Getting everything ready…
Where an Indian passport gets you in without a visa in advance, what you still have to fill in online, and which rules changed this year.
Photo: Florian Wehde on Unsplash
Short answer: as of 7 October 2026, Indians can visit Nepal and Bhutan without a visa, Thailand for 30 days, Malaysia until 31 December 2026, Mauritius and Qatar (rules as reported, confirm before you fly) and the Philippines for 14 days, all without a visa in advance. Sri Lanka needs a free online ETA and the Maldives gives a free visa on arrival. Indonesia and Vietnam take a quick paid e-visa. Several of these changed in 2026, so check again before you fly.
Checked on 7 Oct 2026. Each row names the source we checked.
Lists of visa-free countries for Indians go out of date fast, and many still show rules that ended months ago. This page lists only the countries we could check on 7 Oct 2026, with the rule, the length of stay, what you must do before you fly and where we checked it. It is a short list on purpose: places Indians actually travel to for a holiday.
"No visa in advance" still means meeting the entry conditions at the border: a passport with enough validity, a return ticket, a hotel booking and enough money for the stay. Several countries also ask for a free online arrival card or ETA.
| Country | Rule | Stay | Before you fly | Checked against |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NepalSee a holiday | No visa | No set limit for Indian citizens | Carry your original passport or voter ID | India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 1950 |
| BhutanSee a holiday | No visa; entry permit | Per permit | Passport or voter ID; Sustainable Development Fee ₹1,200 per person per night (₹600 for ages 6 to 11) | bhutan.travel |
| ThailandSee a holiday | Visa exemption | 30 days (was 60 until 14 Sep 2026) | Free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online, within 3 days before arrival | Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi; tdac.immigration.go.th |
| MalaysiaSee a holiday | Visa exemption | Up to 30 days; exemption runs to 31 Dec 2026 | Malaysia Digital Arrival Card before arrival | Immigration Department of Malaysia |
| Sri LankaSee a holiday | Free ETA, applied online | 30 days, double entry | Apply for the ETA at eta.gov.lk before you fly; free for Indians since 25 May 2026 | eta.gov.lk |
| MaldivesSee a holiday | Free visa on arrival | 30 days | Confirmed booking at a registered property, return ticket, funds; free IMUGA declaration within 96 hours before arrival | Maldives Immigration |
| MauritiusSee a holiday | No visa in advance | Granted on arrival (reported up to 90 days) | Return ticket, accommodation and proof of funds | Mauritius visa policy as published; confirm with the Passport and Immigration Office |
| Qatar | Visa waiver on arrival | Reported 30 days | Return ticket and a hotel booking; reports say the booking must be made through Discover Qatar | Secondary sources only; confirm with Qatar's Ministry of Interior or your airline |
| Philippines | Visa-free entry | 14 days, not extendable; 30 days if you hold a valid US, UK, Schengen, Japanese, Australian, Canadian or Singapore visa or residence | Return ticket, accommodation, proof of funds | Philippine policy from May 2025 as reported |
These take a little paperwork and a fee, but no embassy visit.
| Country | Rule | Stay | Before you fly | Checked against |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia (Bali)See a holiday | e-VOA or visa on arrival | 30 days; extensions are handled at an immigration office | IDR 500,000 visa fee; in Bali, a separate tourist levy of IDR 150,000 | evisa.imigrasi.go.id |
| VietnamSee a holiday | e-visa | Up to 90 days | US$25 single entry, applied at evisa.gov.vn; you must enter at the port named on the visa | evisa.gov.vn as reported |
| United Arab EmiratesSee a holiday | Visa before travel for most Indians | Depends on the visa | Indians holding certain US, EU and other visas or residence permits can get a visa on arrival or a pre-approved visa. Reports in July 2026 said UK visas no longer qualify | Secondary sources; confirm with GDRFA Dubai or your airline |
From 15 September 2026, Indian tourists get a 30-day visa exemption instead of 60 days, per the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card is free on the official site; ignore sites that charge for it.
From 25 May 2026, Indians are among 40 nationalities with a free 30-day tourist ETA. Apply at eta.gov.lk; extensions are paid.
The Immigration Department of Malaysia lists Indian citizens as visa-exempt until 31 December 2026. Check whether it is extended before booking January travel.
Reports in July 2026 said Indians who hold only a UK visa or residence permit no longer qualify for a UAE visa on arrival. Confirm your eligibility with GDRFA Dubai or your airline before you fly.
Europe is not on this list. Indians need a Schengen visa for the Schengen area and a separate visa for the UK. Our Schengen visa guide for Indians covers fees, documents and the new EES border checks, and our guided tours come with the fixed day-by-day itinerary that a visa file needs.
Browse holiday packages for Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Maldives, Bhutan, Nepal and more, and request a quote. A NxVoy consultant confirms availability, flights and the final price with you before you pay. NxVoy is an IATA accredited travel agent.
As checked on 7 Oct 2026: Nepal and Bhutan (no visa; Bhutan needs an entry permit and a daily fee), Thailand (30 days), Malaysia (to 31 Dec 2026), Mauritius and Qatar (as reported, confirm before you fly) and the Philippines (14 days), plus Sri Lanka with a free online ETA and the Maldives with a free visa on arrival.
Yes, but for 30 days instead of 60. The Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi announced that the 30-day visa exemption for Indian tourists took effect on 15 September 2026. You also need to fill the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within the 3 days before you arrive.
Yes. Since 25 May 2026, Indians are among 40 nationalities that get a free 30-day tourist ETA with double entry. You still apply online at eta.gov.lk before travelling.
Yes. Europe's Schengen area needs a Schengen visa, the UK needs a UK visitor visa, and most Indians need a UAE visa before travelling unless they hold a qualifying visa or residence permit from certain other countries.
It has moved during the year. Reported 2026 updates placed India between 75th and 81st, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to about 55 or 56 destinations.
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