What is the India eVisa?

The India eVisa is an online visa system for nationals of eligible countries and territories. It is not an on-arrival visa: you must submit the online application and receive a GRANTED Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before travelling.

The eVisa is available only for approved purposes and eligible passports. For most short visits, the main categories travellers encounter are e-Tourist, e-Business, e-Medical and e-Medical Attendant visas. Other online categories exist for more specific travel situations.

If you have not yet established whether an eVisa is the right route for your purpose, passport or itinerary, check which visa you need for India in our general India entry guide before starting an application.

An ETA confirms that the online eVisa application has been granted. It is not the same as simply submitting an application: travel only after the official status shows “GRANTED”.

Who can apply for an India eVisa?

Eligibility depends first on the passport used for the trip. The official eVisa system lists eligible nationalities, including travellers using passports from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Eligibility can still be affected by the purpose of travel, passport type and personal circumstances.

  • Eligible ordinary passport holders: may apply if their nationality appears on the official eligible-country list and their journey fits an available eVisa category.
  • Diplomatic or official passport holders: cannot use the standard eVisa facility.
  • Pakistani passport holders or travellers of Pakistani origin: are not eligible for the eVisa route and should use the appropriate regular-visa process.
  • Travellers included in another person’s passport: cannot use the eVisa. Every traveller, including a child, needs their own passport and separate eVisa application when an eVisa is required.

An eVisa may also be unsuitable for employment, long-term study, journalism, missionary activity, protected or restricted areas, or another purpose not covered by the selected category. In those situations, a regular visa or a specific prior approval may be necessary.

Main India eVisa categories for travellers

  • e-Tourist Visa: for eligible tourism, sightseeing, visits to friends or relatives, certain short courses, short unpaid voluntary work, and other permitted visitor activities. It is offered in 30-day, 1-year and 5-year options for eligible passports.
  • e-Business Visa: for eligible business activities. It is not a substitute for an employment visa.
  • e-Medical Visa: for eligible travellers seeking medical treatment in India, including treatment under Indian systems of medicine. A hospital letter is required.
  • e-Medical Attendant Visa: for an eligible attendant travelling with an e-Medical Visa holder. The official scheme limits this to two attendants per medical applicant.
  • e-Transit Visa: for eligible travellers transiting through India when the journey meets the specific transit requirements, including onward-travel documentation.

Choose the category that reflects the real purpose of your trip. Selecting a tourist category for business, work or another non-tourist purpose can create problems at the application stage or at the border.

How to apply for an India eVisa

  1. Choose the appropriate eVisa category: base this on your passport and genuine purpose of travel.
  2. Complete the online form: enter your personal, passport, travel and background information carefully. Details should match the passport you will travel with.
  3. Upload the required files: a clear passport bio page and a recent photograph are mandatory. Add category-specific documents where required.
  4. Pay the official eVisa fee online: the portal accepts the available online payment methods. Keep the application and payment references.
  5. Check your application status: use the official status tool rather than assuming that a submitted application has been approved.
  6. Travel only once ETA status is “GRANTED”: print or save a copy of the ETA and present it at an authorised immigration checkpoint.

Documents and photo requirements

For a standard e-Tourist application, the essential uploads are a scanned passport bio page and a recent front-facing photo. Your passport page must clearly show the photograph and personal information, including name, date of birth, nationality and passport expiry date.

  • Passport: it must generally be valid for at least six months when you apply, have at least two blank pages for immigration stamps, and be the passport used for travel.
  • Digital photo: use a recent, clear, front-facing colour photograph against a white or light background. The official sample specifications require JPEG format, a file between 10 KB and 1 MB, and minimum dimensions of 350 by 350 pixels.
  • Supporting document: requirements vary by category. For example, e-Business applicants need a business card, while e-Medical applicants need a letter from the Indian hospital.
  • Travel evidence: travellers should have an onward or return ticket and sufficient funds for their stay, even where these are not uploaded as a standard tourist-visa document.

Documents such as invitation letters and business cards should be in English. Blurry uploads, cropped passport images used as photos, and information that does not match the passport can lead to a request to re-upload documents or to refusal.

India eVisa cost: official fees by passport and category

Official eVisa fees are nationality- and category-specific. They are charged in US dollars, and the official fee schedule currently adds a 3% bank transaction charge to the applicable eVisa fee. Once submitted, the processing fee is generally non-refundable, including if the ETA is not granted.

For the common e-Tourist options, the official fee schedule currently shows the following examples:

  • United States passport: US$10 for a 30-day e-Tourist Visa from April to June, US$25 from July to March, US$40 for 1 year, and US$160 for 5 years, plus the applicable bank charge.
  • United Kingdom passport: US$10 for a 30-day e-Tourist Visa from April to June, US$25 from July to March, US$40 for 1 year, and US$484 for 5 years, plus the applicable bank charge.
  • Canadian, Australian or New Zealand passport: US$10 for a 30-day e-Tourist Visa from April to June, US$25 from July to March, US$40 for 1 year, and US$200 for 5 years, plus the applicable bank charge.
  • e-Business and e-Medical categories: fees are different from e-Tourist fees and also vary by nationality. Check the current official schedule before payment.

These examples are useful for common English-speaking markets, but they do not replace checking the fee for the actual passport used. Fee schedules can change.

