Travel Tips

India e-Visa 2026: How to Apply, Cost & Rules

The India e-Visa is an online visa you apply for on the official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in, at least 4 days before you arrive. Citizens of more than 160 countries can get one, including the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most of Europe. For a holiday you need the e-Tourist Visa, which comes in three lengths: 30 days, 1 year or 5 years. Most applications are approved within 72 hours.

We plan trips for international travellers every week, and the visa is the first question almost everyone asks. This guide covers the whole process step by step, with the details that trip people up: the photo rules, which airports you can land at, and the copycat websites that charge three times the real price.

Visa rules and fees change. Everything below was checked on the official Government of India e-Visa site in October 2026. Always confirm on indianvisaonline.gov.in before you pay.

Do I need a visa for India?

Yes. Almost every foreign visitor needs a visa to enter India. The only exceptions are citizens of Nepal and Bhutan, and holders of an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card. Citizens of Japan, South Korea and (with some conditions) the UAE can also get a visa on arrival at some airports, but even they usually find the e-Visa simpler.

For everyone else, there are two routes:

e-Visa (online): apply from home, no embassy visit, approval sent by email. This is the right choice for nearly all holiday travellers.
Regular visa (paper): applied for through an Indian embassy or its visa centre. You only need this if your country is not on the e-Visa list or you plan to stay longer than the e-Visa allows.

India e-Visa types for tourists

The e-Tourist Visa covers sightseeing, visiting friends and family, short yoga courses and similar trips. It cannot be used for paid work, journalism or long courses. You choose one of three lengths:

e-Tourist Visa	Valid for	Entries	Best for
30 days	30 days	Limited; cannot be extended	One trip of up to a month, e.g. a 7–14 day tour
1 year	365 days from the date it is granted	Multiple	A long trip, or two trips in one year (e.g. North India in winter, Ladakh in summer)
5 years	5 years from the date it is granted	Multiple	Frequent visitors and people with family in India

With the 1-year and 5-year visas, the official rule is that you may not spend more than 180 days in India in one calendar year. Check the visa you are granted for any limit on a single stay.

There are also e-Business, e-Medical, e-Conference and e-Medical Attendant visas. If you are coming for a business meeting or medical treatment, do not use a tourist visa; apply for the matching type.

How much does the India e-Visa cost?

The fee depends on your passport and the visa length. India publishes a country-by-country fee table on the official site. For many nationalities the e-Tourist Visa costs roughly:

30 days: about US$25 (some countries pay less in the April to June low season)
1 year: about US$40
5 years: about US$80

Some passports, including those of the USA and UK, have different rates for the longer visas, so look up your own country in the official fee table before you apply. On top of the fee, the bank adds a transaction charge of around 3%.

Two things to know about money:

The fee is not refunded if your visa is refused, or if you make a mistake and need to apply again.
The government charges no "express" or "urgent" fee. If a website offers faster processing for extra money, it is not the official site.

Beware of fake e-Visa websites

Search for "India e-Visa" and the first results are often private agencies with official-looking names and the Indian flag on the page. Many charge US$100–200 for a visa that costs a fraction of that, and some never submit your application at all.

The only official address is indianvisaonline.gov.in (the e-Visa section is at indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa). Check the address bar before you type in your passport number or card details. A real .gov.in address is the easy test.

What you need before you start

Have these ready before you open the form. It saves the application from timing out halfway through.

A passport valid for at least 6 months from your date of arrival, with at least 2 blank pages for stamps.
A recent photo as a JPEG file (rules below).
A scan of your passport's photo page as a PDF, between 10 KB and 300 KB.
Your travel plan: the airport where you will land, your expected arrival date and an address in India (your first hotel is fine).
A reference in your home country and one in India (name, address, phone). In India, your first hotel or your tour company can be the reference.
A credit or debit card (or PayPal) to pay the fee.

Travelling with children? Every traveller, including babies, needs their own passport and their own e-Visa.

Photo rules (the most common reason for rejection)

JPEG file, between 10 KB and 1 MB.
Square: height and width must be the same.
Plain white or light background, no shadows on your face or behind you, no border.
Full face, looking straight at the camera, eyes open, no glasses.

A phone photo against a white wall in daylight works well. Crop it to a square and check the file size before you upload.

