Applying for an electronic visa to India is designed to be a simple and efficient online procedure. However, for numerous international travelers during the early months of 2026, this process has become unexpectedly arduous and time-consuming. What should ideally be completed within minutes has transformed into an ordeal lasting hours or even multiple days, primarily due to repeated system failures and technical malfunctions.
Widespread Technical Difficulties Reported
In the context of India's e-visa system, several applicants attempting to submit their requests in January have encountered persistent technical glitches on the official government portal. Many users found themselves stuck midway through the application process, unable to proceed to subsequent steps. Web pages would load inconsistently, only to crash completely when users clicked the 'Next' button, forcing them to refresh repeatedly and re-enter all their information from the beginning.
For families or groups applying together, the frustration was significantly amplified. Applications frequently stalled just as personal details or passport information were being submitted, creating additional complications and delays. The technical problems appeared to affect users across different geographical locations and various types of travel plans.
Social Media Outcry Reveals Common Experience
The issue gained significant attention after one frustrated traveler shared their experience on Reddit, questioning whether others were facing similar challenges. "Is it just me? Or the Indian visa online keeps crashing every time?" the post inquired. "I think I have pressed refresh more than 300 times... The times I get through will be around less than 10 times and I'm now on my family's details but when I click next, it crashes again. I am so tired already!!!!! Any tips."
This initial post triggered a flood of responses indicating the problem was far from isolated. Numerous commenters described remarkably similar experiences of spending days struggling with the website across different devices and web browsers. One user wrote, "Jan 2026: Absolute terrible experience applying for e-visa. It almost took us three days to lodge two applications. Tried different timings, different browsers, IE mode in Internet Explorer, several different devices."
Unconventional Workarounds Emerge
While complaints about the technical issues were consistent, so were the unconventional solutions that users discovered through trial and error. One of the most frequently recommended approaches involved abandoning mainstream web browsers entirely in favor of less common alternatives.
"The only thing that worked for us was the DuckDuckGo browser (freshly installed). First application went smoothly with no crashing," one user noted, though they added that even this solution wasn't perfect, as their second application still required an entire night to complete. Other travelers reported success with Microsoft Edge when using Internet Explorer mode, an approach that seemed particularly anachronistic for 2026 but proved effective for some applicants.
Additional complications arose with file upload requirements. Some users described issues with file size restrictions following the conversion of images to PDF format, eventually resorting to online compression services simply to progress past the document upload stage of the application.
Quick Processing Despite Application Challenges
Interestingly, despite the chaotic and frustrating application process reported by many travelers, once their forms were successfully submitted, visa approvals typically arrived relatively quickly. "But the processing is pretty quick. Received approval in a day," one comment noted, suggesting that the technical problems were primarily confined to the application submission phase rather than the subsequent review and approval stages.
The technical difficulties with India's e-visa portal in early 2026 highlight the challenges that can emerge when government digital services experience unexpected technical problems, particularly during periods of high demand. While workarounds have been identified by resourceful travelers, the issues have nonetheless created significant inconvenience for those planning visits to India during this period.
