Over the past decade, the number of Visa Free Countries for Indians has increased considerably. Marked by improved rank in Henley Passport Index, India has shown great strides in improving its image as a source of tourists to various destinations across the globe.
Almost 25 countries in the world are visa free for Indians and approximately 32 countries provide visa on arrival to Indians. This has improved the mobility of Indian citizens over the years with many countries like Bhutan and Nepal even allowing freedom of movement to them.
Why should one know about Visa Free Countries for Indians?
If you are an Indian seeking or planning a trip abroad on a short notice; it is absolutely essential to know which countries provide visa on arrival and the ones who provide visa free entry on an Indian passport. Almost 57 countries located in different regions across the globe provide visa free entry or visa on arrival to Indians.
Who are the visa free countries for Indians?
You can travel to 57 destinations either visa free or on visa on arrival using an Indian passport.
Countries that provide visa free access indefinitely to Indians are given in the table below:
| SNo. | Country | Duration of visa free access |
| 1 | Nepal | Indefinite stay |
| 2 | Bhutan | Indefinite stay, only in border areas |
Countries that provide visa free access or visa on arrival for a fixed time period to Indians are as follows:
| SNo. | Country | Duration of visa free access or that of visa on arrival |
| 1 | Angola | 30 Days |
| 2 | Barbados | 90 Days |
| 3 | Bolivia | 30 days |
| 4 | British Virgin Islands | 30 days |
| 5 | Burundi | 1 month |
| 6 | Cambodia | 30 days |
| 7 | Cape Verde Islands | 30 days |
| 8 | Comoros Islands | 45 days |
| 9 | Cook Islands | 31 days |
| 10 | Djibouti | 90 days |
| 11 | Dominica | 6 months |
| 12 | Ethiopia | 90 days |
| 13 | Fiji | 4 months |
| 14 | Grenada | 3 months |
| 15 | Guinea Bissau | 90 days |
| 16 | Haiti | 3 months |
| 17 | Indonesia | 30 days |
| 18 | Iran | 15 days |
| 19 | Jamaica | Not mentioned |
| 20 | Jordan | 30 days |
| 21 | Kazakhstan | 14 days |
| 22 | Kenya | 90 days |
| 23 | Kiribati | 90 days |
| 24 | Laos | 30 days |
| 25 | Macao | 30 days |
| 26 | Malaysia | 30 days |
| 27 | Madagascar | 60 days |
| 28 | Mauritius | 90 days |
| 29 | Marshall Islands | 90 days |
| 30 | Maldives | 90 days |
| 31 | Micronesia | 30 days |
| 32 | Mongolia | 30 days |
| 33 | Monteserrat | 30 days |
| 34 | Mozambique | 30 days |
| 35 | Myanmar | 28 days |
| 36 | Niue | 30 days |
| 37 | Palau | 30 days |
| 38 | Phillipines | 14 days |
| 39 | Qatar | 30 days |
| 40 | Rwanda | 30 days |
| 41 | Samoa | 90 days |
| 42 | Senegal | 90 days |
| 43 | Seychelles | 3 months |
| 44 | Sierra Leone | 30 days/3 months |
| 45 | Sri Lanka | 30 days |
| 46 | St Kitts and Nevis | 3 months |
| 47 | St Lucia | 6 weeks |
| 48 | St Vincent and Grenadines | 3 month |
| 49 | Tanzania | 90days |
| 50 | Thailand | 60 days |
| 51 | Timor Leste | 30 days |
| 52 | Trinidad and Tobago | 90 days |
| 53 | Tuvalu | 1 month |
| 54 | Vanuatu | 120 days |
| 55 | Zimbabwe | 1 month |
How is the strength of a passport calculated as per Henley Index?
There are two types of ways in which the strength of a country’s passport is calculated. The first way is to know the number of countries where a passport allows visa free entry (A) and second is to calculate the number of countries where a passport allows visa on arrival (B). The summation of numbers A and B gives us the total number of countries that a passport can access and tells us how powerful that passport is in relation to other passports.
What is the difference between visa free access and visa on arrival?
The major difference between visa free access and visa on arrival is as follows:
- Visa Free Access: A country A that provides authority to live and travel to citizens of Country B for either definite or indefinite time period; within its territory; without requiring a visa is termed as a visa free country for Country B.
- Visa on Arrival: A country A that provides authority to citizens of Country B to arrive in Country A first and then furnishes a visa for them for a definite time period is termed as a visa on arrival for Country B.
What is the benefit of Visa free countries for Indians?
Visa free countries allow an Indian citizen to travel in their territories for a definite or indefinite period of time without requiring a visa.
A good example of a country that allows Indians to travel, live and work in their territories without a visa is Nepal and the other extreme where visa is required even for tourist purposes is the USA.
Nevertheless, visa free countries increase the mobility of Indian citizens to explore different places abroad and also add to the prestige of India.
Why does Nepal allow Indians to live and work indefinitely?
In terms of immigration from India, Nepal is an outlier as it provides the facility to Indian citizens to live and work in that country indefinitely without a visa. It is on account of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between India and Nepal of 1950 that allows citizens of both countries to live, work and move freely within each other’s territories.
What compels some countries to give visa free access?
The reasons which make some countries to give visa free access are as follows:
- Trade: Allows entrepreneurs from designated countries to come and visit the host country so as to increase trade and commerce.
- Tourism: It helps increase the tourists from designated countries to come to host countries, stay there and spend there so as to improve the local economies.
- Diplomatic Relations: Countries which have a rich historical, cultural and economic ties seldom allow visa free access to each other’s citizens so as to strengthen the bond between them. A good example is the relationship between India and Bhutan.
- Risk of Illegal Immigration: Countries are more likely to extend visa free access to citizens of those countries where the citizens are more prosperous and less likely to migrate or seek asylum in the host country.
- Economic stability: If a country is more stable and economically prosperous than the host country then the host country can extend visa free access so as to strengthen trade and tourism & boost revenues.
- Political Stability: A free, diverse and prosperous economy is more likely to gain visa free access than a dictatorship. Countries such as Malaysia have more visa free destinations on account of diversity and prosperity than autocracies like Qatar.
- Bilateral Agreements: In a quid pro quo, a country might allow citizens of another with visa free access if the latter also provides visa free access for the former’s citizens to its territories.
- Regional Integration: Sometimes neighbouring countries allow visa free access to each other. A good example is that of Gulf Cooperation Council Nations and those belonging to the European Union.
Required Documents for Visa Free Countries from India?
There is no need to worry about any visa applications in countries where Indians have visa free access. However, it is not stated by visa free countries that Indians are exempt from entry requirements. For visa free access to a foreign country, Indian citizens are required to meet the minimum requirements for visa-free access to a foreign country.
It would also be useful to carry additional documents with regard to the purpose of travel. Some of these documents are not always necessary but they would be helpful when going through the documents.
You need a valid passport which is a must for the majority of countries, the empty pages required are between 1 to 3 pages in your support, travel itinerary, accommodation proof, and vaccination proof for Yellow Fever, malaria, etc for visa-free countries for Indians. You might need consultancy to know more about visa free countries, so rather than wondering about How Do I Choose An Immigration Consultant, go straight for Oasis Visas.
