Reference Name in home country requirement for Indian Visa Online (eVisa India)

One of the questions in the Indian Visa Application Form which requires a compulsory answer, this answer cannot be left blank, relates to the Reference Name in Home Country, this requires the name of the person you know while you are filling out Indian Visa Application form. In this post, you will be provided with clear answers to the questions that are raised on this topic so that you are able to clearly answer and have an easy experience of filling out Indian e-Visa.

What is the correct answer to put for the question: Reference name in home country in the electronic Indian Visa Application (eVisa India)?

The correct answer is to put an actual living person’s name. It must be a person, not an organisation, must be living and not deceased. The person can be anyone known to you.

What is the meaning of Home Country in the India Visa Application (eVisa India)?

We find that a number of visa applicant make mistake in answering this question as the "Home Country" is not well understood.

Home country is the "Country of your passport". If you have multiple passports, then you have to mention the reference name from the Home Country of the passport used for filing Indian Visa Application.

Note that:

• Home Country is NOT the country where you have been living.
• Home Country is NOT the country where you were born.
• Home Country is NOT the country where you grew up.
• Home Country is NOT the country where your parents were born.
• Home Country is NOT the country of your previous nationality.

Can you provide an example of situation where people have answered this question incorrectly?

A common mistake made by the applicants who intend to obtain a Visa for India is mentioning the reference name in the country they are living in.

For example, if an American passport holder is applying for an Indian Visa Online from Singapore, where he/she has been living in for the past few years, the applicant provides reference from Singapore. This is however, NOT Correct. Reference name from home country must be the name of a person from the country of passport.

Can I use my son or daughter as an answer to reference name in home country in the India Visa Application Form?

Yes, you can use your children are as reference in the application form for visa.

Is Home Country the country where I live?

No, the definition of home country for the purposes of Visa for India is the country of your passport.

What is my Nationality for the purposes of electronic Indian Visa Application (eVisa India)?

A number of visa applicants also make a mistake in assuming that if they living in a certain country, that is their country of nationality. You are not a national of a country if you have working permit or permanent resident. You are a national of that country which issued you the passport, for the purposes of India Visa Application.

Can the reference in home country be my relatives or parents?

Yes, relatives can also act as reference. They need to be alive and of sound mind.

What other details of the reference do I need to provide other than their name?

You are required to provide reference’s contact details like their phone number and address over and above their full name.

Do I need to provide reference name in home country’s phone number?

Yes, you also need to provide the phone number besides their full name.

Do I need to provide reference name in country’s address?

Yes, address of the reference name in home country is also a mandatory requirement in the India visa application form.

Can I provide a PO Box address for the reference name in home country?

Yes, you can provide PO Box address for the reference name in home country.

Should I provide mobile number or home line number for the reference name in home country?

You can provide either number, mobile or a fixed land line.

Can the reference name in home country be my friends or office colleagues or neighbours?

Yes, you can opt to use office colleagues or friends as reference name in home country.

Can the reference name in home country be my spouse / partner or a friend who is accompanying me to India trip?

Yes, you can choose to also use any fellow passenger accompanying you to India, who otherwise resides in your home country, that is, the country of your passport.

I don’t live in the country of my passport, what should I put in the India visa application form in this case?

If you are living in a country other than your country of passport, then you may choose to provide an official address/name of the government body. We will cover this with an example. Assume you were born in the United States and now are 40 years of age. You were brought to Australia by your parents at the Age of 3 and you have now been living in Australia since then, that is for the past 37 years. If you are still using United States passport for the purposes of Indian e-Visa. In case you have no relatives and acquaintances in United States, in a rare and exceptional case such as this one, you may mention contact US Embassy in Australia and the name of an Immigration Officer in the United States.

Is there any other reference required in the electronic Indian Visa Application (eVisa India)?

Yes, you are also required to provide the name of reference in India as described in Reference Name in Indian e-Visa besides the Reference in Home Country.

Summary of Reference Name in Home Country for Indian Visa Application

As we covered in the topic, reference name in home country is a mandatory question that must be answered.

The salient points covered in this post are:

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Ensure that you have checked the eligibility for your India eVisa.

United States citizens, United Kingdom citizens, Spanish citizens, French citizens, German citizens, Israeli citizens and Australian citizens can apply online for India eVisa.

Please apply for a India Visa 4-7 days in advance of your flight.