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Indian visa from United States

Updated on May 06, 2024 | Online Indian Visa

Indian Visa Requirements For American Citizens

India is a diverse and culturally rich country with many traditions and cultures, which makes it a perfect traveling destination for adventure lovers. That is why more than a million American citizens visit India each year. Obtaining an Indian visa for American citizens is straightforward as it is 100% online. Almost all nationalities require a visa to enter India, and American citizens are no exception. You can apply for an Indian visa from United States, if you want to visit the country.

Requirements And Types Of Visas Available For American Citizens

  • American citizens can apply for the e-visa India
  • The United States was a launching member of India’s online visa program
  • American citizens can enjoy fast entry using the India online visa program
  • Indian e-visa is valid at authorised airports or seaports only
  • Tourist visa for India is available in THREE variants, i.e., 30 days, 1-year, and 5-year visa
  • Business e-visa for India is valid for 12 months from the issuing date
  • American citizens can also apply for Online Medical Visa for India

Essentials to Apply for an Indian visa for American Citizens

American citizens must have a passport valid for SIX months, a debit/credit card, and an active email address to obtain the e-visa for India. You need to submit the following documents and information with the e-visa application form:

  • Full name as mentioned on the passport
  • Place and date of birth
  • Address and contact information
  • Passport details
  • Nationality
  • Colored photograph according to provided guidelines

American citizens also need to provide the following information

  • Profession or occupation
  • Marital status
  • Details of stay, like – Hotel name, address, and name of the places you will visit while in India, etc.
  • Expected ENTRY and EXIT ports
  • Countries visited in the last decade
  • Educational Qualification

The Process that American citizens Need to Follow to File Indian visa Application

An Indian visa from the United States is now available in electronic form since 2019. The online Indian visa application process does not require any paper-based formalities to be completed by American citizens. This procedure is accessible on this website as officially supported by the Indian government under the Indian e-visa regime. India e-visa is an official document permitting entry and travel into the country to American citizens for reasons like tourism, clinical visits, conferences, yoga courses, workshops, humanitarian efforts, treatments, etc. It is simple to procure an Indian visa online, and applicants can pay using US dollars or any of the 135 authorized currencies through debit/credit. Indian E Visas for American citizens are easy to acquire by US nationals.

The visa process is as simple as filling out an online application form that takes a few minutes to finish and following easy to complete the payment process to complete the Indian online visa application form. Once your application is submitted, the officials may ask for additional proofs like your passport copy and face photograph if required. You may provide that in response to the official email or upload it online. To get answers to any queries or questions, you can contact the Indian visa help desk. They can assist you in 47 languages. You can send the required information online by emailing [email protected].

Passports and Photo Requirement for American citizens

To meet the e-visa India requirements, travelers from America must submit a scanned colored copy of the first page of their passports that is valid for at least SIX months. Each applicant must also submit a recent passport-sized colored photo that meets the following requirements.

  • The applicant’s face must be visible with a white background
  • The photo must be focused
  • The applicant’s head must be centered
  • The photograph must show the applicant’s face from the crown to the tip of the chin

Several smaller tributaries meet in the mighty river hence creating a web of streams and rivers making the land of the country fertile for cultivation.

How to Apply For An Indian visa for American Citizens

To apply for an Indian online visa for American citizens, you will need a photograph and travel document to scan the personal details section. You can finish the procedure in the following steps:

  • Step 1: Fill out the visa application
  • Step 2: Fill in all your information and upload your documents, such as a passport-sized photo and scanned passport copy. Our visa expert will be there to guide you to make the task as simple as possible.
  • Step 3: Once you have filled in your details and uploaded your passport-sized photo and passport information, we will process your Indian visa application.

Do American Citizens Require To Visit Indian Embassy At Any Stage In The Process?

When an Indian visa for American Citizens is applied online, there is no requirement to visit the Indian embassy or the consulate at any stage. Once the e-visa is received by email, you are ready to fly to India. You do not have to visit the Indian embassy or consulate for a stamp or confirmation on the travel document. There is no need to visit the Indian embassy in any case. Online visa gets recorded in the central computer system of the Indian government; the immigration officers have complete access to this information from any airport or seaport. Your name and passport number get recorded in the system to felicitate your entry. American citizens must keep a soft copy of the email received on a phone, tablet, or laptop or a printed copy of the document. A stamp is not essential on the travel document for American citizens holding electronic Indian visas.

How to Retrieve Online Indian Travel Visa:

Visa confirmation is always sent via email. Check your spam folder if you haven’t received the email in your inbox. If you have applied for an Indian online visa through our website, you can access the account generated automatically for you after applying for an Indian visa online. All you need to do is sign in and set up a password so you can access your account. You can also reset the password if required.

Do American citizens Require Courier Passports/Documents/Photographs to the Indian Consulate?

American citizens do not need to courier any supporting or additional documents to obtain an Indian e-visa. American citizens can provide the evidence and documents by email in response to queries by an immigration officer or Indian government regarding an Indian visa application or upload documents on this website. The link to upload the required documents will be sent to the applicant’s email address provided at the time of filling Indian visa online application. American citizens can also contact directly to India e-visa help desk.

What Kinds Of Support Can American Citizens Get For Filing Indian E-Visa?

