• For context, the Henley Passport Index ranks the Indian passport around 82nd globally (2026) — a key reason Indians need more advance visa planning than travellers from higher-ranked passports.

How Much Bank Balance Do I Need for a Tourist Visa from India?

No country specifies an official minimum bank balance except Schengen. For the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, consistent income history over 6 months matters more than a single large balance figure.

• USA (B-1/B-2): No official minimum; ~INR 2–5 lakh is a typical successful figure for a 15–20 day trip; 6 months of consistent statements; ITR strongly recommended.
• Canada: No official minimum; ~INR 2–4 lakh recommended; last 3–6 months' statements; salary account preferred over savings.
• UK: No official minimum; show sufficient income for the trip; 6 months mandatory; employer leave-approval letter helps.
• Schengen: EUR 45–50/day per person (~INR 4,050–4,500/day) — the closest thing to an official guideline; EUR 30,000+ travel insurance is mandatory.
• Australia: No official minimum; show ability to fund the trip and return; a financial sponsor letter is accepted under the SFV stream.

Critical warning for all destinations: Sudden large deposits immediately before your application are the #1 financial red flag for consular officers — a consistent income history matters far more than one large balance.

What Is the Difference Between a Tourist Visa and a Business Visa from India?

A tourist visa (B-2/visitor) covers tourism, family visits, and leisure. A business visa (B-1) covers meetings, conferences, training, and negotiations — but does not permit employment or receiving wages from the destination country.

• US B-1: Permitted — client meetings, training, conferences, negotiations. Prohibited — billable work or US employer wages (this requires an H-1B).
• UK Standard Visitor (business): Meetings and conferences permitted; UK employment or contracting is not.
• Schengen C Visa (business): Trade fair attendance, conferences, and client meetings permitted.
• Australia Subclass 600 (Business Visitor stream): Company events, training, and negotiations permitted.

For Indian IT professionals specifically, correctly structuring the employer invitation letter is the single most common point of failure — it needs to confirm both the permitted B-1 activities and continued Indian salary payment.

Why Do Tourist Visas Get Rejected for Indian Applicants?

The most common India-specific reasons:

(1) 214(b) / immigration-intent presumption — the top US refusal reason;

(2) insufficient financial proof or sudden large deposits;

(3) weak ties to India;

(4) incomplete documentation;

(5) inconsistent information across documents;

(6) undisclosed prior refusals;

(7) unclear purpose of visit;

(8) no prior international travel history;

(9) incomplete Australia health exam;

(10) UK "de facto residence" concerns from excessive prior visits.

How Y-Axis Can Help You?

• Reviewing your bank statements before submission to catch sudden-deposit red flags before the embassy does
• Drafting purpose-of-visit cover letters tailored to each embassy's specific assessment criteria
• Mock interview sessions in Hindi and English for destinations requiring interviews (especially US B-1/B-2)
• VFS/BLS appointment booking assistance
• Rejection analysis and reapplication strategy for previously refused applicants
• Corporate B-1 documentation services for IT companies sending employees abroad

Applying for a visa can be intimidating. Y-Axis has the knowledge, experience, and robust processes to help you navigate complex visa procedures more confidently. We have a high success rate and best-in-class service.