Processing time and when to apply

The official eVisa guidance requires eligible applicants to apply at least four days before arrival. The application window can open up to 120 days before the planned travel date, depending on the category and travel details entered in the official system.

India does not publish a guaranteed eVisa decision time that applies to every applicant. Do not treat the four-day minimum as a promise that an ETA will be granted within four days. Apply well before your trip, particularly if you may need to correct an upload, resolve a payment issue or provide a requested re-upload.

The payment step is separate from the timing rule: pay online after completing the application, but do not leave the whole application until close to departure. There is no official emergency or express eVisa service.

e-Tourist Visa validity, stay and entries

The e-Tourist Visa option matters because validity, permitted stay and entries are not identical.

  • 30-day e-Tourist Visa: this is a double-entry visa. The ETA shows the window in which you must make your first arrival; check the dates printed on your own ETA. Once you first arrive in India, the visa permits a stay of up to 30 days and the two entries must be used within the visa period. The first-arrival window is not the same thing as the 30-day stay after first arrival.
  • 1-year e-Tourist Visa: valid for 365 days from the date the ETA is granted and permits multiple entries. The permitted stay is subject to the conditions that apply to the traveller’s nationality and visa endorsement.
  • 5-year e-Tourist Visa: valid for five years from the date the ETA is granted and permits multiple entries. The permitted stay is again nationality-specific and should be checked against the ETA and current official rules.

For example, travellers using a US passport are subject to a maximum total stay of 180 days in India per calendar year on tourist visas. Other nationalities may be subject to different stay limits, so travellers should check the conditions applicable to the passport used and the ETA granted before planning an extended stay.

Authorised arrival points

eVisa holders must enter through an authorised immigration checkpoint listed for the eVisa scheme. This includes designated international airports and seaports; entry through a land border is not permitted simply because you hold a valid eVisa.

If you are arriving by cruise, confirm that the port is authorised for eVisa entry before booking. You may depart through an Indian Immigration Check Post, but your initial entry must comply with the eVisa arrival-point rules.

ETA status, tracking and travel preparation

After submitting the application, you can use the official portal’s Check your Visa Status function. A successful payment or submission confirmation is not an ETA approval.

  • Before departure: confirm that the ETA status is “GRANTED”.
  • At check-in and arrival: carry a copy of the ETA and the same passport used in the application.
  • On arrival: immigration authorities capture biometric information and place the eVisa endorsement in the passport.
  • New passport after ETA grant: the official guidance says entry may be possible with the new passport if you also carry the old passport on which the ETA was issued. Because passport changes can create practical complications, verify the current rule before travelling.

Common India eVisa application problems

  • Photo or document rejected: check image clarity, file requirements and whether the passport page is fully readable. If the authority asks for a re-upload, respond through the official re-upload process.
  • Payment is not accepted: the official guidance advises clearing browser history and cookies, trying another browser, and avoiding repeated unsuccessful attempts. After several failed attempts, a new application may be necessary.
  • Card charged but no confirmation appears: do not immediately make another payment. First use the official payment-status function; unresolved transactions are subject to reconciliation and any applicable refund process.
  • ETA still not granted: do not travel on the basis of a pending application. The official system requires a granted ETA before travel.
  • Incorrect form details: do not assume a spelling, passport-number or date error is harmless. Use the official portal instructions for your application status, or seek clarification before departure.

Children and family travel

Children need their own passport and a separate eVisa application when an eVisa is required. A parent’s approved eVisa does not cover a child, including an infant. Check that each child’s passport meets the required validity standard and that each application uses the correct individual passport details.

Example: a family travelling from Australia for a two-week holiday may each need an individual e-Tourist application, including separate applications for the children. The parents should not submit one shared eVisa application or assume that a child can travel on a parent’s ETA.

Practical examples

  • UK passport, 12-day holiday in Delhi and Kerala: if eligible, the traveller may use an e-Tourist Visa. A 30-day option can be suitable for a single short itinerary, but the ETA must be granted before departure and the arrival airport must be authorised for eVisa entry.
  • US passport, repeated leisure trips over several months: a 1-year or 5-year e-Tourist Visa may be more appropriate than a 30-day visa if eligible. However, the traveller should plan around the applicable annual stay limits and not assume the visa’s multi-year validity permits unlimited time in India.
  • Canadian passport, travelling for medical treatment: an e-Medical Visa, not an e-Tourist Visa, may be the relevant category. The applicant needs the required letter from the Indian hospital and may be accompanied by eligible e-Medical Attendant applicants.
  • New Zealand passport, attending meetings with an Indian company: an e-Business Visa may be appropriate if the activities fit the business category. Tourist status should not be used for a business visit merely because the trip is short.

When an eVisa may not be appropriate

An eVisa is designed for particular nationalities and travel purposes. You may need a different route if you are ineligible by nationality or passport type, have Pakistani origin, plan to work, undertake a long or formal course of study, conduct media activity, visit restricted areas, or have another purpose not covered by the eVisa category.

Double nationality, a previous Indian visa, a new passport, a transit itinerary or a specialised purpose can also change the practical answer. Enter the passport and travel details you will actually use into Go2entry to check the entry formalities that may apply to your trip.