How to apply for the India e-Visa, step by step

Go to the official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa, and choose "Apply here for e-Visa".
Fill in part one: nationality, passport type, port of arrival, date of birth, email, expected arrival date and visa type (e-Tourist, then the length). Write down the Temporary Application ID it gives you, because you need it to come back to the form.
Fill in part two: personal details, address, family details, passport details, previous visits and the two references. Type everything exactly as it appears in your passport.
Upload your photo and passport page.
Check every field on the summary page. You cannot change it after you pay.
Pay the fee online. If the payment status does not update straight away, wait up to 2 hours before you try again, or you may pay twice.
Wait for the email. Your Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) usually arrives within 72 hours. You can also check the status on the same site. It must say GRANTED before you fly.

When to apply

You must apply at least 4 days before you arrive, and you can apply up to 120 days ahead. Our advice to guests is to apply 2 to 4 weeks before the trip. That leaves time to fix a rejected photo or a typo without panic, and it is not so early that your travel dates are still changing.

For the 30-day visa in particular, the date of arrival you enter matters, so apply once your flights are booked.

Arriving in India on an e-Visa

Land at an approved airport or seaport

The e-Visa is only valid for entry through certain airports and seaports. The list covers all the main international airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Kochi, Goa, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Varanasi. If you are arriving overland from Nepal or by a small regional airport, check the current list on the official site first. Leaving India is not restricted in the same way: you can depart from any authorised exit point.

Fill in the e-Arrival Card

Foreign visitors must also complete India's online e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before landing. It asks for your passport details, purpose of visit and address in India. You can fill it in on the official Indian visa website or in the government's "Indian Visa Su-Swagatam" app. It is free; ignore any site that charges for it.

At immigration

Carry a printed copy of your ETA as well as the email on your phone. Some airlines check it at check-in.
Your fingerprints and photo are taken at the immigration desk. Queues at Delhi can be long after midnight, when many long-haul flights land.
If you are coming from a country with yellow fever, you need a vaccination certificate.

If you book a tour with us, your driver meets you outside arrivals with a name board, so you do not have to arrange anything after a long flight. See our Golden Triangle tours, the most popular first trip, landing in Delhi.

Common mistakes that delay or block a visa

Using a copycat site. You pay more, and some never submit your application.
The wrong photo. Not square, glasses on, or a busy background.
Name or passport number typos. The details must match your passport exactly, and the visa is linked to that passport.
Renewing your passport after the visa is granted. The e-Visa does not move to a new passport, so you would need a new visa.
Choosing the wrong visa type, such as a tourist visa for a business conference or a medical procedure.
Leaving it to the last week. Most visas arrive in 3 days, but some take longer, and a rejection leaves no time to reapply.

Official advice for your country

Your own government also publishes entry and safety advice for India, worth a read before you go:

Canadian citizens should read the advisory for Canadian nationals on the official e-Visa site before applying.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the India e-Visa take?

Most e-Visas are granted within 72 hours, often within 24. Apply at least 4 days before arrival; we recommend 2 to 4 weeks to leave time for any fixes.

Can I extend a 30-day India e-Visa?

No. The 30-day e-Tourist Visa cannot be extended or converted to another visa. If your trip might run longer than 30 days, apply for the 1-year visa instead.

Do I need to print my India e-Visa?

It is not strictly required, but it is strongly advised. Carry a printed copy of the ETA email, because airline staff and immigration officers may ask to see it and phone batteries run out.

Is the India e-Visa the same as a visa on arrival?

No. A visa on arrival is only available to citizens of a few countries (such as Japan and South Korea) at certain airports. Everyone else must get an e-Visa or a regular visa before flying.

Can I visit Nepal or Sri Lanka and come back to India on one e-Visa?

Only if your visa allows more than one entry. The 1-year and 5-year e-Tourist Visas allow multiple entries. Check the entries shown on your ETA before you book a side trip on a 30-day visa.

What if my e-Visa is rejected?

The rejection email does not usually give a reason. Check your photo, passport scan and every typed detail, then apply again and pay the fee again. If it is refused a second time, contact the nearest Indian embassy or consulate.

Plan your India trip with local experts

Once your visa is sorted, the fun part starts. We have planned private tours of India for international travellers since 2011: solo trips, couples, families and groups. Tell us your dates and interests, and we will send a day-by-day plan with a clear price. Start with our India tour packages, read our travel FAQs, or skip straight to a plan made for you.

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