Deep breath. Here's the answer.

For short tourist trips to India, US passport holders must obtain a visa. An e-Tourist visa is an available option, but it's crucial to understand its limitations regarding entry points and validity. A traditional physical visa is also an option.

Key facts

For United States passport holders, tourism or short business trips.

You may need a visa if…

• Travelers must enter with a visa in their passport or an e-Tourist visa.
• E-Tourist visas are only permitted for entry at certain international airports and seaports.
• India issues visas with dates in DD/MM/YY format, be aware of this convention.
• Possessing a satellite phone or GPS device is illegal and can result in severe penalties.
• Violations of Indian immigration laws are taken very seriously and can lead to imprisonment, fines, or denial of entry.
• The e-Arrival Card is separate from the visa and can be submitted within 72 hours before arrival.
• Indian Visa Online lists a return/onward ticket and sufficient funds as eVisa conditions.
• US State Department: Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, due to crime and terrorism. Do Not Travel to Jammu and Kashmir (except eastern Ladakh and Leh), the India–Pakistan border, Manipur, and the specified central/eastern Maoist-affected areas from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal, including affected rural border districts and southwest Odisha. Reconsider travel to the northeastern states; State notes no recent violence in Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim or Tripura. Check State's detailed regional descriptions. Its prior-permission rules for US government employees are staff restrictions, not blanket tourist permission rules.
• The State page's advice on eVisa land entry is internally inconsistent: its India–Nepal warning says no land entry with eVisas, while its general eVisa paragraph mentions selected land crossings. Confirm the specific route with Indian Immigration; do not assume a land crossing accepts your eVisa.

Before you travel

• ✓Obtain a valid visa (physical or e-Tourist visa) before travel.
• ✓Ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months past the date of visa application.
• ✓Ensure your passport has 2 blank pages for visa stamps.
• ✓Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
• ✓Review the India Country Security Report from OSAC.
• ✓Check CDC for latest travel health information.
• ✓Submit the electronic e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before arrival through Indian Visa Online or the official app. It provides arrival information and does not replace a visa. The US State page mentions a paper-card transition ending in March 2026; do not assume paper remains an accepted alternative now.
• ✓For an eVisa trip, carry the required return/onward ticket and evidence of sufficient funds.
• ✓Check all regional warnings, including State's Jammu and Kashmir exception for eastern Ladakh and Leh.

Common questions