India e-Visa for US citizens: the official fee and how to apply

Yes, US citizens can visit India on an e-Visa. You apply online on the Government of India’s own site, pay a fee set for US citizens, and get an electronic travel authorisation by email. The visa itself is stamped in your passport when you arrive.

The official fee for a US citizen is $10, $25, $40 or $160, depending on which e-Tourist visa you choose and when you travel, plus a 3% bank charge. Anyone asking for more is an agent.

Everything below was read on the official pages on 4 October 2026. Every figure links to where it came from.

The official site

Apply at indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa. That is the Government of India’s portal. Search results are full of lookalike sites that charge several times the official fee to fill in the same form.

India’s own FAQ is direct about extra charges at the airport: “You have already paid the required processing fee online. The applicants are advised to beware of unscrupulous elements/ travel agents/ intermediaries demanding extra payment” (indianvisaonline.gov.in).

The government also says it has no express service: it “makes no provision of charging of any emergency fees or additional fees for grant of any emergency / express e-visa.” A site selling an “urgent” Indian e-Visa is selling something India does not offer.

The fee for US citizens

India sets e-Visa fees by nationality. For the United States, the government’s e-Tourist fee table lists, in US dollars:

e-Tourist visa	Official fee
30 days, travel April to June	$10
30 days, travel July to March	$25
1 year	$40
5 years	$160

The site adds a bank charge: “Bank transaction charges of 3% will be charged additionally on applicable e-Visa fees.” On a $40 visa that is $1.20.

The fee is not refunded if the visa is refused. The site explains that it pays “for processing of the application and is not dependent on either Grant or Rejection.”

The same table shows how much fees vary by nationality. The 5-year e-Tourist visa is $160 for US citizens and $484 for British citizens. If a site quotes one price for everyone, it is not quoting India’s fee.

Which e-Tourist visa to choose

The official site lists three:

• 30 days. Multiple entry, but “non-extendable and non-convertible”.
• 1 year. Valid “from the date of grant of ETA”, multiple entry.
• 5 years. Also from the date of grant, multiple entry.

On the 1-year and 5-year visas there is a limit on time in the country: “Maximum stay in India during one Calender Year should not exceed 180 days.”

For a single trip of a few weeks, the 30-day visa is the cheapest. If you might return within a year, the 1-year visa at $40 can cost less than two separate 30-day visas.

When to apply

Apply at least four days before you arrive. The site says e-Tourist and e-Business applicants “may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival”, and that the fee “must be paid at least 4 days before the expected date of travel otherwise application will not be processed.”

The official pages we read do not state a processing time. Apply well before the four-day minimum.

Your passport

• It must have “at least six months validity at the time of making application”.
• Each person needs their own passport. The e-Visa is “Not available to individuals endorsed on Parent’s/Spouse’s Passport”, so children need their own passport and their own e-Visa.

What the e-Visa does not cover

The site is clear that “e-Visa is non-extendable, non-convertible & not valid for visiting Protected/Restricted and Cantonment Areas.” If your trip includes a protected or restricted area, check the official rules before you book.

You must also enter India through one of its designated airports or seaports for e-Visa holders. The official page gives the list; check that your arrival point is on it before you book.

Checklist

• Apply only at indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa.
• Choose the 30-day, 1-year or 5-year e-Tourist visa.
• Expect to pay $10, $25, $40 or $160, plus 3%.
• Apply and pay at least 4 days before you arrive.
• Your passport needs 6 months’ validity when you apply.
• One e-Visa per person, children included.
• Print or save the approval email and carry it.
• Check every figure on the official site before you pay. See our India e-Visa page and who needs a visa for India.