India e-Visa & Entry Requirements (2026)
Nearly all foreign visitors need a visa for India — coverage runs from the US and EU to the Gulf states, South Africa, Brazil, and most of Southeast Asia, all via the same online e-Tourist Visa. China is the major exception: no e-Visa, only a regular visa through an embassy. The e-Tourist Visa comes in 30-day, 1-year, and 5-year options, costing roughly $10–80. Apply online 4–120 days ahead, on India's official e-Visa site only.
India's visa process has a reputation for being complicated, and it's more involved than a lot of destinations — but it's genuinely manageable once you know the actual steps. Here's the real breakdown: who's eligible, what it costs, and the checklist that keeps your application from getting bounced back.
Last checked 15 July 2026 directly against India's own official sources — the official Indian e-Visa portal (eligibility by nationality, visa types, and current fees), the Ministry of Home Affairs e-Visa page (policy changes, like the August 2026 eligibility expansion), and the official e-Arrival Card portal (the newly mandatory pre-arrival digital form) — not just this page's own history. India's rules genuinely do move with real deadlines attached (the August 2026 nationality expansion, the April 2026 e-Arrival Card rollout), so we re-verify against those three sources every few weeks rather than trusting our own last edit. Worth knowing too: Indian missions abroad have repeatedly issued advisories about look-alike third-party "India e-visa" sites that charge inflated fees for what the real government portal does directly — always start at indianvisaonline.gov.in itself, not a search-ad link. Spotted something that's changed since? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.
Do you need a visa? Yes — almost everyone does
Unlike many popular destinations, India does not offer broad visa-free entry to Western passport holders. Citizens of roughly 165+ countries and territories are eligible for the e-Tourist Visa, applied for entirely online before departure, and that list keeps growing — another 25 nationalities (mostly in Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe) join from 15 August 2026. Eligibility isn't uniform across the board, though: China is the one major, long-running exception, and a handful of other nationalities still need a regular visa via an Indian embassy or consulate instead — check the official eligibility list for your specific passport before assuming either way.
| Passport | Typical route | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United States, Canada | e-Tourist Visa (online) | Apply at least 4 days ahead; approval usually arrives within a few business days. |
| United Kingdom | e-Tourist Visa (online) | Same process and pricing tier as US/Canada. |
| EU / Schengen countries | e-Tourist Visa (online) | Covered under the same e-Visa scheme; fees vary slightly by specific country. |
| Australia, New Zealand | e-Tourist Visa (online) | Same process as above. |
| China | Regular visa via an Indian mission — no e-Visa | India suspended e-Visas for Chinese passport holders in 2020 and, as of mid-2026, still hasn't reinstated them. Regular tourist visas (typically 3-month single entry) resumed in July 2025 after a five-year freeze, but you'll need to apply in person, not online. |
| Gulf states (UAE, Saudi Arabia) | e-Tourist Visa (online) | Fully eligible — same online process and fee tiers as Western passports. |
| South Africa | e-Tourist Visa (online) | Eligible for the e-Visa; approval typically comes back within about 72 hours. |
| Brazil | e-Tourist Visa (online) | Long-standing e-Visa eligibility, same standard process and fees. |
| Other Latin America (Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, etc.) | Paper visa now; e-Visa from 15 Aug 2026 | Several Latin American nationalities are newly added to the e-Visa scheme starting 15 August 2026 — before that date, apply the traditional way at an Indian mission. |
| Philippines, Malaysia | e-Tourist Visa (online) — fee waived | Both currently get a free 30-day e-Tourist Visa promotion: Philippines through 31 July 2026, Malaysia through 31 December 2026 — check the official portal since these deals are date-limited. |
| Indonesia | e-Tourist Visa (online) | Eligible under the standard e-Visa scheme; normal fee tiers apply. |
| Other nationalities | Check the official eligibility list | e-Visa coverage now runs to roughly 190 countries and territories once the August 2026 expansion lands; a small number (notably Pakistan) are excluded entirely and must apply for a regular visa in person. |
e-Visa types and cost
| e-Visa type | Validity | Typical fee (most nationalities) |
|---|---|---|
| 30-day e-Tourist Visa | Double entry, 30 days from arrival | ~$10–25 |
| 1-year e-Tourist Visa | Multiple entry, 1 year | ~$40 |
| 5-year e-Tourist Visa | Multiple entry, 5 years | ~$80 |
Fees vary by nationality and change periodically — always check the exact current fee for your passport on India's official e-Visa portal rather than relying on a fixed figure. A roughly 2.5% bank/processing charge applies on top of the listed fee. Only use the official government site (indianvisaonline.gov.in) — a number of unofficial third-party sites charge a hefty markup for the same free-to-apply-yourself process.
How and when to apply
Apply online through the official portal, uploading a recent passport-style photo and a scan of your passport's bio page. You can apply as early as 120 days before arrival and as late as 4 days before — most approvals come back within a few business days, but leave a comfortable buffer rather than applying right before you fly.
Entry requirements checklist
- Passport valid for at least 6 months from your date of arrival, with at least 2 blank pages.
- Printed or digital copy of your approved e-Visa to show at check-in and on arrival.
- Proof of onward or return travel and sufficient funds, occasionally requested by immigration officers.
- A valid international certificate of yellow fever vaccination, required only if you're arriving from (or have transited through) a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission.
Airports and seaports where the e-Visa is valid
The e-Visa is valid for entry only through a specific list of around 30 designated international airports (including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, and Goa) and a handful of designated seaports — check that your specific arrival point is on the current list, especially if you're flying into a smaller regional airport.
Overstaying and extensions
Overstaying an e-Visa is taken seriously and can result in fines, difficulty with future visa applications, or worse for extended overstays — it's genuinely not worth risking. If your plans change, apply for an extension or a fresh visa well before your current one expires, through the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) if needed.
The e-Arrival Card — the other mandatory step, separate from your e-Visa
Since 1 April 2026, every foreign visitor — including OCI cardholders — must also complete a free e-Arrival Card online before landing, submitted through the same official government channels (the e-Arrival Card portal, boi.gov.in, or the Su-Swagatam app). It replaced the old paper arrival card entirely — paper is no longer accepted at any airport. You'll need your passport details, flight number, arrival date and airport, your first night's accommodation address in India, and an emergency contact; the confirmation comes back as a QR code to show at check-in and immigration.
| e-Arrival Card detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Submission window | Between 72 hours and 24 hours before your scheduled arrival — too early or too late can trigger a rejection or a verification delay |
| Cost | Free, on the official government portals only — no legitimate third-party site charges for this |
| Who's exempt | Only Indian citizens traveling on an Indian passport; OCI cardholders and every other foreign nationality must complete it |
| What you need at immigration | The QR code confirmation (digital or printed), alongside your passport and valid e-Visa/visa/OCI card |
Submit the e-Arrival Card in that specific 72-to-24-hour window before arrival, not further ahead 'just to get it done' — submitting too early is one of the more common new mistakes since the April 2026 rollout, and it can cause exactly the delay you were trying to avoid by filling it out early.