India Visa for U.S. Citizens: Requirements and How to Apply

Travisa checks every document, submits to the Indian authorities for you, and returns your eVisa to you using a secure delivery method. Tell us where you reside and your purpose of travel — we’ll show you exactly what you need and what it costs.

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Ready to apply for your India visa?

I hold a passport from

  • United States
  • Canada
  • United Kingdom
  • Australia
  • Brazil
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Mexico
  • Spain
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Vietnam

State of residence

  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

I’m traveling for

  • Tourism
  • Business
  • Student
  • Work
  • Transit
  • Visiting family or friends
View Details & Apply

VISA REQUIRED

Yes — before arrival

VALIDITY

Up to 5 years

MAX STAY

180 days

THE PROCESS

1India overview

 

2Review requirements

 

3Submit application

 

4Track your order

KEY TAKEAWAYS

All travelers to India must apply for a mandatory e-Arrival Card within 3 days before arrival (free).

Passports must be valid six months beyond the requested visa validity and contain at least two blank visa pages.

Photo rules are strict: taken within three months, all-white background, neutral expression, no eyeglasses, and no white shirt.

Business applicants need a letter of invitation on letterhead with a company seal and signature.

01

India visa requirements for all travelers

To travel to India, U.S. citizens need a visa applied for through the Indian government’s online application, submitted with a signed passport that is valid six months beyond the requested visa and has at least two blank visa pages.

THE CHECKLIST

3 ITEMS · EVERY APPLICATION

  1. 01 Passport

    Valid six months beyond your visa, two blank pages

  2. 02 One passport photo

    A recent color photograph against a plain white background.

  3. 03 Online visa application

    The completed online visa application — Travisa guides you through every field.

BEFORE YOU APPLY

All travelers must complete a free e-Arrival Card within 3 days before arrival, and a health declaration form within 24 hours before departure.

India eVisa Types – At a Glance

Pick your purpose of travel. The requirements, fees, and processing times below will update to match.

Tourist eVisa – at a glance

WHO IT’S FOR

Leisure travelers, family visits & short personal trips

PURPOSE

Tourism, visiting relatives or friends

TYPICAL STAY

180 days per entry

DOCUMENTS YOU’LL LIKELY NEED

  • Passport — valid 6+ months, two blank pages, plus a copy of the information page

  • One passport-style photo — in color, white background, no glasses

  • Visa questionnaire — we complete the online application for you to sign

TOURIST · MULTIPLE ENTRY

$240w/ standard processing

  • Travisa Standard Service Fee

    $197

  • Indian Consulate Fee

    $42.54

Get Started View Full Requirements

THE VISA PROCESS

From application to approval, in four steps

  1. 1

    Start your application

    Tell us your trip details and pick your processing speed. It takes about 10 minutes.

  2. 2

    Prepare your documents

    Upload your documents. We error-check every field before submission.

  3. 3

    We submit to the authorities

    Travisa submits your application to the Indian authorities and tracks its progress.

  4. 4

    Receive your eVisa

    Your approved eVisa is returned to you using a secure delivery method

BEFORE YOU APPLY

India-specific rules that catch travelers off guard

Three rules cause most of the surprises we see. Review these before you start your application.

Action required

Mandatory e-Arrival Card

All travelers must complete a free e-Arrival Card within 3 days before arrival, and a health declaration form within 24 hours before departure.

May affect eligibility

Persons of Indian origin

Former Indian citizens must renounce Indian citizenship first. We can’t submit your application without a Certificate of Renunciation or a Deemed Surrender Certificate.

Plan ahead

Strict photo rules

Photos must be exactly 2×2 inches, taken within three months, on an all-white background, with no eyeglasses and no white shirt. Many photo vendors get this wrong.

Why Choose Travisa?

The Indian consulate accepts applications by appointment and rejects anything with a mistake. Most of our clients come to us after a refusal or a missed trip. We make sure the first submission is the last one.

APPLYING DIRECT Travisa
Document review before the consulate receives it ✕ ✓
A specialist who answers every question No ✓
One all-in price, known up front Fees vary ✓

One partner for the whole journey

Get all necessary travel documents for your trip in one place, with the option to add premium service for expert accuracy and guaranteed approval.

Passport Services

Renew, replace, or expedite your U.S. passport before you travel — in as little as 24 hours.

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Document Services

Authentication, legalization, and apostille for business documents bound for India.

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Premium Service

A dedicated specialist runs your whole application, door to door — for complex or time-critical trips.

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TRAVEL RESOURCES

Guides & updates for India

Visa Update

India Launches e-Arrival Card to Streamline Entry for Foreign Nationals

India has begun rolling out a new Electronic Arrival Card (e-Arrival Card) for foreign nationals, gradually replacing the traditional paper disembarkation card...

Oct 6, 2025

Read More
Travisa News

We’re Expanding in India with the Opening of Four New Offices

We’re pleased to announce the expansion of our services in India with the opening of four new offices in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. The offices will deliver Travisa’s global visa services through the Travisa brand.

Dec 15, 2023

Read More
Visa Update

Argentina Grants Visa-Free Entry to Indian Nationals with Valid U.S. Visas

Foreign nationals of India holding ordinary passports may now enter Argentina without a consular visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (AVE), provided they hold a valid U.S. visa of a comparable immigration category.

Nov 25, 2025

Read More

The first step is to place an order. Once you have placed your order, we will ask you to complete the application form and upload all your supporting documents. After we have received and approved all your documents, we will submit your application to the Indian authorities. Once approved, we will send your eVisa using a secure delivery method.

No. The India eVisa application is submitted online. You upload a scan of the passport bio page and travel with the same physical passport used in the application.

The eVisa application itself is online and does not require a consular appointment. Biometric information may be captured by immigration after arrival.

The speed to process a travel visa varies for each destination country. Travisa can process travel visas for many destinations in as little as a day. Go to Visas and select your country of travel to determine the travel visa processing time.

View all India Visa FAQs

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