Delhi airport transit: do you need a visa to change planes or terminals?
It depends on how you connect. One international flight to another on the same booking: no visa. A domestic flight, a terminal change, or separate tickets: you need an Indian visa. Here's how to tell which applies to you.
By Sameer Regmi · Updated 28 Oct 2026
The short answer
- No visa International to international at Terminal 3, on one booking (one PNR), with your bags checked through and staying in the transit area.
- Visa needed International to a domestic flight in India, even on one ticket.
- Visa needed Changing to Terminal 1 or 2, because the terminals aren't connected airside.
- Visa needed Separate tickets (self-transfer), because you collect your bags and check in again.
Indian and Nepali citizens don't need a visa in any of these cases.
1. International to international on one ticket: no visa
This is the easy case, for example London to Delhi to Singapore on one Air India booking. Under the transit rules published by India's embassies, you don't need a visa if all of these are true:
- both flights are on one booking (one PNR);
- your bags are checked through to your final destination;
- you have a confirmed onward ticket to another country;
- you stay in the international transit area and don't go through immigration.
All international flights use Terminal 3, so you don't change terminal. After landing, follow the green International Transfers signs, go through transfer security, and head up to the international departures level. If you don't have your onward boarding pass yet, get it at the transfer desk.
2. International to a domestic flight: visa needed
Say you fly Doha to Delhi, then Delhi to Goa. Delhi is your first airport in India, so you clear immigration and customs at Delhi and collect your bags, even if everything is on one ticket. Then you re-check them for the domestic flight.
That counts as entering India, so foreign travellers need an Indian visa or e-Visa. Indian and Nepali citizens don't. If your domestic flight leaves from Terminal 1 or 2, you also need to transfer terminals afterwards (see below).
3. Changing terminals: usually means entering India
Delhi has three terminals, and they aren't linked airside:
- Terminal 3: every international flight, plus Air India domestic flights and some IndiGo domestic flights.
- Terminal 2: some IndiGo and Air India domestic flights.
- Terminal 1: most other domestic flights, including many IndiGo, Akasa Air and SpiceJet services.
To get from T3 to T1 or T2 you go through immigration, leave the secure area and take the free landside shuttle (show your onward boarding pass) or the metro. T1 is about 8 km from T3, so allow 25–40 minutes for the shuttle alone. An airside shuttle for single-ticket passengers has been reported, but we haven't been able to confirm it's running, so don't plan around it. Terminals can change, so always check the one on your boarding pass.
4. Separate tickets: visa needed, even if you never leave
This catches out a lot of travellers, especially people flying on to Nepal. A typical example: London to Delhi on one airline, then Delhi to Kathmandu on a different airline booked separately.
The second airline doesn't know about your first flight, so your bags aren't checked through. You have to collect them, go through immigration and check in again. That means entering India, so you need an Indian visa, usually an e-Visa, even if you're only in the airport for a few hours. Without one, your airline may refuse to board you on the first flight.
Which Indian visa do you need?
- e-Visa: the usual option for most nationalities. Apply on the official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in, at least 4 days before you arrive. Avoid look-alike sites that charge extra.
- Visa on arrival: only for citizens of Japan and South Korea (and some UAE citizens), at Delhi and five other airports, for Rs 2,000.
- Transit visa: issued by Indian embassies and consulates, usually valid for up to 3 days.
- No visa: Indian and Nepali citizens.
For rules by passport, see the Delhi airport layover guide.
How much time to allow
| Connection | Allow at least |
|---|---|
| International to international, Terminal 3, one ticket | 2 hours |
| International to domestic at Terminal 3 | 3.5 hours |
| International to domestic at Terminal 1 or 2 | 4–4.5 hours |
| Separate tickets (self-transfer) | 5 hours or more |
These are planning buffers based on airline and airport guidance, not official minimums. Immigration queues at Terminal 3 can be long at peak times.
Before you book
- Check whether your flights are on one booking. Two confirmation numbers usually means separate tickets.
- Check the terminal for each flight. Anything other than T3 to T3 means immigration.
- Ask the airline whether your bags will be checked through to your final destination.
- If any answer means entering India, get your e-Visa before you fly.
Delhi transit questions
Do I need a transit visa for Delhi airport?
Not if you're connecting from one international flight to another at Terminal 3, on one booking (one PNR) with your bags checked through, and you stay in the transit area. You need an Indian visa if you connect to a domestic flight, change to Terminal 1 or 2 through immigration, collect your bags, or travel on separate tickets.
Do I need a visa to change terminals at Delhi airport?
Usually yes. All international flights use Terminal 3, and Terminals 1, 2 and 3 aren't connected airside, so moving to T1 or T2 means clearing immigration and taking the landside shuttle. That counts as entering India, so you need an Indian visa unless you're an Indian or Nepali citizen.
Can I fly into Delhi and connect to a domestic flight without a visa?
No. On an international-to-domestic connection you clear immigration and customs at Delhi and collect your bags, even on one ticket. Foreign travellers need an Indian visa or e-Visa for this. Indian and Nepali citizens don't.
Can I self-transfer at Delhi on separate tickets without a visa?
No. With separate tickets you have to collect your bags and check in again, which means passing immigration. You need an Indian visa, such as an e-Visa, even if you never leave the airport.
Do Nepali citizens need a visa to transit through Delhi?
No. Nepali citizens don't need a visa for India, so they can connect to domestic flights, change terminals or self-transfer at Delhi. Carry your Nepali passport through immigration.
How much time do I need to connect at Delhi airport?
Allow at least 2 hours for an international-to-international connection at Terminal 3, about 3.5 hours for international to domestic, and 5 hours or more on separate tickets.
Which Indian visa do I need just to transit?
Most travellers use an e-Visa, applied for online at least 4 days before arrival. Japanese and Korean citizens can get a visa on arrival at Delhi. Indian missions also issue a transit visa, usually valid for up to 3 days.
Sources
Checked 28 Oct 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the official source and your airline before you fly.