The Reference Name in Home Country Requirements for The Indian E-Visa

Updated on Dec 21, 2023 | Indian e-Visa

For applying for an Indian E-Visa, the traveller will be required to fill an application questionnaire. In the application questionnaire, an important question will be asked about the reference name in the home country of the applicant. This question cannot be skipped. It is a compulsory field which must be filled by the applicant correctly.

As travel and tourism enthusiasts, most travellers should be aware that without a Visa, travelling to various foreign countries is almost impossible. The exception can be if the traveller belongs to a country which has been exempted to gain a Visa for travelling to another specific country. 

Speaking of travelling to countries, India is one of the most visited countries in the world. The visitor count for India is always skyrocketing no matter what the season is. 

If a traveller wishes to travel to India, they will be required to gain a Visa first. One of the simplest and quickest means of gaining an Indian Visa is an E-Visa. E-Visa is short for electronic Visa.

If a traveller plans to apply for an Indian Visa, they should apply for an Indian electronic or Indian digital Visa. This is because the entire Visa application can be easily completed online and there will be no need to conduct an appointment with the Embassy. 

This question simply asks the name of an individual the applicant knows while they are completing the application procedure for the Indian E-Visa. 

This article is an important guide which will be educating the applicant about the reference name in their home country. And all the related queries too about the same which will enable the traveller to smoothly fill out the Indian E-Visa application.

Government of India allows visit to India by applying for Indian Visa online on this website for several purposes. For example if your intention for travelling to India relates to a commercial or business purpose, then you are eligible to apply for Indian Business Visa Online (Indian Visa Online or eVisa India for Business). If you are planning to go to India as a medical visitor for medical reason, consulting doctor or for surgery or for your health, Government of India has made Indian Medical Visa Online available for your needs (Indian Visa Online or eVisa India for Medical purposes). Indian Tourist Visa Online (Indian Visa Online or eVisa India for Tourist) can be utilised for meeting friends, meeting relatives in India, attending courses like Yoga, or for sight-seeing and tourism.

Is There A Need To Provide Any Other Reference Name In The Indian E-Visa Application Questionnaire 

Yes! The application questionnaire for the Indian E-Visa has a separate field for filling the name of reference in the country they are taking a trip to. In this field, the applicant will be asked to mention the name of reference in India. This field is known as the Indian E-Visa Reference Name. 

How To Answer This Question Correctly:- Reference Name In The Home Country for Indian eVisa Application Form

To answer this question correctly, the applicant will be asked to mention the name of an actual human being. The Reference name in home country is a mandatory field in the Indian E-Visa application which has to be filled with the name of an individual. And not an organisation or a company's name. 

The name can be of a person whom the applicant knows personally or professionally. It can also be the name of an individual with whom the applicant has a close connection. The person mentioned in this field should be a living person. The name of a deceased individual will not be accepted. 

What Does Home Country Mean In The Indian E-Visa Application Questionnaire 

A common mistake committed by most Indian E-Visa applicants is that they fill the field of 'Reference name in home country' incorrectly because they do not know the actual meaning of the field. Or they are not aware of the correct meaning of the word 'Home Country' in the field. 

Home country is basically the nation to which the applicants' passport belongs. It is the 'Nation of the passport' to put in simple terms. Now there might be cases in which an applicant has multiple passports belonging to multiple different nations. 

In this case, the applicant can fill the 'Reference name in home country' field according to the passport they are using for filling the Indian E-Visa application. Please note that the passports cannot be changed. 

Each applicant should take a note of the following:- 

  • Home country does not mean the nation in which the applicant resides. 
  • Home country does not mean the nation in which the applicant took birth. 
  • Home country does not mean the nation where the applicant was brought up. 
  • Home country does not mean the nation in which the applicants' parents took birth. 
  • Home country does not mean the nation of the applicants' previous nationality. 

Example For A Situation Where The Reference Name For Home Country Field Has Been Filled Wrongly By An Another Applicant So That The Other Applicants Filling This Field In The Indian E-Visa Application Form Does Not Commit The Same Mistake 

As we discussed earlier, one of the most commonly committed mistakes in the application questionnaire is regarding the reference name in the home country. The way in which this field is filled wrongly is basically when the applicant mentions the reference name in the home country from the nation they are currently residing in. For example:- 

If an Australian applicant, who currently resides in Myanmar, is filling the Indian E-Visa application questionnaire from Myanmar, they may mention the reference name in their home country from Myanmar. This is not correct. They should fill in the field reference name in their home country from the nation where their passport is from. In this case, the reference name in your home country will be from Australia. 

Is It Acceptable To Mention The Name Of Children As Reference Name In Home Country 

Yes. An individual applying for the Indian E-Visa application is allowed to mention the name of their children as a reference name in their home country.

Is Home Country The Nation In Which An Applicant Resides 

No. Home country is not the nation of my current residence. It is rather the nation where their passport belongs to. 

What Is The Meaning Of Nationality For The Purpose Of The Indian E-Visa Application Questionnaire 

Another commonly committed mistake by Indian E-Visa applicants is assuming that their nationality is the country of their residence. Just because the applicant holds a work permit or residence Visa in a nation, it does not mean that their nationality belongs to that nation. The nationality means the nation who has issued the applicants' passport. 

