Christmas week is nine weeks away. If you have no visa sorted yet, the smart move is a country that lets you in on a stamp, a free online form or a short e-visa. This is our shortlist of visa-free countries for Indians planning a December trip, built around the rules in our complete visa and destination guide for Indian travellers.
Every entry rule below comes from an official portal or a government notice. Every fare comes from a Google Flights search we ran on 18 October 2026, for dates we spell out. Where we could not confirm something, we say so instead of guessing.
The Short Answer
- Cheapest in our fare search: Nepal, at Rs 17,556 return from Delhi for Christmas week and Rs 26,061 from Mumbai.
- No visa application at all: Nepal, Kazakhstan and Mauritius. Jordan and Bali if you take the visa on arrival.
- A free online form before you land: Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
- The only real wait: the Cambodia and Vietnam e-visas, where the official line is three working days.
- Hard to land in time: anything that needs a UK, Schengen or US visa you do not already hold.
Rule changes to know before you book
- Thailand: visa-free stay for Indians was cut from 60 days to 30 days on 15 September 2026. Anyone who entered before that date keeps the stay they were given. Longer trips now need a Thai e-visa.
- Malaysia: visa-free entry for Indians is announced to run until 31 December 2026. We found no announcement of an extension as of 18 October. A New Year trip sits right on that edge, so check Malaysian immigration before you pay for tickets.
- Sri Lanka: since 25 May 2026 the tourist ETA is free for Indians for 30 days, with double entry allowed. You still have to apply for it before you travel.
- Cambodia: every traveller must submit the e-Arrival form, even with a visa. The portal asks for it within 7 days before arrival. From 1 August 2026 the e-visa certificate carries a QR code instead of a barcode.
Why December Planning Has to Start in October
Two clocks run against you at once: the visa clock and the fare clock.
The visa clock. For a UK Standard Visitor visa, gov.uk says you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks, and the earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel. The Czech consulate in Mumbai says Schengen applications are decided within 15 calendar days of being accepted, and in individual cases that stretches to 45 days. “After being accepted” matters: the wait for an appointment comes on top.
The fare clock. We priced the same Delhi to Mauritius return on three date windows on 18 October. It was Rs 57,129 for 6 to 13 December, Rs 68,201 for 20 to 27 December and Rs 88,565 for 27 December to 3 January. Google Flights’ own price note on a Delhi to Bangkok search said the cheapest time to book is usually earlier, up to 5 months before takeoff.
So the order is simple. Lock the destination, book the flight while there are still seats, then do the form or e-visa. The details are in the table below.
Visa-Free Countries for Indians’ December Trip: 12 Options Compared
Entry rule, what you must do before you fly, and what the trip costs. Fares are the cheapest round trip Google Flights listed on 18 October 2026 for 1 adult in economy, 20 to 27 December, taxes included. The last column is that Delhi fare plus 5 days at Rs 4,000 a day, which is our own planning assumption for a modest room, food and local transport. Change it to suit your style.
| Country | Entry rule and stay | What to do before you fly | Delhi return, 20–27 Dec | Mumbai return, 20–27 Dec | 5-day total from Delhi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nepal | Visa-free, no fixed limit. Passport or Voter ID accepted | No visa application | Rs 17,556 | Rs 26,061 | Rs 37,556 |
| Thailand | Visa-free, 30 days | Thailand Digital Arrival Card, 3 days in advance of arrival. Free | Rs 35,651 | Rs 39,451 | Rs 55,651 |
| Maldives | Visa-free, 90 days | IMUGA traveller declaration online | Rs 41,265 | Rs 31,703 | Rs 61,265 |
| Kazakhstan | Visa-free, 14 days | No visa application | Rs 41,703 | Rs 77,939 | Rs 61,703 |
| Vietnam | e-visa | Apply on evisa.gov.vn. Immigration Department says 3 working days after a complete application and fee | Rs 48,475 | Rs 50,556 | Rs 68,475 |
| Sri Lanka | Free ETA, 30 days, double entry | Apply for the ETA online before you fly. The official page gives no processing time | Rs 49,481 | Rs 50,640 | Rs 69,481 |
| Jordan | Visa on arrival or e-visa, 30 days. JOD 40, waived with a Jordan Pass and 3+ nights | No advance application for visa on arrival | Rs 49,742 | Rs 52,197 | Rs 69,742 |
| Malaysia | Visa-free, 30 days, announced to run to 31 Dec 2026 | Malaysia Digital Arrival Card, within 3 days before arrival | Rs 50,815 | Rs 49,759 | Rs 70,815 |
| Indonesia (Bali) | Visa on arrival or e-VOA, 30 days. IDR 500,000 | No advance application for visa on arrival. e-VOA also offered | Rs 60,973 | Rs 65,494 | Rs 80,973 |
| Cambodia | e-visa (visa on arrival also offered), 30 days | Portal says approval within 3 business days. e-Arrival form within 7 days before landing | Rs 63,398 | Rs 83,756 | Rs 83,398 |
| Mauritius | Visa-free, 90 days | No visa application | Rs 68,201 | Rs 62,036 | Rs 88,201 |
| Bhutan | Visa-free, but you need an entry permit. Sustainable Development Fee of Rs 1,200 per person per night | Permit through the official immigration portal. Check processing there | – | – | SDF alone is Rs 6,000 for 5 nights |
How to read this table
Our explainer on visa on arrival vs e-visa vs visa-free covers the difference in detail if the three labels still blur. In short: visa-free means no application, visa on arrival means you pay or get stamped at the border, and an e-visa or ETA means you must be approved before the airline lets you board.
