Visa Requirements
Do American citizens need a visa for India?
Official Requirement
e-Visa required
for United States citizens travelling to India
India's e-Visa system covers nationals of over 190 countries across categories including tourism, business, medical, and student purposes. Applicants must hold a passport valid for at least six months and apply online before travel.
Checked 8 September 2026
We are not a government authority. Requirements change without notice. Always verify with the official consulate link before travel.
Taj Mahal, Agra
The short answer
American citizens need an eVisa to enter India. An eVisa has to be applied for and approved online before travelling to India. Processing takes apply a minimum of four days in advance of the date of arrival. A notice to re-upload a document normally arrives within 24 hours. The fee is country specific. Bank transaction charges of 3 per cent are added. Passport validity: passport should have at least six months validity at the time of making the application for an e-Visa. Bring a recent front-facing photograph with a white background and the photo page of your passport. Conditions: maximum stay in India during one calendar year should not exceed 180 days on the one-year and five-year tourist visas. Entry is permitted through designated airports and seaports only. This was last checked on 8 September 2026.
At a glance
Key facts for American citizens visiting India
- Requirement
- e-Visa required
- Passport validity
- Passport should have at least six months validity at the time of making the application for an e-Visa.
- Fee
- Country specific. Bank transaction charges of 3 per cent are added.
- Processing time
- Apply a minimum of four days in advance of the date of arrival. A notice to re-upload a document normally arrives within 24 hours.
- Documents
- A recent front-facing photograph with a white background
- The photo page of your passport
- Conditions
- Maximum stay in India during one calendar year should not exceed 180 days on the one-year and five-year tourist visas. Entry is permitted through designated airports and seaports only.
- Official source
- Official source for this route →
Step by step
How American citizens enter India
Check your passport has at least six months validity at the time you apply.
Apply online a minimum of four days in advance of your date of arrival.
Upload a recent front-facing photograph with a white background and the photo page of your passport.
Pay the fee for your nationality. Bank transaction charges of 3 per cent are added.
Arrive through one of the designated airports or seaports.
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Avoid Some Regions
UK FCDO: The FCDO advises against all travel to within 10km of the India to Pakistan border and to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, with limited exceptions for air travel to and within Jammu city, and against all but essential travel to Manipur. The rest of the country carries no advisory against travel.
Updated 2026-08-22 23:56:56
Practical Info
Travel Essentials
Apply for your India eVisa
Official eVisa application — processed in minutes with instant confirmation.
Questions
What American citizens ask about entering India
Yes. An e-Visa is applied for and approved online before travelling. It is issued by the Indian government through its official e-Visa portal.
A minimum of four days in advance of the date of arrival. If a document needs re-uploading, that notice normally arrives within 24 hours.
The passport should have at least six months validity at the time the e-Visa application is made, not at the time of travel.
On the one-year and five-year tourist visas, the maximum stay during one calendar year should not exceed 180 days. Entry is permitted through designated airports and seaports only.
Changes to this route
No changes recorded since the first check on 8 September 2026.
Full change history for this route →