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India e-Visa Fees Explained: Official Costs vs Markup Scams

The official e-Visa fee varies by visa type and nationality. Here's how the fee actually works, and how to tell a reasonable service charge from a markup scam.

Sunrise over the Ganges ghats at Varanasi

Why this guide

Visa fee questions are where a lot of unofficial sites make their money: by quoting a price that bundles in an undisclosed markup, or by charging well above any reasonable service fee. This page explains the structure of the official fee rather than quoting a number that could go stale. Independent guide, not affiliated with the Government of India.

How the official fee works

  • The fee depends on which e-Visa validity option you choose: 30-day, 1-year, and 5-year e-Tourist Visas are priced differently
  • Fees are also set on a country-wise basis: what you pay can differ from what a traveler of another nationality pays for the same visa type
  • A standard bank transaction charge applies on top of the visa fee itself when you pay online

This page deliberately doesn't quote a specific dollar figure: fee schedules are set by the government and reviewed periodically. Confirm the current fee for your nationality and visa type directly on indianvisaonline.gov.in before paying anything.

Where markup comes from

  • Some third-party sites add a service fee on top of the government charge: sometimes clearly disclosed, sometimes buried in the total
  • Some unauthorized sites charge well beyond any reasonable service markup, or take payment and never deliver a visa at all
  • A site that won't show a breakdown between the government fee and its own service fee is a red flag worth treating seriously: see our guide on spotting fake e-Visa sites

How to confirm you're paying the real fee

  • Start at indianvisaonline.gov.in directly rather than clicking a search ad or sponsored link
  • Check the official country-wise fee page or document for your specific nationality and visa type
  • If a price you're quoted elsewhere is unusually high: or suspiciously low: for what the official schedule shows, stop and double-check the domain before paying

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