VisaGyan Research · Open data
Indian Passport Entry Friction Index 2026
A reproducible comparison of the paperwork an ordinary Indian passport holder faces before visiting 24 popular destinations. Every row is dated and linked to the responsible government source.
Headline findings
24
destinations
source-linked sample
71%
need approval before departure
17 of 24
42%
offer an eVisa route
10 destinations
5
are visa-free
2 still require a digital arrival card
In this sample, 17 of 24 destinations (71%) require an approval before the traveller leaves India. Electronic routes dominate: 10 use an eVisa and 2 use an eTA. Only 5 are visa-free, and Thailand and Malaysia still require a digital arrival card.
The index measures entry friction, not destination quality, passport power, approval odds or processing speed. Its purpose is to distinguish “nothing to apply for” from “simple, but mandatory, online paperwork.”
Methodology
VisaGyan selected 24 destinations frequently researched by Indian outbound travellers and classified the normal short-stay tourist route for an ordinary Indian passport. Each classification comes from the destination’s immigration authority, foreign ministry, embassy or other official portal and carries its own verification date.
The four tiers describe how much approval work happens before departure. They do not score cost, waiting time, refusal risk, passport strength or the traveller’s personal eligibility. Special routes based on residence permits or existing US, UK, Schengen or GCC visas are noted but do not replace the normal route.
| Tier | Route | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Visa-free | No visa approval before departure; an arrival card may still be required. |
| 1 | Visa on arrival | Approval is issued at the border or through an optional e-VOA. |
| 2 | Electronic approval | An eVisa or eTA must be approved before departure. |
| 3 | Visa in advance | Apply through an embassy, visa centre or authorised agent. |
The 24-destination dataset
Sorted from the lowest to highest entry-friction tier. The official link in each row remains the final authority when a rule changes.
| Destination | Status | Stay | Before you fly | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhutan | Visa-free | — | Nothing to apply for (arrival card if noted)No visa required. An entry permit is issued on arrival and a Sustainable Development Fee (about BTN 1,200 per day) applies beyond the border towns. | official |
| Malaysia | Visa-free | 30 days | Nothing to apply for (arrival card if noted)Visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism until 31 December 2026. No visa needed, but the free Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) must be filed online within 3 days before arrival. | official |
| Maldives | Visa-free | 30 days | Nothing to apply for (arrival card if noted)A free visa on arrival is granted to Indian nationals on landing, for up to 30 days. Carry a confirmed return ticket and proof of accommodation. | official |
| Nepal | Visa-free | — | Nothing to apply for (arrival card if noted)Freedom of movement under the 1950 Indo-Nepal treaty. Indian nationals may enter with a passport or a photo Voter ID; no visa is required. | official |
| Thailand | Visa-free | 30 days | Nothing to apply for (arrival card if noted)Visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism (from July 2026, previously 60). No visa needed, but the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) must be filed online before arrival. | official |
| Indonesia (incl. Bali) | Visa on arrival | 30 days | Apply e-VOA online or get it at the airportApply for the e-VOA online before flying (or get the visa on arrival), tourism only. Fee about IDR 500,000. Bali is a primary entry point. | official |
| Qatar | Visa on arrival | 30 days | Apply e-VOA online or get it at the airportA 30-day visa waiver is granted on arrival if you carry a confirmed return ticket and a hotel booking made through the Discover Qatar site for the whole stay (minimum two nights). | official |
| Azerbaijan | e-Visa (online) | 30 days | Apply online before you fly — requiredAll Indian nationals need the ASAN e-visa, applied for online (about USD 20). Approval arrives by email, no sticker. | official |
| Cambodia | e-Visa (online) | 30 days | Apply online before you fly — requiredApply online at the official e-visa portal before flying. Fee about USD 36. Pairs well with a Vietnam trip. | official |
| Egypt | e-Visa (online) | 30 days | Apply online before you fly — requiredApply for the e-visa online before travel. A single-entry tourist e-visa is the usual route for Indian tourists. | official |
| Georgia | e-Visa (online) | 30 days | Apply online before you fly — requiredApply for the e-visa online (about USD 20). Visa-free for up to 1 year if you hold a valid US, UK, Schengen, Japanese, Canadian, Australian or GCC visa or residence permit. | official |
| Japan | e-Visa (online) | 90 days | Apply online before you fly — requiredJapan issues an eVisa for tourism, but applications from India must be made through an accredited travel agency (not the self-service eVISA website). | official |
| Kenya | eTA (online) | 90 days | Apply online before you fly — requiredAn Electronic Travel Authorisation is mandatory online before travel (fee about USD 32.50). Submit at least 3 days before arrival. | official |
| Oman | e-Visa (online) | 30 days | Apply online before you fly — requiredApply for the e-visa online before travel. A 14-day visa on arrival is available instead for Indians holding a valid US, UK, Schengen, Canadian, Australian or Japanese visa or GCC residence. | official |
| Russia | e-Visa (online) | — | Apply online before you fly — requiredApply online for the unified e-visa before travel (fee about USD 40). Valid for short tourism and business stays. | official |
| Sri Lanka | eTA (online) | 30 days | Apply online before you fly — requiredAn ETA is mandatory online before travel. Since 25 May 2026 the tourist ETA is free of charge for Indian nationals, but it must still be obtained in advance. | official |
| Turkey | e-Visa (online) | 30 days | Apply online before you fly — requiredIndian nationals qualify for the online e-visa only if they hold a valid Schengen, US, UK or Ireland visa or residence permit; otherwise a sticker visa from the consulate is required. | official |
| United Arab Emirates | e-Visa (online) | 30 days | Apply online before you fly — requiredIndian citizens holding a valid US visa, UK/EU residence permit or green card may be eligible for a visa on arrival instead. | official |
| Vietnam | e-Visa (online) | 90 days | Apply online before you fly — requiredApply online at the official portal before flying. Single or multiple entry; a white-background photo is required and grey backgrounds are auto-rejected. | official |
| China | Visa required | 30 days | Apply in advance via embassy or agentA tourist (L) visa is required, applied for through the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre with a sticker in the passport. There is no e-visa route for Indian tourists. | official |
| Schengen Area | Visa required | 90 days | Apply in advance via embassy or agentIndian passport holders generally need a short-stay Schengen visa. The stay limit is 90 days in any 180-day period. | official |
| Singapore | Visa required | 30 days | Apply in advance via embassy or agentAn entry visa is required and can only be submitted through an authorised visa agent using the electronic visa system; walk-in applications are not accepted. | official |
| United Kingdom | Visa required | — | Apply in advance via embassy or agentIndian passport holders generally need a Standard Visitor visa before travelling; a UK ETA is not a substitute. | official |
| United States | Visa required | — | Apply in advance via embassy or agentIndian passport holders are not eligible for ESTA and generally need a B1/B2 visitor visa for short tourism or business visits. | official |
Cite and reuse
The dataset is available under CC BY 4.0. You may copy, analyse and republish it with attribution and a link to this page. Corrections are verified against the official source before publication.
VisaGyan (2026), “Indian Passport Entry Friction Index 2026,” verified 19 July 2026, https://visagyan.in/research/indian-passport-entry-friction-index-2026
Corrections or media questions: editor@visagyan.in. See also the dated visa-rule change log.
Last updated 2026-07-19 · 5 visa-free · 2 visa on arrival · 10 eVisa · 2 eTA · 5 visa in advance · traditional-visa share 21%