10 Year Indian Visa for US Citizens: A Step-by-Step Guide With Pictures (2023)

A step-by-step guide on how to acquire a 10 year Indian Visa as a US Citizen. Includes photos and the most up-to-date information.

India… perhaps the most chaotically diverse, yet infinitely magical country on Earth. A holiday in India is like no other.

From the many historical places in Delhi to the beaches of Karnataka, to the mountains of Parvati Valley, and so much more, India is a country that truly has it all.

India truly has something for every type of travel style-  luxury summer house villas in Kerala, cozy homestays in Spiti Valley, buzzing backpacker hostels in Jaipur- and oh so much more! But due to its massive size, it would take a lifetime to truly see everything.

Unlike many other countries in Asia, India does not have a visa on arrival program. While it is possible to get yourself a 1 month- 1 year visa online through their e-visa scheme, Americans are lucky in that we are eligible for a 5-10 year, multiple entry Indian Visa-aka the Holy Grail of all visas. 

If you’re American and plan on making return visits, (which you should seeing as it can take more than a lifetime to really see the country) this step-by-step guide, for US citizens by a US citizen, hopes to make the frustration that is Indian bureaucracy just a tad bit easier, and help you secure your long term, cost-effective 10 year Indian visa.

Things to Know Before Applying For an Indian Tourist Visa

Before you get started with the application itself, make sure you have the following ready to be sent out in the mail:

• One passport-sized photograph printed on glossy paper
• A photocopy of your license/ government-issued ID (this can be substituted with a utility bill in your name)
• Your passport – must be “Original, signed passport valid for 6 months from day of application, and with at least two blank visa pages for Indian visa stamps. Amendment pages are not acceptable for visa stamps.”
• Your passport sized photo must be GLUED, not stapled, taped etc.

Important tips:

• Don’t print out anything double-sided
• If you find your printer cuts off a part on the bottom, make sure you have fit to page selected!
• Make sure you sign on BOTH pages of the printed-out application in the designated areas

Step 1

All US Citizens applying for an Indian visa will have their application outsourced and processed by VFS Global, changed from Cox & Kings. Head on over to VFS Global and click on Visa Application- Get Started

Step 2

• Fill out the introductory form that will get you to the correct application based on your location. The consulate you send your application to is dependent on the state you live, which you can see on the website.
  
• Make sure you select “shipping” unless you plan to hand-deliver everything

Step 3

• Make sure all your information is filled in correctly, or you may have to restart. You will now be brought to a new page, and you will be given a Temporary ID number. It is very important you write this down somewhere (I personally had another document open), as it will allow you to come back to your application if you need to stop working on it.
  
• The initial price of the visa is located on the right side of the page ($160). I was unaware of this, but do note that the final price will be more than this due to shipping and miscellaneous fees. (Still better than paying $120 every time you want to visit!)
  
• Click Proceed to be redirected to the official government site.

Step 4

You will now find yourself on the government website. Click on “Regular Visa Application” to get started

Step 5

Finally, the actual application! The first page will ask you for some basic information, including the “Mission” which is the consulate your application is sent to based on your state of residence.

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Step 6

• Begin answering the questions. A NEW TEMPORARY ID # will be shown at the top. You MUST save this! The following are some things you might find confusing:

Education: If you graduated High School, select Higher Secondary. If you graduated college, select Graduate. If you have a degree beyond college, select Post-Graduate

Town/City of Birth: This should be the state you were born in. It should exactly match what is printed on your passport

Citizenship ID: Put NA, do NOT put your social security number here.

Religion: if one of the options does not apply, select “others” and manually enter your religion. This field CANNOT be left blank.

Visible Identification Marks: unless you have a facial tattoo or another noticeable facial marking, its best to write “none” here

Place of Issue: “United States”

Places you will be visiting: For simplicity, avoid mentioning areas that may require an Inner Line Permit such as Jammu & Kashmir or states in the Northeast. Stick to common tourist areas (just for the application, of course)

Previous Visa Number: if you have a prior e-Visa, this is the ETA number on that form

Countries Visited: List as many as you can, if you cannot fit them all attach a signed letter with the remaining names.

Step 7

One last set of questions. Fill them all in and select the agreement at the bottom.

Step 8

Now you have to upload your photo. It must be the SAME photo that you plan to glue to the application and DIFFERENT from your passport photo.

Step 9

• You now have the chance to review your application. Check, double-check, triple-check, and then check again!
  
• If anything is incorrect, missing or does not match another document you will have to do the whole thing all over again. (Spoiler alert… NOT FUN)
  
• I’m not attaching a photo here to protect my information, but the “Proceed” button is located at the very bottom.

Step 10

• Be SURE to note the new “Application ID” that is shown on this page, it should begin with ‘US’
  
• Once you print, it will bring you to another page where you will be asked to enter your Temporary ID and a captcha, from there you will be brought back to the same page where you should click “Book Appointment Now”

 

Step 11

• You will now be brought back to the VFS Global website to fill out another form, and then pay.
  
• Fill out the Additional Particulars Form, and click submit.
  
• You will then be brought to a page where you can print this form. You MUST sign it and send it in with your application.

Step 12

• If you chose to ship through CKGS at the beginning of the application, you will be now redirected to a page where you can input your shipping address.
  
• Your address MUST be the same as the address on your proof of address document! (Yall, this is very important, so make sure it matches if you want your application processed!)
  
• Each shipment (to CKGS and back to you) costs $15. While it is possible to provide your own return label, it will end up costing the same and perhaps be a bit less secure. I highly recommend using the shipment service through the site!
  
• Select either UPS or FEDex, and take note of the package requirements that will be shown on the bottom of the page

Step 13

Payment! Assuming you chose shipping, the final amount will come out to $220.35. While this might seem a bit high, I paid over $100 for a 2-month e-visa! Trust me, this is a great deal.

Step 14

You should now be looking at your payment confirmation page. Make sure you print this, as it’s required to include it with your application.

Make sure to take note of your tracking number; once you’ve mailed everything out, you can use this to track the status of your application!

Step 15

• Only two more things to print and you’re all set! You need to print the shipping label, which you will give to the employee at UPS, as well as the BARCODE. The barcode needs to be pasted underneath the shipping label.
  
• Note that the shipping label is only valid for 15 days, so don’t wait too long to send it all out.

Step 16

• Make sure you have the Application Checklist, Application, Additional Particulars Form, Payment Receipt, Shipping Label, and Barcode all printed.
  
• Do not forget to make a copy of your license/utility bill etc!
  
• If you couldn’t fit all of the countries you’ve visited on the application, type the remaining ones up, print it out, sign it and include it with the other documents
  
• Sign the Application (underneath the photo on page one and at the bottom of page two), Sign the Additional Particulars Form, GLUE your photograph onto the first page of the application, and Tick off the items on Checklist.
  
• Gather everything together, including your passport, and head on over to your local UPS/Fedex
  
• VFS Global says processing time can take 15 . If you feel like you are waiting an abnormally long time, give them a call.

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Final Thoughts About Getting A 10 Year Indian Visa as a US Citizen

Still with me? While visas can be complicated and an overall sucky part of traveling, once you have them in your passport the fun can finally begin.

Hopefully, this guide made what is a bit of an arduous process a little bit less arduous, and a whole lot faster! Now that you’ve got your India visa, find out how you can avoid scams in New Delhi.