Is It Acceptable To Mention The Name Of Parents, Guardians And Relatives As Reference Name In Home Country 

Yes. An applicant is allowed to mention the name of their parents, guardians and relatives in the field 'Reference Name In Home Country' for the Indian E-Visa application procedures. 

Which Other Details Are The Applicants Required To Mention About The Reference Name In Home Country For The Indian E-Visa Application Questionnaire 

Primarily, the applicant will be required to fill the full name of their reference in their home country. Along with that, they will be asked to mention the contact details and residential address of their reference. 

Does The Applicant Have To Provide The Phone Number Of Their Reference Name In Their Home Country 

Yes. The applicant has to mandatorily provide the contact details of the person they know from their home country who will be included as the reference name in their home country for the Indian E-Visa application form. 

Does The Applicant Have To Provide The Home Address Of Their Reference Name In Their Home Country

Yes. The applicant has to mandatorily provide the home details of the person they know from their home country who will be included as the reference name in their home country for the Indian E-Visa application form. 

Is It Acceptable To Mention The PO. Box Address Of The Reference Name In Home Country For The Indian E-Visa Application Form 

Yes. The applicant can provide the PO. Box address of their reference name in their home country. 

Is It Acceptable To Mention The Name Of Friends, Colleagues And Acquaintances As Reference Name In Home Country 

Yes. The applicant is allowed to mention the name of their friends, colleagues and acquaintances as the reference name in their home country. 

Can The Applicant Provide The Landline Number Of Their Reference Name In Home Country 

Yes. The applicant can provide three kinds of numbers for the field which include:-

  • The mobile number of the reference.
  • The landline number of the reference.
  • The fixed number of the reference. 

Is It Acceptable To Mention The Name Of Partner Or Spouse As Reference Name In Home Country Who Are Travelling With The Applicant In India 

Yes. The applicant can mention the name of their partner or spouse who are travelling with them to India. The only condition is that the passport of the applicants' partner or spouse should belong to the same home country and the applicants' home country. 

What If The Applicant Does Not Know Anyone From Their Home Country 

It may happen sometimes that the applicant does not know anyone from their home country. This can most likely be caused because they moved out of their home country at a young age. In this scenario, the applicant can fill the official address of the government organisation. Or the name of the government body. 

Since the reference name in home country is a compulsory field in the Indian E-Visa application form, it cannot be left empty. And thus, if the applicant does not reside in the country where their passport belongs to, then they can mention a government organisation like the Embassy or other similar offices. 

The Complete Summary Of The Reference Name In Home Country Specifications 

This article has provided enough information for each applicant to fill the field of reference name in the home country as correctly as possible. 

The salient aspects of the reference name in home country field as mentioned in this article are as follows:- 

  • The applicant has to provide the complete name of their reference in their home country in the Indian E-Visa application form. The applicant should make sure that the name of their reference is made complete and perfect by mentioning all the three names which are:- 1. First name. 2. Middle name. 3. Last name. 
  • The reference name is the home country field for the Indian E-Visa application questionnaire that can contain the names of the applicant's:- 1. Relatives. 2. Daughters and sons. 3. Spouse or partner. 4. Blood relative of other similar connections. 
  • The reference name is the home country field for the Indian E-Visa application questionnaire that can contain the names of the applicant's:- 1. Friends. 2. Office or business colleagues and partners. 3. Acquaintances. 
  • The correct way of filling the field of reference name in the home country for the Indian E-Visa application is to mention the name of an individual they know from their home country. Home country here refers to the nation which has issued the passport and other essential documents of the applicant. 
  • The reference name in the home country field in the Indian E-Visa application form cannot be filled with the name of an individual that the applicant knows from the nation they live in. Or it cannot be from the nation the applicant was born and brought up in. It strictly has to be from the country that the passport of the applicant belongs to.
  • Along with the complete name of the applicant, they must ensure that the phone number. And residential addresses have also been filled accurately. The number can be either of their references' cell phone or landline. 
  • The applicant can fill the name of an individual who is accompanying them on their trip to India. But the condition remains the same. The referenced individual should also belong to the nation the same as the applicant's home nation. 

The Reference Name In Home Country Requirements For The Indian E-Visa Summary 

In the Indian E-Visa application form, there are many questions related to the personal details, professional endeavours, educational background, etc of the applicant which has to be filled. Along with all these questions, the Indian E-Visa applicant will be asked to answer the question of reference name in their home country. 

This field being a mandatory field has to be filled with the most accurate information with the utmost amount of knowledge about the field. That's why this article is well-crafted to cover all the essential details the applicant may need to fill the field with the utmost precision and accuracy. 


Citizens of many countries including United States, Canada, France, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, Singapore, United Kingdom, are eligible for Indian Visa Online (eVisa India) including visiting beaches of India on tourist visa. Resident of over 180 countries quality for Indian Visa Online (eVisa India) as per Indian Visa Eligibility and apply the Indian Visa Online offered by the Government of India.

Should you have any doubts or require assistance for your trip to India or Visa for India (eVisa India), you can apply for the Indian Visa Online right here and if you need any need any help or require any clarifications you should contact Indian Visa Help Desk for support and guidance.