India e-Visa Guide: 2026 Fees, Types, and How to Apply

• Official site — indianvisaonline.gov.in (the only one)
• Who needs it — most foreign tourists; citizens of 180+ countries are e-Visa eligible
• 30-day cost — US$25 (US$10 in April–June), plus about a 2.5–3% bank charge
• 1-year / 5-year — US$40 flat for the 1-year; the 5-year is reciprocal (Japan around $25, US $160, UK $484)
• Processing — usually about 3 to 4 working days
• Apply window — 4 to 120 days before travel; pay at least 4 days before arrival
• Passport — valid 6+ months with 2+ blank pages; apply on the passport you will travel with

Almost certainly yes. Citizens of more than 180 countries can use the e-Visa, so most tourists never visit an embassy. A few nationalities, such as Japan and South Korea, can get a visa on arrival, but most travellers should still apply online before flying.

• OCI cardholders — Overseas Citizens of India travel visa-free on the OCI card itself.
• Nepal and Bhutan — citizens of both have special entry arrangements rather than an e-Visa.
• Visa on arrival — a few nationalities, such as Japan and South Korea, can get one, but applying online first is still the safer route.

indianvisaonline.gov.in is the only official India e-Visa site. Lookalike "visa" sites file the same application and charge two to five times the government fee. If a site is not indianvisaonline.gov.in, do not pay it.

• The 1-year and 5-year visas allow a maximum stay of 180 days in a year.
• All e-Tourist Visas are non-extendable and non-convertible.
• The 2.5–3% card charge is non-refundable even if you are refused.
• Under India's 2026 reciprocal-pricing model your fee follows your passport, so always confirm your exact figure on the official portal before you pay.

All 35 nationalities above are e-Tourist Visa eligible and apply the same way. The 30-day and 1-year fees are the standard rates; the 5-year fee is reciprocal and shown only where officially confirmed — "Reciprocal" means confirm your own figure on the portal, because the spread runs from about $25 to $484. A 2.5–3% bank charge applies to all payments and is non-refundable. Figures are checked against 2026 Government of India listings; always confirm your exact fee on indianvisaonline.gov.in at payment. (confirmed on enquiry)

• A passport — valid at least six months from arrival, with at least two blank pages.
• Your passport photo page — a digital scan, PDF, roughly 10–300 KB.
• A recent photo — front-facing, plain white background, JPEG, roughly 10 KB–1 MB. Photo errors are the top reason for rejection.
• A payment card — plus your India address and onward travel details to hand.

Do your status check online on the official portal, with your Application ID and passport number. It is free. Anyone charging to "check your status" is reselling a lookup you can do yourself in seconds. Wait until it shows "Granted", then print your ETA and carry it.

The government fee is non-refundable even on rejection, so getting it right the first time matters. Most rejections come from a non-compliant photo or a mismatch in passport details, not from anything serious. You cannot appeal an e-Visa rejection; you re-apply with the errors fixed and pay again. If you have had a prior refusal or your case is unusual, a regular visa through an Indian mission is sometimes the better route.

Your e-Visa is tied to the passport you apply with. Your fee depends on your passport's nationality, not your country of residence, and you must travel on the exact passport you applied with — if you renew or replace it after the visa is granted, you must apply again.

The e-Visa is valid for first entry through around 33 designated airports and a growing list of seaports, 19 at the last official count, which brought cruise arrivals into scope. You can exit through any authorised immigration checkpoint. If you are flying into a smaller airport or arriving by sea, check your entry point is designated before booking.

• Delhi
• Mumbai
• Bengaluru
• Chennai
• Kolkata
• Hyderabad
• Goa
• Jaipur
• Cochin
• Amritsar
• Varanasi

India also requires a digital arrival card, submitted online within the 72 hours before you land. It is free, it is run by the Bureau of Immigration, and it is an arrival record, not permission to travel — you still need your visa or OCI. Use the same passport you will show at immigration. See our full e-Arrival Card guide for the form, the channels, and the QR-code warning.

The e-Tourist Visa covers sightseeing, visiting friends and family, and short yoga or wellness courses. India also issues e-Business, e-Medical, e-Conference and e-Ayush visas online. You need a regular (sticker) visa from an Indian mission for employment, journalism, study, long stays, or if you are not e-Visa eligible. For pure leisure, the e-Tourist Visa is almost always the right, cheapest and fastest choice.

• Official portal and rules: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in
• Fees and terms verified against Government of India Bureau of Immigration 2026 listings; always confirm your exact fee on the portal, as rates change.