--- title: "India e-Visa 2026 for US travelers — the step-by-step on the official site (and how to dodge the broker scam)" excerpt: "India runs one of the easiest electronic-visa systems in the world for an American tourist: you fill out a form online, pay by card, and within 3 to 5 days the e-Visa arrives by email, no consulate visit required. The process isn't the problem. The scam is. Dozens of middleman sites impersonate the official one, charge USD 80 to 150 for something the government sells for USD 25, and sometimes deliver nothing at all. This guide shows the only real site, the actual step-by-step, the three categories (30-day, 1-year, 5-year), and the mistakes that stall your arrival in New Delhi." description: "India runs one of the easiest electronic-visa systems in the world for an American tourist: you fill out a form online, pay by card, and within 3 to 5 days the e-Visa arrives by email, no consulate visit required. The process isn't the problem. The scam is. Dozens of middleman sites impersonate the official one, charge USD 80 to 150 for something the government sells for USD 25, and sometimes deliver nothing at all. This guide shows the only real site, the actual step-by-step, the three categories (30-day, 1-year, 5-year), and the mistakes that stall your arrival in New Delhi." slug: "evisa-india-2026-passo-a-passo-turismo" locale: "en" canonical: "https://voyspark.com/en/journal/evisa-india-2026-passo-a-passo-turismo" author: "Curadoria Voyspark" published_at: "Wed Jun 03 2026 04:22:58 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)" updated_at: "Wed Jun 03 2026 15:30:17 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)" vertical: "hacking" reading_time_minutes: 15 word_count: 4257 hero_image: "https://s3.voyspark.com/voyspark-images/articles/evisa-india-2026-passo-a-passo-turismo/hero-ddef55.jpg" tags: - "evisa" - "india" - "visto" - "turismo" - "passo-a-passo" - "documentos" --- # India e-Visa 2026 for US travelers — the step-by-step on the official site (and how to dodge the broker scam) Around 2014, India decided it wanted more tourists and less bureaucracy. It created the e-Visa: you fill out a form online, attach a photo and a scan of your passport, pay by card, and get the authorization by email. No consulate, no line, no mailing your passport overnight. For Americans, it works. It's one of the easiest visas to get anywhere in the world today. So why do so many people get tangled up? Because of the scam. You type "India visa online" into Google, and the first results — paid, highlighted — are middleman companies dressed up to look official. Crest, Indian flag, "Government authorized." They charge USD 80, 100, sometimes 150 for an e-Visa the Indian government sells for USD 25. Some deliver (late). Others vanish with your money and your data. This guide has one practical goal: get you to the real site, show you the real process, and keep you out of the traps. No consulting upsell, no affiliate link, no "facilitator." You do it yourself in 30 minutes. --- ### The only official site: indianvisaonline.gov.in Memorize it: **indianvisaonline.gov.in**. It ends in `.gov.in`, the Indian government's domain. It's the only place the tourist e-Visa is issued at the official price. The specific form address shifts from time to time (it used to be `indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa`; today the gateway is the institutional homepage with the "e-Visa" link). But the root never changes: **gov.in**. If the domain doesn't end in `gov.in`, it isn't the government. How to spot a fake site: - Domains like `india-visa-online.com`, `evisa-india.org`, `indiavisa.co`, `visa-india.net`. None of those is official. - Paid ads at the top of Google ("Sponsored"). The official site rarely runs ads. - Inflated prices: if you were asked for more than USD 100 for standard tourism, it's a middleman. - "Service fee," "express processing fee," "professional review" baked into the total. The government charges the visa fee and the bank fee. That's it. - Artificial urgency: "only 3 slots left today." Electronic visas don't have limited slots. Not all middlemen are illegal — some just resell an expensive, unnecessary service. But there are outright scams mixed in, the kind that pocket your money or clone your passport data. For you, the result is the same: you paid too much for nothing. Go straight to **gov.in**. --- ### Do you need an e-Visa or a regular visa? The difference that matters India offers two paths for tourists. Knowing which one is yours keeps you from paying wrong or getting turned away. | | **e-Visa (tourist)** | **Regular visa (sticker)** | |---|---|---| | Where you apply | Online, indianvisaonline.gov.in | Consulate/VFS center, in person or by mail | | Physical document | No — arrives by