There are two separate routes into an Indian visa from the United States, and they do not overlap. The e-Visa is applied for entirely online on the government portal, and consulates play no part in it at all. Everything else — the paper visa stamped in the passport — goes through VFS Global to the mission covering your address.
Quick facts
Only the official government portal issues e-Visas. Missions warn repeatedly about lookalike sites that charge a fee for a form you can complete yourself.
Fees breakdown
| Visa | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| e-Tourist visa, 30 days | $10–$25 | Depends on nationality and season |
| e-Tourist visa, 1 year | $40 | Flat fee |
| e-Tourist visa, 5 years | $80 | Flat fee |
| Regular tourist visa for U.S. citizens, 10 years | $160 | Stamped in the passport |
| Indian Community Welfare Fund | $3 | On visa applications |
| VFS service charge and courier | $15–$25 plus courier | Charged separately |
The passport must be valid for at least six months from arrival and carry two blank pages for the immigration stamp.
How to apply
- Decide which route fits. Short leisure or business trips are usually cheaper and faster on the e-Visa.
- For an e-Visa, apply on the government portal, upload the photograph and passport page, pay and wait for the authorisation by email.
- For a paper visa, complete the online application, print it and follow the VFS checklist for your jurisdiction.
- Book a VFS appointment or send the package by post where that is offered.
- Pay the visa fee, the welfare fund contribution and the service charge.
- Collect the passport with the visa, or receive it by courier.
Required documents
- Passport valid six months beyond arrival, with two blank pages.
- Printed application with photograph pasted or uploaded to the Indian specification.
- Proof of lawful U.S. status for applicants who are not U.S. citizens.
- Proof of address within the jurisdiction you are applying to.
- Supporting documents by category: invitation letter, business letter, admission letter or medical documents.
- Former Indian nationals: the renunciation or surrender certificate for the Indian passport.
Where to apply
Paper visas go to the mission covering your state, through its paired VFS centre. e-Visas go nowhere near a consulate.
Consulate General of India
View details →HoustonConsulate General Of India
View details →New YorkConsulate General of India, New York
View details →New YorkPermanent Mission of India
View details →San FranciscoConsulate General of India
View details →Sandy SpringsConsulate General of India
View details →WashingtonEmbassy of India
View details →Additional notes
Travel on the right passport
Enter India on the passport used for the e-Visa application. If you have since been issued a new one, carry both.
OCI holders do not need a visa
An Overseas Citizen of India card works as a lifelong multiple-entry visa, so cardholders should not be applying for tourist visas at all.
Former Indian citizens
Anyone who held an Indian passport and later naturalised abroad must surrender it and obtain the certificate before any visa or card application will be processed.
Categories not available online
Employment, research, journalist and long-term student categories are paper visas, with heavier documentation and longer timelines.