Indian e-Tourist Visas: What You Need to Know 2025

India is quite unlike any other country. It is a popular tourist destination with a diverse landscape, ancient history, and rich culture. Usually, citizens of most countries require a valid visa to travel to India. Thanks to its favorable e-Visa scheme, it's easy to obtain an Indian e-Tourist Visa. Here is an easy-to-understand guide with frequently asked questions to tell you what you may need to know about the Indian e-Tourist Visa.

What Is an Indian e-Tourist Visa?

The India e-Tourist Visa is an Electronic Travel Authorization, known as ETA, which requires one to submit an online visa application followed by its approval before entering India. On arrival, travelers get a visa stamp for entry into the country. It is one of 5 sub-categories under the e-Visa scheme, along with e-Business Visa, e-Medical Visa, e-Medical Attendant Visa, and e-Conference Visa.

How Many Types of Indian e-Tourist Visa Available?

There are 3 types of e-Tourist Visas available, with a validity period of 30 days, one year, and five years.
1). 30-day e-Tourist Visa
Duration: One month (30 Days) from the date of arrival
No. of Entries: Double
2). One-year e-Tourist Visa
Duration: One year (365 Days) from the date of grant of ETA.
No. of Entries: Multiple
3). Five-year e-Tourist Visa
Duration: Five years from the date of grant of ETA.
No. of Entries: Multiple
Note:
1). All the 3 types of e-Tourist Visa are non-extendable and non-convertible.
2). The one-year and five-year e-Tourist Visas allow multiple entries but are subject to limitations on the length of continuous stay. Citizens of America, United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan can enjoy a continuous stay during each visit no more than 180 days; while for other eligible countries, continuous stay during each visit shall not exceed 90 days.

Latest updates about India e-Tourist Visas (November 2024)

To help make Indian e-Tourist Visas more friendly for travelers, the government has introduced 30-day e-Tourist Visas and five-year e-Tourist Visas. Besides, the charge for the existing one-year e-Tourist Visa has been reduced. For most countries, the visa fees for the 3 types of e-Tourist Visa go as follows:

1). For 30-day e-Tourist Visas, $25 will be charged during the period of July to March, and a special rate of $10 will be applicable for April to June months.

2). The fee for the one-year e-Tourist Visa is $40;

3). A five-year e-Tourist Visa will cost $80.

e-Visa Counter at Gandhi Airport of Delhi

Which Countries Are Eligible for Indian e-Tourist Visas?

Under the e-Visa scheme, citizens from over 171 countries/territories are now able to apply for an Indian e-Tourist Visa before arriving in India, including America, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, etc.

More FAQs on Indian e-Tourist Visa

1. How Much Does an Indian e-Tourist Visa Cost?

The visa fee is country/territory specific on a reciprocal basis, and also depends upon the type of the visa applied for. Most eligible countries, including America, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, and New Zealand, pay the same fees for e-Tourist Visas: $25 for a 30-day visa, $40 for a one-year, and $80 for a five-year visa. The fees are only for your reference, and you can check the official website to find more information.

Note:

1). Apart from the visa fee, a bank charge of 2.5% will be charged additionally on the applicable e-Tourist Visa fee.

2). When applying for an e-Tourist Visa, the fee must be paid at least 4 days before the expected date of arrival otherwise the application will not be processed.

2. How Early Can I Apply for the Indian e-Tourist Visa?

Applicants of eligible countries may apply for an e-Tourist Visa online a minimum of 4 days in advance of the date of arrival. Your Expected Date of Arrival is required on the application form, and the window period for arrival depends on the type of the e-Tourist Visa applied for (30 days for one-month e-Tourist Visas; 120 days for one-year e-Tourist Visas and five-year e-Tourist Visas).

Example: if you are applying on October 1st, 2024 then you can select your arrival date between October 5th - 30th, 2024 for a 30-day e-Tourist Visa; as for a one-year e-Tourist Visa and a five-year e-Tourist Visa, the arrival date is from October 5th, 2024 to January 28, 2025.

