Indian e Visa for US citizens - Requirements and Fees

Since 2014, US citizens can take advantage of an eVisa to visit India for tourism, business, conference, or medical treatment purposes. US nationals can apply for an Indian visa online from anywhere with a computer connected to the Internet.

After submitting the application form online at India Immigration Services , US travelers can expect to get their Indian electronic visa in a maximum of 03 working days. In addition, US visa applicants can choose the processing time of their visa application based on their needs. However, they will need to pay a higher fee if they want to receive their visa sooner than the normal processing time. There are 03 types of visa processing time frames provided by Indian Immigration Services as below:

• Normal: This standardized service is the cheapest option with the waiting time being 03 business days. If US applicants have adequate time to prepare their papers and wait for a response, they can choose this service.
• Urgent: US citizens will receive their visa results within 24 hours if they use this advanced type of e-Visa.
• Super Urgent: This type is utilized in high-priority circumstances that US citizens require their e-Visa in a matter of hours. If US nationals choose this sort of service, they can expect to receive your results in about 05 business hours.

US citizens can take advantage of an Indian electronic visa to have a short trip to India for leisure, business, or medical reasons. Travelers from the US have to pay 02 types of visa fees in order to obtain an eVisa: the Government fee and the Service charge.

The Government fee which is paid to the Indian Immigration Department varies depending on the visa type that US citizens are applying for. Four types of Indian eVisa have different Government fees as below:

• 30 days e-Tourist Visa: US $50

• 1 year e-Tourist Visa: US $70

• 5 years e-Tourist Visa: US $110

• Other types of e-Visa (Conference e-Visa, Medical eVisa + Medical Attendant e-Visa, Business e-Visa): US $130

The service charge is the sum US citizens must pay in advance for Indian Immigration Services which includes offering visa requesters necessary information concerning the India e-visa, assisting them in the documentation preparation, reviewing their application, and informing them of the visa outcome. This charge is determined by the number of applicants and how soon US citizens require the visa. Visitors from the US must pay a higher service fee if they choose the rush processing time.

• Normal: For only $69.00, US nationals can expect to receive their visa within 03 business days.
• Urgent: Paying additionally $79.00, US applicants will obtain their visa within 24 hours.
• Super Urgent: This service allows US citizens to receive their visa within 05 hours with a fee of an extra $99.00.

Electronic visas are granted to US citizens whose objective of traveling to India is tourism, casual visit to their relatives or friends, attending a conference held in the country, participating in business activities, or receiving medical treatment under Indian systems of medicine. For US citizens, obtaining an India visa is quite easy and entirely online. Once they prepare enough required documents, they can begin a 03 simple visa application process to get a visa for India.

Four categories of Indian eVisas permit a different duration of stay:

• e-Tourist Visa is divided into 03 categories. A 30-day e-Tourist Visa allows US citizens to remain in India for up to 30 days from their arrival date. US nationals who acquire a 1-year & 5 years e-Tourist visa can stay in the country for up to 1 year and 5 years respectively, with each visit not exceeding 180 days consecutively.
• e-Business Visa permits a 365-day stay in India, with each stay no more than 180 days continuously.
• e-Conference Visa allows US travelers to attend conferences hosted by a Government Ministry in India and remain in the country for up to 30 days.
• e-Medical & Medical Attendant Visa: If US citizens use this type of visa, they will have a 60-day stay in India.

Yes. Blessed with stunning landscapes and rich heritage, India is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Numerous travelers arrive in India to visit the pilgrimage sites and immerse themselves in its diverse culture. Since November 2021, India has lifted a 20-month ban on international travel thanks to the increasing vaccination and low coronavirus infection rates. That means US citizens are now free to have a trip to India. Before traveling to the country, a visa is an indispensable item that US nationals must not forget.

The Indian Government has issued an electronic visa which accelerates the visa application process, eliminating the need to apply for a regular visa at a diplomatic mission. To apply for an Indian visa online, US travelers need to have some required documents at hand. Some necessary documentation will be required during the application process are:

• A scan of the passport’s biographical page. The passport used to apply must be valid for at least 06 months from the intended entry date in India.
• A recent photograph of the applicant in any version with a clear face against a white/ plain background.
• A valid email address to receive Indian eVisa.

Besides that, US citizens should prepare some additional papers depending on the type of visa they are applying for.

• For a Business eVisa: A business card, an invitation letter from the host, as well as the host’s ID card/ passport (If any)
• For a Medical eVisa: A medical letter from an Indian hospital
• For a Conference eVisa: An invitation letter from the conference organizer and political clearance from the Government of India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Yes. US citizens can use a tourist visa to enter India for tourism-related purposes. Since 2014, the Indian Government has launched an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for more than 150 eligible countries to visit the country for various purposes including sightseeing, visiting relatives or friends, participating in business activities, or having medical treatment.

In addition, the Government of India also restored long-term eVisa for US nationals which are India 1 year and 5 years tourist eVisa in March 2022. The suspension on valid long-duration (10 years) regular tourist visas has also been removed and a fresh long-duration (10 years) tourist visa was granted to US citizens.

Most US travelers use 03 visa categories to enter India for leisure reasons:

• Tourist eVisa 30 days: is valid for 01 month from the issued date, allowing a 30-day stay for US travelers with double entries into the country.
• Tourist eVisa 1 year is a multiple entry visa that has a validity period of one year from the date of issuance. Holders of this visa will have one year to both explore India and pay a visit to their relatives, or friends there. However, continuous stay during each visit is limited to 180 days.
• Tourist eVisa 5 years is suitable for US citizens who visit India frequently. US travelers can enter India as many times as they wish and have a total stay of up to 5 years. Like tourist eVisa 1 year, this type of visa does not permit the total number of days spent continuously on each trip exceeding 180 days.

Once the visa application is processed, the Indian electronic visa is sent to the applicant’s email address. That’s why Indian Immigration Services requires the applicant to supply their email address and double-check all the data provided. We do not take any responsibility for the delays in visa application processing resulting from errors of the applicants.

See more: India visa requirements for US citizens

US citizens should download the visa that was sent in PDF format and print it out before traveling to India. Upon arrival, the Immigration Officials at a border checkpoint will ask them to present their valid visas along with their passports before allowing them to enter India. During their stay in India, US travelers ought to have at least a copy of their eVisa at all times. The passport US nationals use to travel to India must be the same one used to apply for a visa. In addition, it is essential that their passport remains at least 06 months validity with a minimum of 02 blank pages so that an immigration officer can place a visa sticker on it.

Travelers from the US are also recommended to obtain Indian travel insurance prior to their trip to India. This insurance not only helps their visa application be approved easier by the Government but also covers their benefits in the event of unexpected occurrences happening during their journey.