Last verified October 2026 against the Government of India e-Visa portal and the Indian Embassy in the USA. Rules and fees change, so confirm on the official portal before you pay. Read how we check facts in our editorial policy.
Do US citizens need a visa for India?
Yes. A US passport does not give visa-free entry to India. Almost every American tourist uses the e-Tourist Visa (e-T1 V), an online authorization that replaced the old paper process for short leisure trips. You do not visit an embassy, mail your passport or attend an interview. You fill in a form, upload a photo and a passport page, pay online, and wait for the approval email.
The e-visa covers sightseeing and recreation, visiting friends or relatives, short yoga programs and short courses that do not award credits. If you plan to work, study for a long period, do journalism or filmmaking, or stay beyond the e-visa limits, you need a regular visa from an Indian mission instead. If you are unsure which category fits your trip, the safer choice is the regular visa route, because a wrong category can mean refusal at the border.
India e-Tourist Visa types and fees for US citizens
The government publishes three e-Tourist options. Fees are in US dollars and are charged at application. They are non-refundable if your application is rejected or you cancel the trip.
| Visa | Validity | Entries | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-day e-Tourist Visa (July to March) | 30 days from arrival | Multiple | $25 |
| 30-day e-Tourist Visa (April to June) | 30 days from arrival | Multiple | $10 |
| 1-year e-Tourist Visa | 365 days from the date the ETA is granted | Multiple | $40 |
| 5-year e-Tourist Visa | 5 years from the date the ETA is granted | Multiple | $80 |
Three details matter more than the headline price:
- The 30-day visa is non-extendable and non-convertible. You cannot turn it into another visa type or extend it inside India.
- The 1-year and 5-year visas cap your stay at 180 days per calendar year. The long validity is about flexibility, not a longer single stay.
- The clock on the 30-day visa starts on arrival, while the 1-year and 5-year clocks start when the ETA is granted. If you apply a month early for a 1-year visa, you lose a month of validity.
Which one should you pick?
For a single trip of up to four weeks, the 30-day visa is the cheapest and simplest. If you expect to return to India within a year, or you travel for work-adjacent leisure often, the one-year visa at $40 beats buying two 30-day visas. The five-year visa at $80 makes sense for repeat visitors, people with family in India, or anyone planning a long stretch of slow travel split over several trips. At $80, the five-year visa works out to $16 per year of validity, so it pays off quickly if you will visit more than once.
How to apply for the India e-Visa, step by step
The official process has four stages, and you can do it from a phone or a laptop.
- Open the official portal. Go to indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa and choose “Apply here for e-Visa”. Many lookalike sites charge $50 to $150 for the same form. The Government of India states that it charges no emergency or express fees, so any site offering “rush” processing at a premium is not the official service.
- Fill in the form. You will enter your passport details, address, parents’ names, occupation, places you plan to visit, and your arrival airport or seaport. Names and dates must match your passport exactly.
- Upload your photo and passport page. Use a recent, front-facing photo on a plain background and a clear scan of your passport biographical page. If an image does not meet the specification, the portal emails you to re-upload, usually within 24 hours.
- Pay the fee by card or wallet. Save the payment confirmation. If the payment screen fails, use the “Verify Payment / Pay e-Visa fee” option instead of starting a second application, so you do not pay twice.
- Receive your ETA by email and print it. Carry a paper copy. At the immigration counter, the officer checks it and the e-visa is stamped into your passport.
Documents and passport rules
Prepare these before you start so the form does not time out:
- A US passport valid for at least six months from your arrival date, with at least two blank pages. Check the portal’s current instructions, because border officers apply this strictly.
- A digital passport photo and a scan of the passport photo page.
- A confirmed or planned itinerary, including your arrival airport and the address of your first stay.
- Proof of onward or return travel. The portal may ask for it, and airlines often check it before boarding.
When to apply
At the time of writing, the portal accepts applications from several months before arrival up to a few days before you fly. Do not apply at the last minute. Approval can take a few working days, and a rejected photo adds more time. A practical rule is to apply two to three weeks before departure. If you apply very early for a 1-year or 5-year visa, you waste some of its validity because that clock starts when the ETA is granted. The 30-day clock starts on arrival, so applying early costs nothing there.
Where can you enter India on an e-Visa?
An e-Visa is valid only at designated airports and seaports, which the government lists on the portal as authorized immigration check posts. All the major tourist gateways are on the list, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Goa and Ahmedabad, but you must enter through one of the listed points. You can leave from any airport. If you plan to enter overland from Nepal or Bhutan, or arrive at a small regional airport, you need a regular visa instead.
You may also be asked to complete the new online e-Arrival card within 72 hours before landing. India offers this through the Bureau of Immigration site and the official Su-Swagatam app. It is an arrival form, not a visa, and the exact requirement can change, so check the Bureau of Immigration site close to your travel date.
Common mistakes that get e-Visas delayed or refused
- Name or passport mismatches. A middle name in the wrong field, or a typo in the passport number, is the most common reason for rejection.
- A poor photo or a cropped passport scan. Glare, shadows and cut-off machine-readable lines trigger re-upload requests.
- Choosing the wrong visa category. Using a tourist visa for paid work, journalism or long-term study is a violation, even if officers do not catch it at the airport.
- Applying through a third-party site by accident. Check that the address bar says indianvisaonline.gov.in before entering any card details.
- Forgetting restricted-area permits. The e-Visa does not cover everywhere. Some border and tribal regions need a separate permit. Use our Northeast India permit checker if you plan to visit Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland or similar regions.
How much extra should you budget for visa-related costs?
The visa itself is a small part of the trip cost. Add your passport renewal if it expires within a year, photo printing, and possibly a travel insurance policy that covers medical evacuation. For a full cost picture, try the India trip budget calculator, which turns your dates, group size and travel style into a realistic daily and total estimate.
What to do after your e-Visa is approved
Save the ETA as a PDF on your phone and print two copies. Match the arrival airport to your ticket. Book your first night’s accommodation in the city where you land, because immigration may ask for an address. Then plan the rest of the trip: read when to visit India, build a route with the India itinerary planner, and check the packing list generator. New to India overall? Start with our Start Here guide and the India travel FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the India visa for US citizens?
The India e-Tourist Visa costs $25 for 30 days when applying for the July to March period, $10 for 30 days in April to June, $40 for one year and $80 for five years. These are the government’s published fees and are paid online at application.
How long does it take to get an India e-Visa?
Processing typically takes a few working days, but approval times are not guaranteed. If the portal asks you to re-upload a photo or document, you usually get that email within 24 hours. Apply two to three weeks before travel to leave a safety margin.
Can I extend an India e-Tourist Visa?
No for the 30-day e-Tourist Visa. It is non-extendable and non-convertible. The one-year and five-year visas allow a maximum of 180 days in India per calendar year.
Is the India e-Visa a multiple-entry visa?
Yes. All three e-Tourist options are listed as multiple entry, although the 1-year and 5-year versions limit your total stay to 180 days per calendar year.
Can I enter India by land with an e-Visa?
The e-Visa is valid at designated airports and seaports only. Check the official list of authorized immigration check posts. If you plan to cross from Nepal or Bhutan by road, apply for a regular visa through an Indian mission.
Is it safe to use third-party visa websites?
Use the official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in. The government says it does not charge express or emergency fees. Third-party sites add service charges and have no faster access to approvals.
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