3. Where and How to Apply for an Indian e-Tourist Visa?

Application must be made online at the official Indian e-Visa website (Web Address: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html). To apply for an e-Tourist Visa, the application process is as follows:

1). Visit the website and fill in all the required fields in the e-Visa application form.

2). Upload the required documents, including one recent front-facing colored photograph (dimensions 2in × 2in; size less than 1 MB) in JPEG format and one scanned PDF file (max size: 300 KB) of the passport's photo page containing personal particulars.

3). Pay the visa fee online with your debit card or credit card; and, an additional banking charge of 2.5% of the visa fee is also applicable. (Note: your application will not be submitted without fee payment.)

Please keep in mind that your passport will need to be valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival in India, and there should be at least 2 blank pages for stamping by the Immigration Officer.

4. How Long Does It Take to Get an Indian e-Tourist Visa?

After you complete the whole online application, normally it will take 3 working days for processing (however, despite that, it is not advisable to apply in a hurry, since there is a window for application of 30 or 120 days). Once approved, Electronic Travel Authorization/ETA will be sent to your email. The status of your application can be checked there. Please make sure it shows "Granted". Also, you can check your visa status at the official application website.

5. Which Indian Entry Points Accept e-Tourist Visas?

The Indian e-Tourist Visa is valid for entry into India only through the designated 31 international airports and 6 major Indian seaports.

31 designated airports: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Calicut, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa(Dabolim), Goa(Mopa), Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kannur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Port Blair, Pune, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum, Varanasi, and Vishakhapatnam.

6 designated seaports: Chennai, Cochin, Goa, Mangalore, Mumbai, and Port Blair.

As for exit points, travelers holding e-Tourist Visas will be allowed to exit from any of 104 authorized immigration checkpoints (airports, seaports, and land ports) in India.

Recommended Tour Itinerary

Classic Rajasthan Tour 12 DAYS Explore This Tour

India Golden Triangle & Goa Beach Vacation 10 DAYS Explore This Tour

6. What Is the On-Arrival Procedure?

You will need to have a printout of the ETA with you when you arrive in India, and present it at the immigration counter at the airport or seaport. An immigration officer will stamp your passport with your e-Visa for entry into India.

In addition, biometric details of the applicant will also be captured at this time.

7. Do I Need to Have a 2-Month Gap Between Visits to India on a Tourist Visa?

The 2-month gap rule previously applied, but was removed for citizens of most countries in late November 2012. Travelers on Indian tourist visas are no longer required to have a gap of at least 2 months between two separate visits to India, except for citizens of some Asian countries (Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, and Sudan).

8. How Often Can I Get an e-Tourist Visa?

You can apply as often as you want. The limit on the number of times in a calendar year has been removed.

9. Can I Apply for a Regular Tourist Visa to India?

For sure, you can choose to obtain a tourist visa through the regular visa application process, which goes as below:

1). Get access to the official application website for a regular visa, fill out and submit the regular visa application form online;

2). Print the completed application form, then sign and submit it along with supporting documents and passport at the concerned India Visa Application Center (IVAC) or directly at the Indian Mission on the scheduled date of the interview. (Note: no handwritten application form will be accepted since the online visa facility has been implemented.)

3). Collect your passport/visa from the Indian Mission or Visa Application Center or by post.

A regular tourist visa by Indian Mission/Post, requires a minimum of 3 working days for visa processing. Also, you can check the visa status online. The visa fees vary based on the reciprocal relationship between India and each country.

Contact Odynovo to Plan Your India Tour

For tourism purposes, we suggest you consider an e-Tourist Visa in place of a regular tourist visa, as the application process is more convenient and the visa fee is lower. What's more, double or multiple entries allow you to combine an India tour with side trips to a neighboring country such as Nepal, Bhutan, or Sri Lanka. Now's the time to plan your dream trip to the amazing Indian subcontinent, contact us or write to [email protected], and we'll offer tailor-made service.