The portal also won't let you proceed if any mandatory field — marked with a red asterisk — is left empty, if your photo or document doesn't meet upload specifications, or if your file names contain numbers, spaces, or special characters instead of plain alphabets. You'll be notified and stopped before submission.
What the portal cannot catch is what actually causes rejections. These are mistakes that pass through every automated check — and get flagged by a human reviewer, or an immigration officer, on the other side.
The Mistakes That Actually Get India E-Visa Applications Rejected
1. Wrong visa category for your purpose of travel:
The portal doesn't know why you're going to India — you do. Selecting an e-Tourist Visa for a business trip submits without issue and fails during review — or worse, causes a problem at immigration on arrival. If any part of your trip involves business activity, the e-Business Visa is the correct category. For medical travel, the e-Medical Visa applies. The fee is non-refundable either way.
Fix - Check your eligibility and visa type before you begin.
2. Name mismatch between the form and your passport
The system accepts whatever you type. If your passport reads "VAN DER BERG" and you enter "VANDER BERG", the application submits cleanly — and gets flagged during manual review or causes an entry issue at immigration. Every name, exactly as it appears in your passport, character for character.
Fix - Always match your name from the passport.
3. A photo that passes the upload check but fails manual review
The portal verifies format (JPEG), file size (10 KB–1 MB), and basic dimensions. It does not check whether you're wearing glasses, whether shadows fall on your face, or whether the background is genuinely white. The application is liable to be rejected if the uploaded photograph is not clear or not as per specification. Manual reviewers catch what the system doesn't. A photo that looks fine on your screen may not meet the standard.
Fix - Do not wear glasses or headgear unless for regional purposes, not let shadow fall on the face, background should be completely white and keep the photo format in JPG/JPEG with specific file size.
If you need professional help, learn how to apply with IVC Visas.
4. A passport scan that isn't legible
Upload specifications are PDF, 10 KB–300 KB. A scan that meets those parameters but is blurry, low-contrast, or poorly cropped will pass the portal and fail the review. Every detail on your bio page — name, date of birth, nationality, expiry date — must be clearly readable by a human reviewer.
Fix - Take a clear, coloured scan of your passport bio data page, having all details readable. Use specifications to save your scanned image in a PDF.
5. Supporting documents not in English
All documents, including business cards and invitation letters, must be in the English language; failing which, the application will be liable for rejection. The portal accepts PDFs in any language. Reviewers do not. This affects business applicants particularly — an invitation letter in French, German, Korean, or Dutch will cause a rejection regardless of its content.
Fix - Prepare all your documents in English only.
Applicants from Netherlands, Spain, South Korea, UAE and around the globe should ensure all supporting documents are translated into English before uploading.
Must check with IVC about the document requirements of your In visa type.
6. Previous visa details left incorrectly filled
This is a mandatory field. If you do not remember your earlier visa number or details, you can write "NA" or "Not Available" or "Not Applicable" in the application form. Leaving it blank or filling it inconsistently is a reviewable error that can hold up or reject your application.
Fix - Always check whether you have filled in all the details before saving and continuing to the next page of the application.
7. Suppressing background information
If you have a defence, military, security, or police background — serving or retired — and attempt to enter India on an e-Visa by suppressing information about your professional background, you may be denied entry into India and deported to the port of embarkation. This is not a processing rejection — it happens on arrival. The Indian e-Visa is not available to those with such backgrounds; a regular visa through the Indian Mission is required.
Fix - Always check for requirements regarding defence, military, security, or police background applicants through India Visa website.
8. No return ticket or onward journey proof
International travelers must have a return ticket or onward journey ticket, with sufficient money to spend during their stay in India. The portal cannot verify this. Immigration officers at Indian airports can — and will deny entry if this requirement isn't met. Have onward travel documentation - ETA ready before you fly, not after.
Fix - Always carry the ETA as a physical print, onward journey ticket, sufficient funds and proof of accommodation to show at authorised immigration checkpoints.
9. ETA details not checked before travel
The applicant must check all details, including name, nationality, passport number, and date of birth, before final submission of the Indian Visa application. The applicant is responsible for any discrepancy, irrespective of the grant or rejection of the e-Visa application. If you find an error on your ETA after it has been granted, contact the helpdesk at Indian Visa Website or call (+91) 82 7808 7808 at least 24 hours before departure. Most travellers don't check and discover the error at the airport.