email (PDF) | Sticker glued into the passport | | Timeline | 3 to 5 business days | 2 to 4 weeks | | Cost (US citizen) | USD 25 to 80 | More expensive, varies | | Entry allowed | Designated ports only | Any port, including land borders | | Stay | 30 days / 1 year / 5 years by category | Per visa, can be longer | | Who it's for | Tourist, short visit, light business | Long stay, study, work, journalism, land border | For 95% of American tourists, **the e-Visa is the answer**. You only need the regular visa if: - You're entering by a **land border** (Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan) — the e-Visa isn't valid there. - You're staying **longer than the limit** of the tourist category. - You're doing something tourism doesn't cover: studying, paid work, journalism, research, long-term volunteering. - You've used too many e-Visas already (India caps how many e-Visas you take per calendar year; tourism usually allows up to two per year). If you're landing in Delhi, running the Golden Triangle, seeing Kerala or Goa, and heading home, it's the e-Visa. No question. --- ### The three tourist e-Visa categories India offers three validity windows for tourists. You choose when you fill out the form. The price follows. | Category | Validity | Entries | Stay per visit | Who it makes sense for | |---|---|---|---|---| | **30-day e-Visa** | 30 days from arrival | Double entry | Up to 30 days | A single short trip | | **1-year e-Visa** | 365 days from issuance | Multiple | Up to 180 days continuous | Repeat visitors or a long trip | | **5-year e-Visa** | 5 years from issuance | Multiple | Up to 180 days continuous | Frequent India travelers | Watch out for two snags that trip up everyone: **The 30-day category counts differently.** Its validity begins on the **arrival date** you declare — not at issuance. The 1-year and 5-year ones count from the **date of issuance**. So the 5-year e-Visa you take out today starts "burning" today, even if you don't travel for four months. **Multiple entry doesn't mean living there.** With the 1-year and 5-year categories you can come and go as often as you like, but each continuous stay has a ceiling (180 days for US citizens). You can't chain trips together and effectively become a resident. For a single two- or three-week trip, the **30-day** is the cheapest and plenty. If you already know you'll be back, or you'll stay longer than a month, the **1-year** pays off. The **5-year** is for people with family, business, or a regular travel rhythm to India. --- ### What it actually costs a US citizen in 2026 The price of the Indian e-Visa varies by **nationality** and by **season**. India charges more in winter (peak tourist season, October through March) and less in summer/monsoon (April through June). The official figures for a US passport in 2026: | Category | Low season (Apr–Jun) | High season (Jul–Mar) | |---|---|---| | **30-day e-Visa** | USD 25 | USD 25 | | **1-year e-Visa** | USD 40 | USD 40 | | **5-year e-Visa** | USD 80 | USD 80 | Add to that the **bank transaction fee**, around **2.5%** of the amount, charged by the government's payment gateway. On a 30-day e-Visa, that's less than USD 1 extra. It's trivial. So the real, all-in cost runs like this: - 30-day e-Visa: **about USD 26** - 1-year e-Visa: **about USD 41** - 5-year e-Visa: **about USD 82** Now compare that with what the middlemen charge: **USD 80 to 150** for the 30-day. That's USD 80 to 150 for something the government sells for USD 25. You pay 3 to 6 times more for nothing — the e-Visa that lands in your inbox is exactly the same. **There is no US reciprocity surcharge** on the tourist e-Visa. The amount a US citizen pays is the standard rate. And the fee, once paid, is **non-refundable** if the application is rejected. That's why getting it right the first time matters. --- ### Step-by-step on the official site Set aside **30 to 40 minutes** and have these ready before you start: - **Passport valid** for at least **6 months** from your arrival date, with **two blank pages**. - **Digital photo**, square, white background, in JPEG (detailed spec below). - **Scan of the passport data page** (the one with your photo), in PDF, legible. - **An international credit or debit card** (Visa/Mastercard work). - **The address where you'll be staying** in India (the first night's hotel is fine) and flight details, if you have them. **Step 1 — Access and start.** Go to **indianvisaonline.gov.in** and click "e-Visa." You create the application and the system generates an **Application ID**. Write that number down now. If the site goes down or your session expires (it happens), you resume with it and your date of birth. **Step 2 — Personal details.