India eVisa for US Citizens: Eligibility, Documents and Application Steps
Short answer: US passport holders are eligible to consider an India eVisa when their actual reason for travel fits one of the categories offered by the Government of India. Choose the category first, prepare a compliant passport scan and photograph, then apply through the official portal or use optional private application assistance. Approval is shown by a GRANTED Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA); the e-Arrival Card is a separate pre-arrival task. As of: 28 September 2026.
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Is the India eVisa right for your trip?
USA appears on the Government of India eVisa eligibility list, so a traveler holding a valid US passport can consider this route. Nationality alone does not settle the question, however. The purpose of the trip must match a category available on the official portal, and the traveler must satisfy the passport conditions and exclusions that apply to the online route.
The current portal lists e-Tourist, e-Business, e-Medical, e-Student and e-Transit visas, among other purpose-specific categories. It also lists e-Family for eligible e-Student dependents. Check the live portal for the category and documents that fit what you will do in India. A vacation belongs under tourism, while a business trip should be filed under the business category. Selecting a convenient but inaccurate purpose can make the application and its supporting evidence inconsistent.
Some travel documents do not qualify for eVisa. The route is unavailable to diplomatic or official passport holders, laissez-passer holders and holders of international travel documents. Each applicant must also have a separate passport; a child or spouse endorsed on another person's passport cannot use that endorsement for an individual eVisa application. For medical travel, the official rules allow only two e-Medical Attendant Visas against one e-Medical Visa.
The eVisa route is unavailable if you hold a Pakistani passport or if you, either of your parents, or any of your grandparents were born in, or were permanently resident in, Pakistan. In those cases, apply for a regular visa at an Indian Mission.
Longer-validity tourist visas still have a stay limit: for the one-year and five-year e-Tourist Visa, total stay in India during one calendar year must not exceed 180 days. Before filing, match the passport, purpose and expected stay to the category you intend to request.
What to prepare before you apply
Begin with the passport because a passport problem affects both the form and travel. It should have at least six months of validity at the time you apply for the eVisa and at least two blank pages for immigration stamping. Confirm that the personal details you will enter match the passport bio page, and create a clear scan of that page before opening the application. If the passport is close to expiry or lacks the required blank pages, renew it before filing so the application is tied to the passport you intend to use for the journey.
You must also upload a recent, front-facing photograph with a white background. Both the photograph and the passport page need to be clear and meet the official specifications. An application may be rejected when an uploaded document or photograph is unclear or does not comply, so check image orientation, legibility and the visible passport details before submitting.
Prepare any evidence required for the category you selected at the same time. The purpose stated in the form should align with those documents. A business traveler, for example, should review the official business-category requirements and have the requested supporting evidence ready before starting rather than trying to resolve missing material during payment.
Every traveler files separately. For a family, that means checking each person's passport validity and preparing a separate photo, passport-page file and application. Resolving file or passport issues first reduces the chance that one family member's application is held up by a preventable document problem.
Official India eVisa channel and application steps
Direct applications use the Government of India eVisa portal. The Indian consulate states that embassies and consulates do not process eVisas; this is an online application. Check the domain carefully before entering passport or payment information.
The official sequence has four stages:
- Complete the online application and upload the photograph and passport page.
- Pay the applicable eVisa fee online.
- If the application is approved, receive the Electronic Travel Authorization notification by email.
- Print the ETA and present it at an immigration checkpoint in India, where the eVisa is stamped in the passport.
For e-Tourist and e-Business visas, eligible applicants must apply online at least four days before their arrival date. Treat that as a filing boundary, not a promise that every case will be decided within four days. If your itinerary is approaching, use the India eVisa timing and status guide to plan when to file and how to follow the result.
You can complete the process yourself on the government portal. If you prefer support with preparing and filing the application, private India eVisa assistance is an optional route. In either case, Indian authorities decide whether to grant the visa and whether to admit a traveler at the border.
