India e-Visa for US Citizens: Fees, Validity and How to Apply

How long can US citizens stay in India on an e-Visa?

Validity and permitted stay are two different numbers, and mixing them up is the most common source of overstay problems. The one-month e-Tourist Visa allows a stay of up to 30 days. The one-year and five-year e-Tourist Visas allow multiple trips, but the total time spent in India during one calendar year must not exceed 180 days, whether you hold an e-Visa, a paper tourist visa or both.

Two further limits apply to every e-Visa. It cannot be extended in India and it cannot be converted into another visa type. It is also not valid for Protected, Restricted or Cantonment areas, which need a separate permit from the civil authority.

Official e-Visa fees for US passport holders

Fees are paid online to the Government of India during the application. Kolay Seyahat is an independent consultancy and does not collect government fees; any service charge we quote is separate from the amounts below, which are published by the Consulate General of India in San Francisco.

A bank transaction charge of 2.5% is added to every e-Visa fee. The fee is non-refundable because it pays for processing, not for the decision. The Government of India also states that it charges no emergency or express fee for e-Visas, so any website that sells "rush processing" is charging for its own service, not for a faster official decision.

The cheap April to June rate is real and often overlooked. Travellers landing in the hot season pay US$10 for the 30-day permit instead of US$25.

How to apply for the Indian e-Visa step by step

The application is completed entirely on the government portal. The Indian Embassy in Washington notes that no intermediary or agent is required, and that neither the embassy nor the consulates process e-Visa files; questions go to the portal helpdesk. The steps below follow the official sequence.

If an uploaded image is unclear, the portal emails you to re-upload it rather than rejecting the file outright. Answer that email quickly, because the 4-day clock keeps running.

Passport and document rules that cause refusals

The document list is short, but the specifications are strict and applications are refused when they are not met. The consulates publish the following conditions.

• Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months and have two blank pages for the arrival stamp.
• You must travel on the passport used in the application. If you renew your passport after approval, carry the old passport with the ETA as well as the new one.
• Each traveller needs a separate passport; a child endorsed on a parent's passport cannot receive an e-Visa.
• Holders of diplomatic, official or laissez-passer documents are excluded from the e-Visa scheme.
• For a minor applying through a consulate, a notarised parental authorisation signed by both parents is required, with copies of their passports and marriage certificate.

Arrival in India: biometrics, the e-Arrival Card and health checks

Immigration in India now has three parts for e-Visa holders. First, biometric data is captured at the immigration counter on arrival; this is mandatory. Second, foreign nationals must complete the online e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before landing, through the portal or the official Indian Visa Su-Swagatam app; the government stresses that this card is arrival information, not a visa. Third, all passengers fill the aviation self-declaration form before reaching the immigration counters, as listed on India Visa Online.

E-Visa entry is permitted only at the authorised immigration checkposts published on the portal, which are airports and seaports. Travellers arriving from a yellow fever affected country must carry a yellow fever vaccination card or face quarantine for up to 6 days. Flights direct from the United States are not affected by this rule, but a stopover itinerary through such a country is.

Paper visa or e-Visa: which route suits your trip?

Americans have a choice that many nationalities lack. Regular paper visas, including the long-term 10-year tourist visa, are issued by Indian missions through the Indian Visa Application Centres run by VFS Global, using a three-step process: apply online, submit the printed form with documents and passport at the centre or mission on the appointed date, then collect the passport in person or by post. The e-Visa skips the visit entirely.

Business travellers and longer stays

The e-Business Visa is valid for one year with multiple entries, and each continuous stay may last up to 180 days. If your combined business stays in a calendar year exceed 180 days, you must register with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO or FRO) within two weeks after the 180th day. Conference delegates use the e-Conference Visa, and the organiser uploads the event documentation on the Ministry of Home Affairs conference site before delegates apply.

Medical patients and their attendants apply for the e-Medical and e-Medical Attendant categories, valid for one year from arrival, with a 120-day arrival window at the time of application. Students use the e-Student Visa, valid one year from the date of grant.