** Full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, validity. Everything has to match the passport **exactly**. Same name, same order, no abbreviating. If the passport says "JOHN MICHAEL SMITH," you type that, not "John Smith." **Step 3 — Travel details.** e-Visa category (30-day / 1-year / 5-year), **expected arrival date** (careful: it sets the start of validity on the 30-day), planned port of entry, and address in India. You're not locked into the port you declare here — you can enter through another designated port — but declare the real one. **Step 4 — History and security.** Occupation, employer, address, prior travel, countries visited in the last 10 years. There are security questions (criminal record, deportations, ties to organizations). Answer honestly. Lying here is grounds for rejection and can flag you permanently. **Step 5 — Upload the photo and passport.** Attach the JPEG photo and the PDF scan of the data page. The system validates on the spot. If it rejects the photo, fix it before moving on — don't force it. **Step 6 — Review.** Reread everything, field by field, against the passport open in front of you. This is the step that prevents 90% of problems. Check the name, passport number, date of birth, and arrival date. **Step 7 — Payment.** Pay by card. The fee is non-refundable, so only pay after reviewing. Save the receipt. **Step 8 — Wait and download.** Within **3 to 5 business days**, an email arrives with the status. Once approved, you download the **ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization)** as a PDF, back on the site with your Application ID + passport. **Print it.** Bring the printed page to the airport. Don't rely on your phone alone — India often asks for the paper at the counter. --- ### The photo: the No. 1 reason for rejection More applications stall over the photo than anything else. India's spec is strict and the system automatically rejects anything that doesn't fit. Follow it to the letter: - **Square format** (width = height). It's not a rectangular 2x2 in a wallet frame — it's a true square crop. - **Plain white background**, no shadow, no object behind you, no textured wall. - **Face centered**, looking straight ahead, neutral expression, no broad smile. - **No glasses** (preferably), no hat, nothing covering the face. A religious head covering is tolerated if it doesn't cover the face. - **Good lighting**, no blown-out flash, no half the face in shadow. - **JPEG file**, within the site's size limit (typically up to 1 MB; the site tells you). Any pharmacy or photo studio in the US takes a "visa photo" and can export it digitally; expect to pay USD 10 to 20. You can also do it at home with a white background and natural light, but test it first — the validator is unforgiving. A crooked, dark, or wrong-background photo is the silliest way to lose days of processing. For the **passport scan**: photograph or scan the data page (the one with the photo), make sure it's sharp, glare-free, with all four corners visible, and save it as a PDF. --- ### Designated ports of entry Here lives a serious trap. The e-Visa is **only valid for entry through designated ports**. Arriving at a non-designated point with an e-Visa equals denied entry. India authorizes the e-Visa at dozens of **airports** and a few **seaports**. Among the airports always covered: - **Delhi** (Indira Gandhi — DEL) - **Mumbai** (Chhatrapati Shivaji — BOM) - **Bangalore** (BLR) - **Chennai** (MAA) - **Hyderabad** (HYD) - **Kolkata** (CCU) - **Goa** (GOI / Mopa MOP) - **Cochin** (COK) - **Ahmedabad**, **Jaipur**, **Amritsar**, **Trivandrum**, and others The golden rule: **you can arrive through any designated airport**, even if you declared a different one on the form. But check the current official list at indianvisaonline.gov.in before you buy your ticket, because the roster changes. What the e-Visa **does not cover**: - **Land borders** (Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan). To enter overland, you need a regular visa. - Seaports outside the designated list. You **can exit** India through any authorized immigration point, including land borders. The restriction is on entry only. --- ### Validity, entries, and how long you can stay The most common confusion is between "visa validity" and "length of stay." They're different things. - **Validity** is the window in which the visa exists (30 days, 1 year, or 5 years). - **Stay per visit** is how long you can remain at one time within that window. For **US citizens**, the maximum continuous stay per visit is **180 days** on the 1-year and 5-year categories, and **30 days** on the short category. This 180-day allowance is more generous than the 90-day cap that applies to most other nationalities — a benefit US, UK, Canadian, and Japanese passport holders share. Don't shortchange yourself by assuming the lower number; confirm