- Official portals: Sri Lanka ETA, Cambodia e-visa, Vietnam e-visa, Thailand TDAC, Maldives IMUGA, Indonesia e-VOA, Jordan Pass, Nepal Immigration, Bhutan Immigration.
- Thailand: the arrival card is free on the official site. Anything that charges you is not the official one. For costs once you land, see what changed in Thailand in 2026.
- Vietnam and Cambodia: three working days is the best case, not a promise. Apply the day you book the flight.
- Full country list: Indian passport holders can enter 55 destinations without a prior visa, per the Henley Passport Index edition of 9 October 2026. We keep the complete list of visa-free countries for Indian passport holders up to date.
Best Picks by Budget
These totals use the same formula as the table: cheapest Christmas-week fare plus 5 days at Rs 4,000 a day. Visa fees such as Indonesia’s IDR 500,000 and Bhutan’s daily fee are on top.
Under Rs 50,000
- Nepal: Rs 37,556 from Delhi, Rs 46,061 from Mumbai. It is the only country on this list that stays under Rs 50,000 on these numbers. On the Mumbai search for 27 December to 3 January, there was one nonstop at Rs 26,061 and the next-cheapest option was a one-stop at Rs 54,503.
Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh
- From Delhi: Thailand Rs 55,651, the Maldives Rs 61,265, Kazakhstan Rs 61,703, Vietnam Rs 68,475, Sri Lanka Rs 69,481, Jordan Rs 69,742, Malaysia Rs 70,815, Bali Rs 80,973, Cambodia Rs 83,398, Mauritius Rs 88,201.
- From Mumbai: the Maldives is cheapest at Rs 51,703, then Thailand Rs 59,451, Malaysia Rs 69,759, Vietnam Rs 70,556, Sri Lanka Rs 70,640, Jordan Rs 72,197, Mauritius Rs 82,036, Bali Rs 85,494 and Kazakhstan Rs 97,939.
Rs 1 lakh and above
Nothing crosses Rs 1 lakh for Christmas week from Delhi on these numbers. It happens in a few cases, for example Cambodia from Mumbai (Rs 1,03,756), Kazakhstan from Mumbai in New Year week (Rs 1,01,711) and Mauritius from Delhi in New Year week (Rs 1,08,565). Spend more than Rs 4,000 a day and every country on the list moves up. For cheaper options with day-by-day costs, see our guide to the cheapest countries to travel from India.
Flight Price Trends for Christmas and New Year From Delhi and Mumbai
We searched three windows from Delhi: 6 to 13 December as a baseline, 20 to 27 December for Christmas and 27 December to 3 January for New Year. Same day, same method, 18 October 2026. The Mumbai columns cover the two holiday windows.
