Which India e-Visa should you choose?
India’s e-Tourist Visa comes in three validities. All allow multiple entries.
| Option | Validity | Stay rule | Official fee (US passport) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-day e-Tourist | 30 days from arrival | non-extendable | $25 (July–March arrivals) / $10 (April–June) |
| 1-year e-Tourist | 365 days from the date of grant | max 180 days per calendar year | $40 |
| 5-year e-Tourist | 5 years from the date of grant | max 180 days per calendar year | $160 |
A 3% bank transaction charge is added to the fee. Fees are country-specific and non-refundable whether the visa is granted or refused (official portal and fee schedule, checked 22 October 2026).
The 1-year and 5-year clocks start on the date of grant, not the date you travel — don’t apply months early for a 1-year visa.
Eligibility and timing
- You can apply at least 4 days before your arrival date.
- Your passport needs 6+ months validity and 2 blank pages.
- The e-Visa is for tourism, visiting friends, short yoga programmes, and similar. It is non-extendable and non-convertible, and does not cover protected or restricted areas without separate permits.
Documents
- A front-facing photo with a white background (the portal is strict about format).
- A scan of your passport data page.
- Return or onward ticket and your address in India.
- A yellow fever vaccination card if you’re arriving from a yellow-fever-affected country.
How to apply
- Fill the form on indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa (or let us prepare and check it).
- Upload the photo and passport page.
- Pay the fee. Payment status can take up to 2 hours to update — don’t pay twice.
- Wait for the ETA status to show GRANTED, then print it.
- At arrival, immigration captures your biometrics.
Common mistakes
- Uploading a photo with shadows or a non-white background.
- Choosing a 1-year visa too early.
- Using a passport different from the one on the application.
- Paying a “government fee” on a look-alike site — the official domain is gov.in.