India e-Visa for citizens of the United States: online application, fees and processing time 2026

Yes. A U.S. traveler must obtain a visa before entering India, even for a brief tourist stay. The e-Visa covers the most common purposes, tourism and short business visits. Confirm the applicable category and validity period on the official portal.

• Government fee25-80 USD
• Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top

Have ready a U.S. passport valid six months with two blank pages, a recent photo in the required format, and a scan of the biographical page. An address in India and stay dates may be required. Because fees depend on the chosen duration, refer to the official amount shown when you apply.

The application is made at indianvisaonline.gov.in, the official Indian visa government site. You complete the form, upload a photo and passport page, then pay online. For a purpose not covered by the e-Visa, the Embassy of India in Washington and its centers handle conventional applications.

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in the United States but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.

Submit the application several working days before departure to cover processing. Print the e-Visa (ETA) received by email and present it at check-in and on arrival. Verify that your entry airport is among the ports approved for the e-Visa.

The most frequent error is a mismatch between the entered data and the passport, which invalidates the e-Visa at the border. Many travelers pay a surcharge on unofficial sites. Finally, do not assume the e-Visa permits every activity: some purposes require a consular visa.