India Visa for US Citizens: 2026 Fees, Requirements, and How to Apply

Yes. All ordinary US passport holders need a visa to enter India, and for tourism the e-Tourist Visa is almost always the right choice: it is fully online, with no consulate visit. Diplomatic and official US passports are not e-Visa eligible and must apply for a regular visa at an Indian mission.

This is the one figure on this page worth double-checking yourself. Published sources disagree on it. Because sources vary, confirm your exact 5-year fee on the official portal before you pay. The 30-day (US$25, or US$10 April to June) and 1-year (US$40) fees are the same as for most nationalities.

No. There is no visa-on-arrival or visa-free entry to India for ordinary US passport holders. Apply for the e-Visa online before you fly; airlines will not board you without it.

• A US passport valid at least six months from arrival with two blank pages.
• A digital scan of your passport photo page.
• A recent front-facing photo on a plain white background.
• A payment card for the fee plus the 2.5–3% bank charge.
• Apply on the passport you will travel with; renewing it later means applying again.

The US is one of India's largest inbound markets, with direct and one-stop flights from New York, Newark, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington to Delhi and Mumbai. Most first-time American visitors travel between October and March and pair the Golden Triangle with one contrasting region. When you plan a trip with us, we tell you exactly which visa to get and handle the timing.

indianvisaonline.gov.in is the only official India e-Visa site. Lookalike sites file the same application and charge two to five times the government fee. If a site is not indianvisaonline.gov.in, do not pay it.

• Official portal: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in
• Fees verified against 2026 Government of India listings; always confirm your exact fee on the portal.