Fix - Check all details, including name, nationality, passport number, and date of birth, before final submission of the Indian Visa application or contact the Indian Visa helpline, if there is a mistake in the ETA, when the details were correct in the application.
10. Missing the re-upload email after submission
After your India e-Visa application is submitted, if any document or image is not appropriate, you may be advised via email to re-upload. Applicants should normally receive this email within 24 hours. Most people don't know this window exists. Missing it — or not monitoring your inbox, including spam — can result in your application being rejected for a fixable issue.
Fix - Once the application is submitted, check your inbox frequently.
You can also track your application status through IVC Visas.
11. Not completing the e-Arrival Card before landing
As of April 2026, all international travelers to India must complete a digital e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before arrival — via the official portal or the Indian Visa Su-Swagatam app. This is separate from your India visa requirement and must be done before you board, not at the airport. Missing it doesn't void your visa but causes delays and complications at immigration that are entirely avoidable.
Fix - Complete a digital e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before arrival.
12. Applying on fraudulent third-party websites
The official portal advises applicants not to believe or fall into the trap of unscrupulous elements who claim speedy or express grant of India e-Visa and charge money for it. Applicants are also advised not to share personal information with any unauthorized website, as it may lead to leakage of personal data. The only official application portal is the Indian Visa Online website.
Fix - Only apply through official application portal or legal visa service providers.
Legitimate visa assistance services — like IVC Visas — help you apply correctly through that portal. They do not operate a separate government portal or promise guaranteed or express approvals.
13. Applying too close to your travel date
The portal accepts applications 4 days before arrival. What it doesn't tell you is that real-world processing currently averages 8–10 business days. Applying 5 days before travel is technically valid — practically, it isn't. Apply at least 2–3 weeks in advance, and confirm your status reads 'GRANTED' on the official portal of the Indian visa website, before flying.
Fix - Check current processing timelines and pricing before you begin, and apply at least 2-3 weeks before.
Still feel unsure about the Indian visa mistakes? learn this way through IVC Visas.
Why Choose IVC Visas for Your India e-Visa?
Every rejection reason above has one thing in common — it was preventable. The India e-Visa process looks straightforward until something goes wrong. A photo that looks fine but fails manual review. A name that's one character off. A document in the wrong language. A category mismatch that only becomes apparent at immigration. The visa fee is gone in all of these cases — and the trip is in jeopardy.
At IVC Visas, we exist for exactly these moments. Here's what sets us apart:
✅ Pre-submission review — every application, every time: Before your application reaches the government portal, our team checks photo compliance, document quality, name accuracy against your passport, visa category selection, and file formatting. We catch what the portal doesn't.
✅ Expertise across 175+ nationalities: Whether you're a US citizen, a UK national, an Australian passport holder, or travelling from Canada, Germany, or France — we know the country-specific regulations that affect applications.
✅ 24/7 support via Chat, WhatsApp, and Email: Questions before applying, tracking after submission, or help navigating a re-upload request — our team is available around the clock.
✅ Transparent pricing — no hidden charges: See exactly what you're paying for before you commit. Check Indian Visa fees for a full breakdown.
✅ Application tracking included: Once submitted, track your application directly through our portal and know where your ETA stands without repeatedly checking the government site.
✅ Post-approval guidance: From confirming your ETA is 'GRANTED' to reminding you about the e-Arrival Card — we're with you past submission, not just through it.
The India e-Visa fee is non-refundable. A review before submission costs far less than starting over.
Have questions before applying?
Contact our team or check our FAQs for answers to the most common pre-application questions.
At IVC Visas, we handle India e-Visa applications for nationals from over 175 countries — reviewing every application before it reaches the portal, catching the errors that cause rejections before they cost you. With 24/7 support via Chat, WhatsApp, and Email, transparent pricing, and post-approval guidance, we make sure your application goes in right the first time.
Disclaimer: IVC Visas is an independent visa service provider. We assist with application preparation and submission to official government portals. Final visa approval decisions are made solely by Indian immigration authorities. All information is based on current regulations as prescribed by the Government of India, which may change. Always verify the latest requirements before travel.