Fees and payment
The official eVisa fee is country- or territory-specific, so use the amount displayed for your application at the live government checkout. A bank transaction charge of 3% is added to the applicable eVisa fee. Review the information in the form and the displayed total before authorizing payment, because the submitted eVisa fee is non-refundable.
That non-refundability applies whether the ETA is granted or rejected: the fee pays for processing the application, and approval remains a separate decision. The official rule also says that the fee must be paid at least four days before expected travel or the application will not be processed. Completing a payment therefore marks one application stage; it does not mean that an ETA has been granted.
The Government of India does not provide for an emergency charge or an additional fee to grant an emergency or express eVisa. Use the amount and payment instructions presented in the current official checkout.
After submission and before travel
Submission confirmation, payment and approval are different milestones. After the form and payment stages, an email notification may arrive, but the decisive status to check before departure is GRANTED on the official website. Do not rely only on the fact that an application was submitted or that an email arrived; open the status result and confirm the actual decision.
Once the ETA shows GRANTED, print a copy and carry it with the same passport used in the application. The official process requires travelers to present the printed ETA at immigration, where the eVisa is stamped in the passport. Biometric details are also captured on arrival.
An ETA authorizes travel under the eVisa process, but it does not assure admission. Indian immigration authorities make the admission decision when you arrive. Before leaving for the airport, check the live status again, place the printed ETA with your passport and make sure the passport details match the approved record.
e-Arrival Card is a separate requirement
The e-Arrival Card is separate from the eVisa. It collects arrival information and is not a visa, so receiving an approved ETA does not complete this additional pre-arrival task.
Foreign travelers and OCI card holders can submit the e-Arrival Card online within 72 hours before arrival in India. That timing gives the two tasks different places in the journey: apply for the appropriate visa early enough to meet its filing rules, then complete the arrival-information step close to travel. Follow the separate India e-Arrival Card guide when that window opens.
FAQ
Can US citizens apply for an India eVisa?
Yes. USA is listed among eligible nationalities on the official portal. The applicant must hold a qualifying individual passport, select a category that fits the real travel purpose and meet that category's requirements.
How early should I apply for an India eVisa?
For e-Tourist and e-Business visas, eligible applicants must apply at least four days before arrival, and the fee must also be paid at least four days before expected travel. That minimum does not promise a decision by a particular time, so use the processing-time guide when planning around fixed travel dates.
What happens if my photo or passport scan is unclear?
The application may be rejected if the uploaded photograph or documents are unclear or do not meet the specifications. Prepare a recent front-facing photograph with a white background and a legible passport bio-page image before beginning the form.
How do I know the ETA is GRANTED?
Check the application status on the Government of India website and confirm that it displays GRANTED before travel. Carry a printed copy of that ETA with your passport.
Is the e-Arrival Card part of the eVisa application?
No. It is a separate arrival-information process, not a visa. Eligible travelers can submit it online within 72 hours before arriving in India.
How my-evisas.com can help
You have two application routes. If you are comfortable preparing the files, completing the form and managing the status yourself, apply directly through the Government of India eVisa portal. If you want help preparing and filing the application, my-evisas.com offers optional private assistance.
The assistance route can support application preparation and filing. It does not replace the Government of India or control the outcome: Indian authorities make the visa and border-admission decisions. Choose the direct or assisted route according to the level of support you want, then complete the separate e-Arrival Card step before travel.
Sources
- Government of India — Indian Visa Online (eVisa) (accessed 24 September 2026)
- Government of India — eVisa application (accessed 28 September 2026)
- Consulate General of India, San Francisco — E-Visa (accessed 24 September 2026)
Important Notice
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. my-evisas.com is a private service provider and not a government authority, embassy, or consulate.
Visa requirements and entry regulations can change at short notice. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information provided. Only the official regulations in force at the time of your application are authoritative.
As of: 28 September 2026
Binding and up-to-date information is provided exclusively by the relevant official authorities. Please verify the currently applicable requirements before your application or travel: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/