I visited the Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Pakistan through the Kartarpur corridor ETA visa in December 2019, and I will walk you through the whole process.
For those who don’t know, the historic corridor connecting the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Pakistan was opened in November 2019. Right before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur is located at a distance of 4.1 Km from PTB, Dera Baba Nanak.
The Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is a bar-coded authorization slip containing details of the name, confirmation of registration, date of travel, etc. of the applicant for his/her travel date to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur.
It’s not really a visa since they don’t stamp it on your passport.
ETA must be carried by the pilgrim for the visit. On this ETA, you can only visit Kartarpur and no other place in Pakistan.
Table of Contents
Eligibility Criteria for Kartarpur Corridor ETA Visa
- Only Indian citizens and OCI (Overseas Citizens of India) cardholders can visit Kartarpur on ETA.
- OCI cardholders must possess the passports of their own country and Indian citizens must possess their Indian passports.
Where and When to Apply
The only place to apply for the Kartarpur corridor ETA visa is the Indian Ministry of Home Affair’s website: https://prakashpurb550.mha.gov.in/kpr/.
You should apply at least 15 days before you travel. As per the MHA’s website, the confirmation/non-confirmation of the visit will be sent to the applicant at least 4 days prior to the date of travel through SMS and email.
I had applied 15 days before I planned to travel.
Kartarpur Corridor ETA Visa: Steps to Apply Online
1. Visit Ministry of Home Affairs’ website for Prakash Purb, and click on “Apply Online”.
2. Select whether you are Indian or an OCI cardholder and your journey date. Once you do that, the website displays the dates on which slots are available. Select the day you want to visit Kartarpur.
3. You will be redirected to a form where you need to fill in your name, DOB, passport details, address etc. The form appears in parts. After completing each part, click on “Save and Continue”.
If you are a resident in India, you will be asked to fill in your OCI card details.
4. Now you can upload the soft copies of your photograph and passport. Make sure to uplaod the scanned copy of passport size photograph (only JPG & size between 10 kb- 300 kb).
You need to upload the bio page of Passport and the last page containing family details in PDF format only( 20 kb to 500 kb in size).
5. Once you complete the whole form, you will get your registration number and a pdf copy of the form. Save the pdf file and the registration number. This PDF is not the ETA, it’s simply your application.
Is Police verification needed for Kartarpur eTA?
The ministry checks your data in their records. It’s not like when you apply for your passport and the police pay you a visit. So whatever verification is done, it’s done internally only.
In my case, there was no call from the police for verification or any other agency. I was worried and thought I will not get permission and I have to cancel all the bookings, but then I got the ETA 3 days before I needed to travel.
IB verification is not part of the official process as well although I have seen people claiming that it is in forums and FB groups.How to Check Status of Kartarpur Corridor ETA application?
Applicants can check the “Kartarpur registration status” by visiting the same portal and clicking on Registration Status. You can see the status by entering your registration number, passport number, and date of birth.
Validity of Kartarpur Corridor ETA Visa
ETA is valid from dawn to dusk on the date of travel. Pilgrims will go in the morning and shall have to return the same day.
Here is my ETA for Kartarpur Corridor.
Immigration & Journey
I visited the Passenger Terminal Building, Dera Baba Nanak on the date of visit along with all relevant documents: a printout of the ETA and my Indian passport.
If you have an OCI card, you need to carry the OCI card along with your passport and the printout of the Kartarpur corridor ETA.
After Immigration and customs checks, everyone will proceed to do security checks and thereafter they may start their visit through the corridor.
There are electric rickshaws from the Indian immigration office to the Pakistan border and from the border to the Pakistani immigration office as well. Then there are buses from the Pakistan immigration office to the gurudwara.
The immigration process was very smooth on both the Indian and Pakistani sides. Indian or Pakistan immigration won’t stamp on your passport. They will give you Yatree cards.
So you are not gonna lose a page of your passport to entry/exit stamps.
Note that, Pilgrims are allowed to visit only Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, and no other place.Health Check Requirements
You need an RT-PCR test nowadays to enter, taken within 72 hours of arrival. They also ask to take polio vaccines during the initial screening since Pakistan is still battling Polio.
Cash You can Carry
Please note that there is a cash limit of Rs 11,000 per person that one can carry into the Kartarpur corridor.
You need to pay a 20 USD per person service fee at National Bank of Pakistan counter. There is a forex counter where you can exchange Indian rupees for Pakistani rupees.
When coming back, I bought some stuff from there as well as soil ( for religious purposes). I was interrogated for this at the Indian immigration and they confiscated the soil since it wasn’t allowed.
I had a wonderful time visiting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. It is really big and beautiful. Don’t forget to visit the Langar and have some delicious food. You will meet both Pakistanis and Indians out there.
If you can, do visit it.
