Diplomats or Officials who are assigned to visit India for meetings by their countries government in India or those who hold Diplomatic/Official or UN passport and work in UN or international organizations which are located in India, and if their children or spouses hold any other type of passport may grant with diplomatic or official travel.

Important Note

>> Diplomats or other officials who are traveling to India to offer their official duties and activities on behalf of their country government must obtain A-1 or A-2 travel in advance so that they can enter India.

>> Diplomats or officials cannot travel India on a visitor visa or maybe under the Travel Waiver Program.

>> Only those nationals will be allowed by the Head of State or Government who qualifies for an A visa after showcasing your purpose of traveling to India, which may highlight your position in your country’s government. However, the purpose of your travel will determine that will you be granted with A-1 or A-2 travel.

>> However, if family members of diplomats and official get A-1 or A-2 travel with few exceptions, in case the diplomat wants personal attendants or domestic workers for himself, then he or she needs to request to the authority. However, it totally depends on the government that if they want to issue or not. But, it is probably possible that they will grant with A-3 travel.

Guidelines for Diplomat or Official Travel

>> Strictly no amendment in the application form, and every single detail should be in type written (*must not forget to type exact details which are written on your passport).

>> Uploading of photographs. The Embassy or the authority of immigration wishes that all photographs which you are going to upload must match the given instruction: apply for the Basic Life Support. The photo should be the same as the 3.5* 3.5 cm picture attached in the application form.

>> Your photo must not have shadow in the face or on the background

>> Your photo should be clear

>> Photocopy of passport (back and front)

>> NO scanned signature.

>> Foreign Nationals or citizens desire to enter in India with Diplomat or official visa must provide an explanation letter why they’re applying for this travel. *Hand written is not allowed.

>> You must be submitting your details at the (Nonimmigrant visa application) Form DS-160 confirmation page, in case; you are outside from the US.

>> Passport with a minimum validity of six months from the date of visiting India.

>> You must have a photocopy of the passport bio page.

>> A diplomatic note—it is a written note which confirms your travel purpose by the country’s government. However, if you are coming with diplomats or officials to help in domestic, then the A-3 applicants also require a diplomatic note so that you can submit with your application (A-1 or A-2) travel. However, you also need to mention your personal details such as—
The government official’s or employee’s name
Position and title
Date of birth
Place of assignment or visit
Your purpose of travel
A brief description of your duties and activities
Your travel date
And, a complete description of your duty and others anticipate, and duration of your stay in India. However, if your family member is coming with you, then need to mention his or her date of birth or if a household member coming with you who will join government officials or employees must give all the above-mentioned information.

*Embassy may ask for the additional document if needed from the applicant.

Documents and other details

All pages of the Diplomat or Official visa application form must be printed on the letter-head paper and the Undertaking must be signed with date and stamp. Two copies of the filled application form have to be submitted with the Undertaking to the Embassy of India, and should contain the following information which is written below:

Documents required for Diplomat or Official visa: Firstly, the applicant needs to submit his or her application for the same with these documents

>> 2 recent Passport size photos.

>>Original Passport.

>> Photocopy of the passport with the relevant pages including residence visa page

>> Application Form

>> Undertaking

>> Detailed Synopsis

>> Itinerary (Ports of entry and exit from India to be indicated)

>> A diplomat note issued by the government

>> Bio-profile with details:

Name and surname as featuring in the passport
1. Contact coordinates – telephone & e-mail address
2. Profession
3. Nationality
4. Date and place of birth (Day/ Month/ Year)
5. Passport number & validity

After submission of diplomat or official visa application online with the documents; colored photograph signature, and the files which mention above, have to submit to the Indian Mission/ Post/ Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO)/ Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) concerned for advance verification.

However, you may ask for additional documents as well: besides all the required documents for Travel, you also need to submit a Note Verbal issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the respective UN Mission or Diplomatic.

Immediate family members—if your family members are coming with you to India; spouse, unmarried sons, and daughters or maybe there are studying in a different location or country, visiting you and living with you regularly, then you need to issue some additional documents to the government, so that, you can get the issuance of a diplomatic or official passport and other allowance.

In this situation, you may qualify to receive an A-category travel including—

>> Any other relative, by blood, marriage, or adopted of yours or maybe your spouse;

>> A domestic helper

>> And a relative by blood, marriage or adoption of the domestic helper

Domestic helper over here is mention as the same-sex. The helper will issue A-category travel. In case, a family member who does not fulfill the entire requirement by the authority as an immediate family as described above may qualify for a visitor (B-2) travel.

Travel Weaver Agreement

As on March 16, 2020 Countries, India operates for Travel Exemption Agreement for holders of Diplomatic Passports.

These are the countries whose diplomat can visit India for some specific time after fulfilling all the requirements requested by the authority of immigration and the Government of India. However, if the application and documents for a diplomatic visa is not able to fulfill the need, then it’s totally up to the immigration department to grant with any other visa type.

Note:Duration of Travel or the number of entries in India is purely the discretion of the Indian Embassy, or Consulate has no role in order to make any approach or process. The applicant has to observe and realize that Travel will not be a subject of right, and, hence the Embassy / Consulates might deny the visa if no longer observed the eligibility / or does no longer have adequate supporting documentation. If the process is not matching according to the demand from the authority will not grant a UN Diplomatic visa if you request more days or time in India. So, provide your details and information before you submit your application, and must pay your application process amount. There will be no clarifications on this regard, and the resolution or decision of the Embassy / Consulate will probably be final.