Australian passport holders travelling to India need an India e-Visa (Electronic Travel Authorisation), applied for online at the official Government of India portal, indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa. The e-Tourist Visa comes in 30-day, 1-year and 5-year options, applications open from a minimum of four days before arrival, and the approved ETA is emailed to you to print and carry. In 2026 the visa is only the first of three things you need — we cover the two extra steps most travellers miss below.
Do Australian citizens need a visa for India?
Yes. There is no visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to India for ordinary Australian passport holders. For tourism, visiting family, or short business trips, the simplest route is the India e-Visa — a fully online application with no embassy or consulate visit required for short-term travel. Diplomatic and official passports are not eligible for the e-Visa and must apply for a regular (paper) visa instead.
Which India e-Visa do I need?
The e-Visa has five sub-categories. For most of our travellers it’s the e-Tourist Visa (visiting family, holidays, weddings) or the e-Business Visa.
| e-Visa type | Best for | Validity options |
|---|---|---|
| e-Tourist | Holidays, weddings, visiting friends & relatives, yoga/short courses | 30 days, 1 year or 5 years |
| e-Business | Meetings, trade, business visits | 1 year, multiple entry |
| e-Medical | Medical treatment in India | 60 days, up to triple entry |
| e-Medical Attendant | Accompanying a medical-visa patient (max 2 per patient) | Tied to the e-Medical visa |
| e-Conference | Attending a conference/seminar in India | 30 days |
On the 1-year and 5-year e-Tourist visas, your stay is capped — continuous stay per visit and total days per calendar year are limited (commonly up to 90 days per visit and 180 days per year). Confirm the exact limit for your category on the official portal before you book a long trip.
What are the document requirements?
Getting these right the first time is the single biggest factor in a fast, clean approval. You’ll need:
Passport
- Australian passport valid for at least 6 months from your date of arrival in India
- At least 2 blank pages for stamps
- Ordinary passport only (not diplomatic/official); undamaged and unaltered
Photograph (uploaded online)
- Recent, front-facing, plain white background
- Face should fill roughly 50–60% of the frame, no glasses, even lighting, no shadows
- JPEG format, file size between 10 KB and 1 MB
Passport bio page scan
- Clear scan of the photo/details page, all text legible
- PDF preferred, file size between 10 KB and 300 KB
✓ Insider tip from our consultants
The most common cause of delay we see is a non-compliant photo or a passport-number typo. Use a scanner (not a phone photo) for the bio page, double-check that the passport number you type matches the document exactly, and confirm your passport won’t expire within six months of arrival.
How do I apply on the official portal?
- Go to the official portal: indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html and choose your e-Visa type.
- The system generates an Application ID — save it; you’ll need it to track status and re-upload documents if asked.
- Enter your personal details, passport information and travel plans (name must match the passport exactly).
- Upload your photograph and passport bio page to the specifications above.
- Pay the e-Visa fee online (a small bank transaction charge applies). The fee must be paid at least four days before your expected travel date or the application won’t be processed.
- Wait for the ETA by email, then print it and carry the printout with you.
Biometric details are captured at immigration when you arrive. The e-Visa is non-extendable, non-convertible, valid only at designated airports and seaports, and not valid for Protected, Restricted or Cantonment areas.
How much does the India e-Visa cost?
The e-Visa fee depends on your visa category and the time of year, and the Government of India revises it periodically — so rather than quote a figure that could be out of date by the time you read this, we send you to the live fee on the official portal. Two things that don’t change:
- A bank transaction charge of 2.5% is added to the visa fee.
- The fee is non-refundable — it pays for processing the application, whether the ETA is granted or refused. So get the documents right before you pay.
⚠ Use only the official portal — beware fake “visa” sites
Indian consulates specifically warn travellers about fraudulent websites that imitate the official e-Visa service and charge inflated fees. The Government of India has not authorised any agent or intermediary to charge “emergency” or “express” e-Visa fees. The only official portal is indianvisaonline.gov.in. If you’d rather not navigate it yourself, Mann Travel can guide you through the official process — never a copycat site.
How long does the India e-Visa take?
Most e-Visa applications are processed within about 3–5 business days, and the official guidance is to apply a minimum of four days before travel. Our standing advice: apply 7+ days ahead wherever possible. It costs nothing to apply early, and it gives you a buffer if you’re asked to re-upload a document. For e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visas you can apply within a 120-day window before arrival.
The two steps most travellers miss in 2026
Your e-Visa is necessary but, in 2026, no longer sufficient on its own. Two additional online forms now sit alongside it:
| Step | What it is | Official site | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| e-Arrival Card | Digital replacement for the old paper disembarkation card — live since 1 April 2026 (not a visa) | indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival | Within 72 hrs before arrival |
| Air Suvidha 2.0 | Temporary health self-declaration (Ebola screening), reactivated 25 June 2026 — applies to everyone | airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in | Within 24 hrs before arrival |
Both are free and quick, and both are easy to confuse with each other and with the visa — even AI travel assistants get this wrong. We’ve written a plain-English breakdown here: Air Suvidha 2.0: India’s mandatory health form (2026 guide).
Common reasons India e-Visa applications get delayed or refused
- Photo non-compliance — wrong background, face too small, glasses, shadows, or wrong file size
- Passport mismatch — name or passport number entered differently from the document
- Insufficient passport validity — under six months from arrival, or fewer than two blank pages
- Wrong visa category — e.g. applying for tourist when the trip is business
- Applying too late — fee not paid at least four days before travel
If an application is refused, you’re notified by email with the reason, and the fee is not refunded — which is exactly why a pre-submission check pays for itself.
India e-Visa for Australians — key facts
| Who needs it | All ordinary Australian passport holders |
|---|---|
| Apply at | indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa (Official website only) |
| Tourist options | 30-day, 1-year, and 5-year e-Visas |
| Apply from | Minimum 4 days before arrival (recommended: 7+ days) |
| Processing | Typically 3–5 business days |
| Passport | Valid for at least 6 months with 2 blank pages and an ordinary passport |
| Fee | Varies by visa category and season, plus a 2.5% bank charge (non-refundable) |
| On approval | Your Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) will be emailed to you. Print a copy and carry it while travelling. |
| Also required | e-Arrival Card (within 72 hours before arrival) and Air Suvidha 2.0 (within 24 hours before arrival) |
FAQs
Can Australian citizens get a visa on arrival in India?
No. Visa on arrival is limited to a small number of nationalities. Australian travellers should apply online for the India e-Visa before departure.
How long can I stay in India on an e-Tourist Visa?
It depends on the option you choose. The 30-day visa is short-stay; the 1-year and 5-year visas allow multiple entries but cap your continuous stay per visit and total days per calendar year (commonly up to 90 days per visit and 180 per year). Confirm the exact limit for your category on the official portal.
Is the India e-Visa fee refundable if I'm refused?
No. The fee pays for processing the application and is non-refundable whether the ETA is granted or refused. That’s why checking your documents before paying matters.
Which is the official India e-Visa website?
The only official portal is indianvisaonline.gov.in. Indian consulates warn against look-alike sites that charge inflated fees; no agent is authorised to charge “emergency” or “express” e-Visa fees.
Does the e-Visa cover the e-Arrival Card and Air Suvidha?
No. They are three separate things. The e-Visa is your permission to enter; the e-Arrival Card (within 72 hours of arrival) replaces the paper disembarkation card; and Air Suvidha 2.0 (within 24 hours of arrival) is the current health declaration. In 2026, most Australian travellers need all three.