One significant advantage of applying Indian e-visa through this website is that American citizens can provide us with the required documents by email, or they can upload their necessary Indian visa application documents on the portal. Additionally, you can email your documents to our friendly customer support staff in any file format, such as – PNG, GIF, JPEG, JPG, AI, SVG, and many more, saving you the time and hassle of file conversion or compression. This portal is ideal for customers who are not tech-savvy. Rejection due to a blurry photograph or scanned copy of any document can result in a physical visit to the Indian embassy. If the immigration officer requires additional documents, you can click on the following link - Indian visa document requirements. To learn more about Indian visa Photograph requirements and Indian visa Passport Requirements, you can click on provided links.

You can take a photo of your face and the biographical page of your passport with the help of a mobile phone or a camera and email it or upload it on the website.

Is it Possible to Apply for a business visit To India on American Passport?

Indian visa from the United States can be applied for tourism, medical and business purposes under the Indian government policy of Indian visa online. Business journey to India by American citizens can be for any of the reasons described in detail in the following link - Business e-visa for India. If you want to learn more about business visas for American citizens, click on the link.

How Long Does the Indian Government Take to Approve American Application?

American citizens who have completed the Indian visa application form online and followed the instructions wisely, provided the required information or documents, such as their first name, surname, date of birth, scanned copy of their passport, photograph, etc., can expect the decision on their application in 3-4 business days. In a few cases, it could take up to SEVEN business days depending on the correctness of the data provided in the Indian visa application. It is imperative to account for the public holiday scheduled in India at the time of application.

How Long American citizens can Stay in India?

Duration of stay depends entirely upon the visa type you choose to apply:

  • 30-Day Visa: It is a double-entry visa that can be used within 30 days of issuing date. Although it is a double-entry visa, a second entry will be granted within the e-visa validity period. One can stay in India only for 30 days with this visa type.
  • ONE and FIVE-Year Visas: These visa types allow multiple entries to American citizens and let them stay for 180 days during each visit.

All THREE visa types should be used within FOUR months of the Issue date. The 1-year visa is valid for ONE year after issuing date, and the 5-year Visa is valid for FIVE years after the issuing date. This information will be printed on your electronic visa document. If you end up overstaying in India, it can land you in potentially serious legal trouble. So make sure to leave the country within described frame of time.

Advantages of Indian visa Online for American citizens:

The Advantages of an Indian visa online received electronically are as follows:

  • Depending upon the type of Visa applied, American citizens can obtain an Indian visa online for up to FIVE years of validity.
  • Indian e-Visa allows American citizens to enter the country multiple times.
  • American citizens can use an Indian E-Visa for 180 days of continuous and uninterrupted stay in India.
  • It is a special privilege for a handful of nationalities like American citizens. For other nationals maximum duration of stay in India is 90 Days. Indian visa online allows you to enter India through authorised airports and seaports.
  • The Indian e-visa permits holder to travel in all states and union territories of India
  • Indian E-Visa is for tourism, business, and medical visits

What are the Limitations of the Indian E-Visa for American citizens?

There are a few limitations of the Indian e-visa, which are as follows:

American citizens cannot pursue filmmaking, journalism, degree or diploma programs, or work on e-visa in India. In addition to this, an online Indian visa does not let US residents visit military or cantonment areas. In such a case, special permission is required from the Indian government to enter these protected areas.

Things and Guidelines to Consider

The guidance provided on this website about Indian E-Visa is enough for American citizens; however, additional tips will be helpful to avoid the embarrassment of rejection or denial to enter India.

  1. Try not to Over Stay: You should know that you must respect the laws of the nation you are visiting. There is a fine of 300 dollars for overstaying. Also, a 500 dollars fine can be imposed for overstaying for two years. The Indian government can take legal action if a visa holder overstays in India. You may also impact your reputation for future travel and make it difficult to obtain visas for different nations by overstaying in India.
  2. Take a printout of the Indian E-Visa received by Email: While it is not necessary to have a print copy of the Indian visa online for American citizens, it is secure to do so because your mobile phone, which has the email confirmation of visa, might get damaged or the battery may get depleted, and you will be unable to provide proof of electronic Indian E-Visa. A paper printout goes about as additional verification.
  3. Ensure your Passport has TWO Blank Pages: The government of India never approaches American citizens for visa stamps on their physical passports. And they request a scanned copy of the first page during the e-visa India application process. So the Indian government is unaware of blank pages in your passport. You must have TWO Blank or empty pages so the immigration officials can append sanctions and leave stamps on your arrival and departure at the airport.
  4. Ensure the Passport is Valid for SIX Months: your travel document, which in most cases is an ordinary passport must be legitimate for six months from the date of application.

What to Do After Receiving an Indian Online Visa by Email?

Once the electronic visa is approved, you will be informed through email. You will find a PDF attachment with the email, which you can carry to the airport or seaport. You can also take a printout of the visa document to be on the safer side.


Citizens of many countries including United States, France, Denmark, Germany, Spain, Italy are eligible for India e-Visa(Indian Visa Online). You can apply for the Indian e-Visa Online Application right here.

Should you have any doubts or require assistance for your trip to India or India e-Visa,contact Indian Visa Help Desk for support and guidance.