30-day India e-visas

This item appears on page 4 of the February 2015 issue.

India’s electronic visa program now includes the US, for a total of 45 countries.

To apply for a 30-day Indian visa online, go to https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html and complete the application on the website. The cost is $60. You also must email a front-facing photo and a scan of the first page of your passport. 

Within 72 hours you will receive an email letting you know whether or not your visa has been approved. If it has, print the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) included in the email to present at Immigration upon your arrival in India. 

You may apply for the ETA no more than one month before the date of arrival, and the processing time is three business days. Visas procured this way are good for 30 days (nonextendable) from arrival date and are single entry only. 

If you plan to travel from India to a neighboring country, you cannot return to India with your ETA without first reapplying. Only two electronic visas may be applied for within a year.

The types of travel permitted under India’s ETA program include leisure travel, visiting friends and medical travel.