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I am a senior citizen of 67 Years residing in Delhi NCR. I would like to visit Kartarpur Sahib with my wife.
Please guide how can I go there and what would be suitable time to visit there? What are the legal formalities?
Hi Rakesh. The Kartarpur Sahib is closed right now. Once it commences again, you need to get the ETA as mentioned in the article. Follow the step by step process and you can get it easily without any agents. Then you need to carry it with you when you go.
Hi Rakesh ji,
I am us citizen and I have ETA to visit Indi and No OCI . Can I visit Karstark pur sahib corridor
It is only open to Indian citizens and OCI holders as of now.
Very well explained. I also wish to visit.
Hi,
I note that it says that you have to have an OCI.
Do you know if a UK eViSA (UK tourist visa) is acceptable in place of the OCI?
My wife and I have British passports (parents from India) but we usually get a eVisa fro our trip to India rather than an OCI.
Hi Sol,
I do believe you need an OCI, but feel free to give a call to the authorities and confirm.
I am a US Citizen and Indian Origin visited my Family in Lahore and hooding US Passport. I would like to visit Kartarpur by road, what kind of paper should I need?
If you hold an OCI card, then you can carry that and your US passport.
Very useful information and to the point.Thanks for sharing
Me and my family want to go to Sri kartarpur sahib so tell me the right process
Hi Disha,
The process has not changed much. Just make sure to apply at least 2 weeks before.
I am a Malaysian indian and holding Malaysia passport. I would like to visit Kartarpur by road, what kind of paper should I need?
Hi Malini,
You need to have the OCI. If you have it, you can go.
How to apply for ETA from MHA in the following situation:
I started fiing the form of MHA to seek ETA for visiting Kartarpur Sahib.
I am an NRI living in SINGAPORE with my wife. We both have INDIAN PASSPORT.
So I started filling the MHA form as INDIAN Passport holder.
The form requires to enter the address as in Passport among other inputs.
Address in my Indian Passport is my residential address in Singapore.
My Indian passport was renewed by Indian Embassy in Singapore and they have agreed to put my residential address of Singapore in the Indian Passport as I do not have any address in India anymore.
(This was done by them after seeking advice from Ministry of External Affairs in India).
But the MHA form for Indian Passport holders allows the applicants to enter only India address and does not accept address other than India address.
Is there any other MHA form which can be used to get ETA in the above situation.
Help me how I can overcome this hurdle as me and my wife wish to visit Kartarpur sahib next month.
Awaiting some idea to get my ETA from MHA.
Hi Rakesh,
How to apply for ETA from MHA in the following situation:
I started filling the form of MHA to seek ETA for visiting Kartarpur Sahib.
I am an NRI living in SINGAPORE with my wife. We both have INDIAN PASSPORT.
So I started filling the MHA form as INDIAN Passport holder.
The form requires to enter the address as in Passport among other inputs.
Address in my Indian Passport is my residential address in Singapore.
My Indian passport was renewed by Indian Embassy in Singapore and they have agreed to put my residential address of Singapore in the Indian Passport as I do not have any address in India anymore.
(This was done by them after seeking advice from Ministry of External Affairs in India).
But the MHA form for Indian Passport holders allows the applicants to enter only India address and does not accept address other than India address.
Is there any other MHA form which can be used to get ETA in the above situation.
Help me how I can overcome this hurdle as me and my wife wish to visit Kartarpur sahib next month.
Awaiting some idea to get my ETA from MHA.
Hi Rajendar,
Maybe you can put the address mentioned in your aadhar card or Indian driving license, but please check with them to confirm. Email: ks-support@nic.in.
Call: 01724111905
Hi Rajender I have the same issue. How have you over come this issue?
Hi Nevtaj and Rajender,
Did any of you solve this issue? Appreciate an input.
Thanks
My name is JODH Singh Jandoo.WE like to visit Kartarpur sahibNovember 2023.Kindly advice us we both are British subject and have O.C.I as well.
If you have OCI, you can visit.
I’m OCI holder but my children are US born and they only have india visa .Will they be allowed with me as dependent.
Not really sure about this. Are they minors? You can check with the contact info provided.
What is the contact number yes they are 9 years old ! Only have US passport with Indian visa but I’m the mom I have OCI! Will they be allowed!
You can call 01724111905, even from abroad. Or email them ks-support@nic.in. I am not sure if they will be allowed since they don’t possess OCI card. Maybe you could apply OCI for them.
Yes they are minor
If we Indian citizens visit Kartarpur Sahib gurudwara in Pakistan, does it affect our USA visa eligibility ? Some one told me that they had visited the gurudwara and later when they applied for US visa it was rejected.
I don’t think so.
Hi I am Canadian citizen and right now in India ,how I can visit kartarpur sahib
With your OCI.