India Extends Tourist e-Visa Application Window to 120 Days for Travellers

If you are planning a trip to India, there is some good news that makes life a little simpler.

Until now, the 30-day tourist e-Visa came with a tight rule. You could apply only within 30 days of arriving. That made early trip planning tricky, especially if flights or accommodation were booked months ahead.

That rule has now changed.

Longer time to apply for the India e‑Visa

From December 18, the Indian e-Visa system allows travellers to choose an arrival date up to 120 days ahead. In simple terms, you can apply as early as four months before your trip.

Nothing else about the visa has changed. It is still the same 30-day tourist e-Visa, with the same stay conditions. The only difference is timing.

One important detail: this applies only to e-Visas approved from that date onward. Older approvals are not covered.

For travellers who like to plan early, this is a big relief.

What If You Want to Stay Longer?

If 30 days feels too short, the one-year tourist e-Visa is still available. It allows stays of up to 90 days at a time and can also be applied for within the same 120-day window.

This option suits slow travellers, those with long holidays, or individuals visiting family for extended periods.

India Adds Its First Land Border Entry for e-Visa Holders

Another quiet but important update involves how you enter the country.

Earlier, e-Visa holders could make their first entry only by air or sea. That meant arriving through one of the approved international airports or seaports.

Now, India has added its first land border crossing to the list: Raxaul, on the India–Nepal border.

This is especially useful for travellers moving around South Asia who plan to enter India overland from Nepal. It removes the need to apply for a traditional visa just for a land crossing.

Approved Entry Points for India e-Visa

As of now, e-Visa holders can enter India through:

International Airports

• Ahmedabad
• Amritsar
• Bagdogra
• Bengaluru
• Bhubaneswar
• Calicut
• Chandigarh
• Chennai
• Cochin
• Coimbatore
• Delhi
• Gaya
• Goa (Dabolim)
• Goa (Mopa)
• Guwahati
• Hyderabad
• Indore
• Jaipur
• Kannur
• Kolkata
• Lucknow
• Madurai
• Mangalore
• Mumbai
• Nagpur
• Port Blair
• Pune
• Surat
• Thiruvananthapuram
• Trichy
• Varanasi
• Visakhapatnam

Seaports

• Chennai
• Cochin
• Goa
• Mangalore
• Mumbai
• Port Blair

Land Border

Once you make your first entry using the e-Visa and get the entry stamp, you can exit and re-enter through any Integrated Check Post across the country.

India Keeps Expanding Its Online Visa Options

India has been steadily adding more visa categories to its e-Visa system. Before 2025, the main e‑Visa types were:

• e‑Tourist Visa
• e‑Business Visa
• e‑Conference Visa
• e‑Medical Visa
• e‑Medical Attendant Visa
• e‑Ayush Visa
• e‑Ayush Attendant Visa

In January 2025, two education‑related options were added:

• e‑Student Visa
• e‑Student Dependent Visa

Recently, several new, more specialised e‑Visas have launched in:

• e‑Transit Visa
• e‑Mountaineering Visa
• e‑Film Visa
• e‑Entry Visa
• e‑Production Investment Visa

These extra categories show how India is trying to move more immigration services online and to cover many different reasons for travel. That now includes transit, adventure trips, study, film and media work, and investment‑related visits.

India Revises e-Visa Fees for Longer Stays

India also updated its e-Visa fee structure, increasing costs for one-year business visas and five-year tourist visas. Short-term tourist and medical e-Visas remain unchanged, but travellers planning longer or business stays should expect higher fees.

• One-year e-Business Visa fees have increased for many nationalities
• Five-year e-Tourist Visa now costs significantly more
• 30-day and 1-year tourist e-Visas remain unchanged
• Fees vary by nationality based on reciprocity agreements

New Digital Arrival Card

In addition to the recent changes to the e-visa system, India has also introduced a digital arrival form called the e-Arrival Card.

From October 7, 2025, travellers can fill in their arrival details online up to 72 hours before landing. The goal is simple: less paperwork and faster processing at the border.

For now, the paper arrival card will stay in use during a transition period. The digital form does not replace a visa. It is only an arrival declaration, not permission to enter.

What This Really Means for Travellers

Put together, these changes make India a little easier to plan and a little easier to enter.

You can apply earlier, enter by land from Nepal if needed, and choose from a growing list of online visa types. It is not flashy, but for regular travellers, these small changes matter.