https://sergeipolin.journoportfolio.comRSS Feed for Sergei Polin, Editor at VisaGyanenSun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/research/indian-passport-entry-friction-index-2026VisaGyan Research · Open dataA 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 findingsneed approval before departure2 still require a digital arrival cardIn 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 Thailan...Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/research/indian-passport-entry-friction-index-2026https://visagyan.in/visa-rule-changes-2026Visa rules for Indian passport holders move quietly and often — a fee rises, a sticker becomes an eVisa, a portal changes address. This is a running, dated log of the changes that actually affect Indian travellers, each one linked to its official source. Two matter most in 2026: the UK visitor visa fee rose to £135 on 8 April, and the UK switched most visitor visas to passport-linked eVisas on 25 February.Each entry above is dated to when the change took effect and links to the government source...Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/visa-rule-changes-2026https://visagyan.in/visa-fees-for-indians-2026Here is what an Indian passport holder actually pays, in government fees, for the visas they apply for most in 2026 — one table, every figure traced to the official source and dated. It runs from Vietnam's $25 e-visa to the $185 US B1/B2. The numbers below are the government fee only; visa-centre service charges are always extra.Cheapest to most expensive, the pattern is clear: the e-visas of Southeast Asia and the Caucasus cost a fraction of a Western visa. Vietnam is the cheapest full route at...Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/visa-fees-for-indians-2026https://visagyan.in/visa-free-countries-for-indiansHere is the honest answer to "where can an Indian passport go without a visa?" — and the more useful answer to "what do I actually need to do before I fly?" The two are not the same. A country can be visa-free, or let you get a visa on arrival, or need an e-visa applied for online, or need a full embassy visa — and mixing them up is how travellers get refused at the gate. The table below sorts every popular destination by exactly that, dated and linked to the official source.Each row is the stat...Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/visa-free-countries-for-indianshttps://visagyan.in/thailand-tdac-guideEvery Indian flying to Thailand must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before arriving — yes, even though entry is visa-free for up to 60 days. It is free, done online at tdac.immigration.go.th, takes about 5 minutes, and you can only submit it within 72 hours of arrival. It is not a visa; it replaced the old paper TM6 card in May 2025, and skipping it can get you denied boarding.The TDAC is a mandatory online arrival registration that Thailand's Immigration Bureau introduced to...Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/thailand-tdac-guidehttps://visagyan.in/uk-visit-visa-for-indiansIndian passport holders need a UK Standard Visitor visa before they travel. Since 8 April 2026 it costs £135 for a stay of up to 6 months (about ₹14,400), you apply online at gov.uk and give biometrics at a VFS centre in India, and the decision usually lands within 3 weeks. Since 25 February 2026 it arrives as an eVisa linked to your passport, not a sticker. There is no visa on arrival.The fee went up on 8 April 2026, so older guides quoting £127 are out of date. The current Home Office fees are...Sat, 18 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/uk-visit-visa-for-indianshttps://visagyan.in/vietnam-evisa-for-indiansIndian passport holders need a visa for Vietnam, and for tourists the answer is almost always the e-visa: $25 for single entry (about ₹2,100), valid up to 90 days, applied entirely online at evisa.gov.vn in roughly 15 minutes. There is no visa-free entry for Indians anywhere except Phu Quoc Island. Approval takes about 3 working days, and the fee is non-refundable if you are refused.Vietnam scrapped the old 30-day limit in August 2023. The e-visa now runs up to 90 days and comes in single- or mu...Sat, 18 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/vietnam-evisa-for-indianshttps://visagyan.in/us-visa-appointment-wait-time-indiaThe wait for a US visitor-visa interview in India currently runs from about 4 months in Kolkata to about 10 months in Mumbai, per the State Department's June 2026 update. Your city choice — and you may choose any of the five posts, wherever you live — is worth more than any other trick in the book.The State Department publishes two figures monthly: how long last month's applicants actually waited, and when the next open B1/B2 slot is.Verified 17 July 2026 against the official table (updated 18 J...Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/us-visa-appointment-wait-time-indiahttps://visagyan.in/schengen-visa-fee-for-indiansThe Schengen visa fee for an Indian applicant is €90 per adult — roughly ₹9,000–9,500 at mid-2026 rates. Children aged 6 to under 12 pay €45, children under 6 apply free. On top of that, the visa application centre charges its own service fee, which is what pushes a typical single application to around ₹11,000–13,000 all-in.The fee is set by EU regulation and is identical for every Schengen country — applying through France costs exactly what applying through Germany costs.The current €90 level...Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/schengen-visa-fee-for-indianshttps://visagyan.in/first-international-trip-from-india-checklistTen things decide how smooth a first international trip feels, and nine of them happen before you reach the airport. Here is the checklist we wish every first-timer got with their ticket.Many countries require your passport to stay valid for six months beyond your travel dates, and airlines enforce it at check-in. If your passport is close to that line, renew before you book. Also make sure you have at least two blank pages for stamps.Match the name spelling, passport number, validity dates and...Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/first-international-trip-from-india-checklisthttps://visagyan.in/dubai-visa-for-indiansMost Indian passport holders need a UAE visit visa arranged before flying to Dubai. A standard 30-day tourist visa is typically quoted at ₹6,500–9,000 all-in as of mid-2026 and takes about 2–5 working days. The shortcut exists only for Indians who also hold a valid US visitor visa or green card, or a UK/EU residence permit — they get a 14-day visa on arrival.The UAE grants Indian citizens a 14-day visa on arrival (extendable once) if your normal Indian passport travels together with any of:The d...Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://visagyan.in/dubai-visa-for-indians