| Country | Delhi 6–13 Dec | Delhi 20–27 Dec | Delhi 27 Dec–3 Jan | New Year vs baseline | Mumbai 20–27 Dec | Mumbai 27 Dec–3 Jan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nepal | Rs 25,491 | Rs 17,556 | Rs 20,901 | -18% | Rs 26,061 | Rs 26,061 |
| Thailand | Rs 30,500 | Rs 35,651 | Rs 38,977 | +28% | Rs 39,451 | Rs 40,553 |
| Maldives | Rs 39,128 | Rs 41,265 | Rs 41,256 | +5% | Rs 31,703 | Rs 29,955 |
| Kazakhstan | Rs 43,666 | Rs 41,703 | Rs 69,422 | +59% | Rs 77,939 | Rs 81,711 |
| Vietnam | Rs 50,291 | Rs 48,475 | Rs 52,852 | +5% | Rs 50,556 | Rs 47,115 |
| Sri Lanka | Rs 38,463 | Rs 49,481 | Rs 55,997 | +46% | Rs 50,640 | Rs 71,147 |
| Jordan | Rs 49,856 | Rs 49,742 | Rs 53,722 | +8% | Rs 52,197 | – |
| Malaysia | Rs 48,820 | Rs 50,815 | Rs 59,419 | +22% | Rs 49,759 | Rs 49,759 |
| Indonesia (Bali) | Rs 58,423 | Rs 60,973 | Rs 69,530 | +19% | Rs 65,494 | Rs 75,288 |
| Cambodia | Rs 51,169 | Rs 63,398 | Rs 75,551 | +48% | Rs 83,756 | Rs 82,102 |
| Mauritius | Rs 57,129 | Rs 68,201 | Rs 88,565 | +55% | Rs 62,036 | Rs 75,975 |
- Biggest New Year jumps from Delhi: Kazakhstan (+59%), Mauritius (+55%), Cambodia (+48%) and Sri Lanka (+46%).
- Barely moved: the Maldives, Vietnam and Jordan stayed within 8% of the baseline in both holiday windows from Delhi.
- Went the other way: Nepal was cheaper in both holiday windows than the early-December baseline.
- Mumbai is not always dearer: the Maldives was cheaper from Mumbai in both windows, and Mauritius was cheaper from Mumbai for Christmas week.
The takeaway: if your dates are flexible, leave before 20 December. If they are not, book the flight first.
Documents and Insurance Checklist
- Passport: check the expiry against each country’s rule before you pay for flights. Many destinations want at least six months left.
- Return ticket and stay details: Thailand’s entry conditions include a return ticket and a hotel booking. Keep both on your phone.
- Digital forms: Thailand’s TDAC (3 days in advance of arrival), Malaysia’s MDAC (within 3 days before arrival), Cambodia’s e-Arrival (within 7 days before arrival), the Maldives’ IMUGA declaration and the Sri Lanka ETA.
- Proof of funds: a recent bank statement or a working international card. Officers can ask.
- Insurance: some countries are making it compulsory. Georgia required health and accident cover of at least GEL 30,000 from 1 January 2026, according to law-firm summaries of its tourism law. Buy a policy for every trip anyway and keep the PDF offline.
- Advisories: read the Ministry of External Affairs travel advisories before you book anywhere new.
Countries to Avoid Booking Late
These are the ones where the application itself eats the time you have left:
- United Kingdom: decisions usually take about 3 weeks, and the standard 6-month visitor visa costs £135 according to gov.uk. You can apply up to 3 months ahead, so you are inside the window now.
- Schengen countries: 15 calendar days to decide after the application is accepted, up to 45 in individual cases. Appointment waits are extra.
- United States: B1/B2 interview waits in India have been reported in months, not weeks. Business Today reported nine months for Mumbai in March 2026. The State Department’s wait-time page is the only live figure.
If you already hold a Schengen visa, you can skip this section and head straight to our list of magical European Christmas destinations.
FAQ
Which countries can Indians visit without a visa in 2026?
The Henley Passport Index edition of 9 October 2026 counts 55 destinations Indian passport holders can enter without a visa in advance. That includes visa-free, visa on arrival and electronic travel authorisation countries. Of the 12 above, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mauritius and Kazakhstan are visa-free, and Bhutan needs an entry permit. No country in mainland Europe is on the list.
Which e-visas are approved within a week?
Two publish a timeline under a week. Cambodia’s official portal says approval within 3 business days, and Vietnam’s Immigration Department says 3 working days after a complete application and fee. Sri Lanka’s ETA page gives no processing time. None of these is a guarantee, so apply the day you book.
What is the cheapest international trip for New Year?
On our 18 October search for 27 December to 3 January, Nepal was the cheapest: Rs 20,901 return from Delhi and Rs 26,061 from Mumbai. The next cheapest from Delhi was Thailand at Rs 38,977. From Mumbai, the Maldives was next at Rs 29,955.
Is Malaysia visa-free for Indians over New Year?
Malaysia’s visa exemption for Indians is announced to run until 31 December 2026, and we found no extension as of 18 October. A trip that starts after that date is not covered by the current announcement, so check Malaysian immigration before booking.
One last check before you pay for a ticket: if you have ever had a refusal, or your paperwork is thin, read which countries are rejecting Indian passport holders more often and why, in our piece on visa rejections for Indian passport holders.