the current limit on your approved ETA. On entries: - **30-day e-Visa**: **double entry**. You can leave and return once within the 30 days. - **1-year and 5-year e-Visa**: **multiple entry**. Come and go as often as you like, respecting the per-stay ceiling. The tourist e-Visa is **not extendable inside India** and **not convertible** into another visa type. If you need to stay longer, you exit and take out another, or go straight to the regular visa before traveling. And there's the **annual cap**: tourism usually allows up to two e-Visas per calendar year. People who travel a lot end up needing the long-term regular visa. --- ### Mistakes that cause rejection (or get you stopped at the airport) A rejected Indian e-Visa is uncommon when the application comes in clean. But these mistakes sink the process or, worse, let you through and then get you stopped at the immigration counter: 1. **Data that doesn't match the passport.** A swapped name, a passport number with one wrong digit, a date of birth flipped (day/month). The system sometimes approves it, but the officer at the airport cross-checks against the physical passport and denies entry. No appeal, next flight home. 2. **Photo outside the spec.** Already detailed. A classic stall. 3. **Passport with less than 6 months of validity** or without two blank pages. India requires both. Renew the passport beforehand if you're cutting it close. 4. **Wrong arrival date.** Declaring one date and arriving much earlier (before validity begins, on the 30-day) equals denied entry. Arriving after validity equals an expired visa. 5. **Wrong category.** Applying for the 30-day and wanting to stay 50. You have to respect the ceiling. Choose the right category up front. 6. **Applying too early or too late.** Apply between **30 and 4 days** before departure. Before 30 days the system won't even accept it; after 4 days you risk not getting approval in time. 7. **Paying and not downloading the ETA.** The approval doesn't travel to the airport on its own. You need to download the ETA PDF and print it. Without the paper, boarding and immigration get complicated. 8. **Falling for a middleman site.** Not a rejection, just a loss. But it's the single most frequent mistake of all. --- ### Business, not just tourism: the business category Beyond tourism, there's the **e-Business Visa**, for people going to meetings, trade fairs, commercial negotiations, recruiting, or equipment installation. Same online application logic, slightly different cost, requires an invitation letter from an Indian company or a document justifying the visit. Don't confuse it with working in India. The e-Business is for **one-off commercial activity**, not employment with a salary paid by an Indian company — that requires a work visa (employment visa), a separate, in-person process. There's also the **e-Medical Visa** (medical treatment) and the **e-Conference Visa** (events and conferences). Each with its own purpose. For a vacation, it's the **e-Tourist Visa** and nothing else. --- ### When the consulate is still the route The e-Visa covers almost everything, but the **regular visa via consulate/VFS** remains necessary in a few cases: - Entry by **land border**. - Stays **beyond the e-Visa limits**. - **Study, work, research, journalism, long-term volunteering**. - People who have **used up** their annual e-Visa allowance. - Special cases (journalists, missions, certain restricted destinations in the country that require additional permits beyond the visa). The regular process goes through the outsourced application center (VFS Global in some cities) or directly through the Indian mission, takes weeks, and pastes a sticker into the passport. For an ordinary tourist, it's unnecessary. For the cases above, it's mandatory. --- ### Final checklist before you apply Before you click "pay" at indianvisaonline.gov.in, confirm: - [ ] I'm on the official site, the domain ends in **gov.in**. - [ ] Passport valid for **6+ months** from the arrival date, with **2 blank pages**. - [ ] I chose the **right category** (30-day / 1-year / 5-year) for my plan. - [ ] Photo is **square, white background, JPEG**, validated by the system. - [ ] Scan of the passport data page in PDF, legible. - [ ] Name, passport number, and date of birth are **identical** to the passport. - [ ] **Arrival date** is correct and realistic. - [ ] I'm applying between **30 and 4 days** before departure. - [ ] My arrival airport is on the **list of designated ports**. - [ ] I'll **download and print the ETA** when it's approved. Ten for ten? You just saved yourself hundreds of dollars and dodged the scam that catches half of all travelers. India is waiting — Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Varanasi, Kerala, Goa. The visa is the easy part. Enjoy it.