U.S. citizens have two realistic ways to get a visa for India: the online e-Visa, which is approved electronically and never touches your passport, and the regular visa, a sticker placed in your passport by an Indian consulate, typically valid for up to ten years. Both allow tourism and business travel. They differ on cost, validity, where you can enter, how long each visit can last, and how far in advance you have to plan. This guide compares the two so you can pick the right one before you pay a government fee.
The India e-Visa at a glance
The e-Visa is applied for entirely online at the Government of India's portal, indianvisaonline.gov.in. Approval arrives by email as an Electronic Travel Authorization that you print and present on arrival. For U.S. citizens the tourist options are:
30-day e-Tourist visa — double entry, valid 30 days from arrival.
1-year e-Tourist visa — multiple entry, valid one year from the date of grant.
5-year e-Tourist visa — multiple entry, valid five years from the date of grant.
There are also e-Business, e-Medical, and e-Conference categories with their own validity rules. U.S. citizens on the one- and five-year e-Tourist visa are allowed longer continuous stays than most nationalities (up to 180 days), while the 30-day visa is capped at 30 days.
e-Visa fees for U.S. citizens
India sets e-Visa fees by nationality. The official fee table (e-Tourist fee schedule, PDF) lists the United States as:
30-day e-Tourist: $25 for travel between July and March; $10 in the April–June low season.
1-year e-Tourist: $40.
5-year e-Tourist: $160.
A bank transaction charge is added at checkout, and the fee is non-refundable if the visa is refused. The Embassy of India in Washington confirmed these reduced rates when they were introduced (embassy press release).
e-Visa timelines and entry rules
The portal asks you to apply at least four days before travel, and most straightforward applications are decided within about 72 hours. Two restrictions matter more than the timeline:
Designated entry points only. e-Visa holders must arrive at one of the designated international airports or seaports. Land borders — including popular overland routes from Nepal — are not e-Visa entry points, although you may exit from any immigration checkpoint.
Passport rules. Six months of validity from the date of arrival and two blank pages, the same as the regular visa.
The regular (sticker) visa
The regular visa is applied for through the Indian Visa Application Centers operated for the consulates in the United States. You submit the online form, your passport, photos, and supporting documents, and the consulate returns the passport with a visa sticker. For U.S. nationals the Embassy of India lists the fee for a tourist visa valid up to 10 years (single or multiple entry) at $160, and a business visa valid up to 10 years at $160 (Embassy of India, Washington — revised visa fees). Application-center service fees are added on top. Processing typically takes several business days after the center receives your passport, and longer if the consulate requests additional documents. Because the passport is out of your hands during processing, travelers with back-to-back trips sometimes pair a regular visa application with a second U.S. passport.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the e-Visa if you are flying into a major airport, your trips are under the stay limit, and you want the fastest, cheapest path. The one-year e-Tourist visa at $40 is the default recommendation for most U.S. leisure travelers.
Choose the regular visa if you plan to enter by land, expect frequent trips over many years, need a category the e-Visa does not offer (employment, study, long-term family), or prefer a physical visa for a corporate travel file. At $160 for up to ten years, the regular visa is cheaper per year than repeated e-Visas.
Consider OCI instead if you are of Indian origin or married to an Indian citizen. The Overseas Citizen of India card replaces visas altogether; our e-Visa vs. OCI guide and OCI service explain eligibility.
Application mistakes that cost travelers their trip
Third-party look-alike sites. Only indianvisaonline.gov.in issues the e-Visa. Copycat sites charge multiples of the government fee and often submit errors you cannot fix.
Name and passport-number mismatches. The e-Visa is electronically linked to the passport you enter. A typo, or renewing your passport after approval, invalidates it.
Photo and document uploads. The portal rejects photos with shadows or the wrong dimensions and requires a clear scan of the passport bio page. Our photo service produces compliant files.
Entering by land on an e-Visa. It is refused at the border. Use the regular visa for overland itineraries.
Peninsula Visa's India visa page shows current options for U.S. citizens and lets you start either application with a document review before anything is submitted to the Indian government.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an India visa cost for U.S. citizens?
Government fees are $25 (or $10 in April–June) for the 30-day e-Tourist visa, $40 for the one-year e-Tourist visa, $160 for the five-year e-Tourist visa, and $160 for a regular tourist or business visa valid up to ten years. Bank charges and application-center or service fees are extra.
How long does the India e-Visa take?
The Indian government asks you to apply at least four days before travel; most decisions arrive within about 72 hours. Regular sticker visas take longer because your passport must be sent to an application center.
Can I enter India by land with an e-Visa?
No. e-Visa holders must arrive at a designated airport or seaport. Overland entry requires a regular visa.
Is the 10-year India visa really valid for ten years for U.S. citizens?
The Embassy of India lists tourist and business visas for U.S. nationals as valid up to ten years. Individual stay limits per visit still apply, and the visa cannot outlast your passport.
Do I need a visa for India if I have an OCI card?
No. OCI cardholders have lifelong multiple-entry access to India. Applying for OCI is a separate, longer process.
Peninsula Visa
Not sure which India visa you need?
Peninsula Visa handles both the e-Visa application and the full 10-year regular visa through the Indian consulate, and tells you up front which one fits your travel.
Sources and last reviewed
Last reviewed: September 4, 2026. Fees, validity periods, and processing times in this guide come from the official sources below and were current on that date. Always confirm against the issuing authority before you pay a government fee.
Government of India — Indian Visa Online (official e-Visa portal)
Government of India — e-Tourist visa fee table by nationality (PDF)
Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. — Revised visa fees for U.S. nationals
Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. — Reduction in e-Tourist visa fees (press release)
About Peninsula Visa
Peninsula Visa is a San Francisco-based immigration and travel documentation services company founded in 1975. With over five decades of experience, Peninsula Visa provides comprehensive visa processing, passport services, OCI applications, Global Entry assistance, apostille authentication, and more to individuals, families, and businesses across the United States. Peninsula Visa is known for its high approval rates, expert guidance, and end-to-end client support.
Government fees, validity periods, and processing times are set by the issuing authorities and change without notice. This guide is general information, not legal advice; confirm current requirements with the official source before you travel.