Last week I gave instructions on how to get a 10-year visa for India. I received many comments asking why I hadn’t gotten the eVisa and informing me that there was an eVisa. I knowingly decided to get the 10-year visa instead of the eVisa for a couple reasons.

India eVisa vs 10 Year Visa

  1. The 10-year visa is good for, you guessed it, 10 years. The eVisa is good for a single entry.
  2. The 10-year visa is good for stays up 6 months at a time. The eVisa is good for a 30 day stay.
  3. The 10-year visa costs $120 plus any shipping fees (the total came to about $150 including shipping). The eVisa costs $60.
  4. The eVisa is only valid for arrival at 16 airports (#8).
  5. You can get a maximum of two eVisas in a one year period of time.
  6. The 10-year visa is awesome looking.

India 10 year visa

Some of these factors weighed more in my decision to get the 10-year visa instead of the eVisa. Namely, the fact that if I go to India three times in the next ten years, getting the 10-year visa will actually have been a less expensive option. Since India is a huge country, and on this first visit I will only be traveling in and around Mumbai, I know I will go back at least once in the next ten years to see the Taj Mahal. Having the flexibility to enter India by land also weighed into my decision.

Overall, if you like to travel, and think that the likelihood of visiting India two or three plus times in a ten year period is high, it may make sense to apply for the ten year visa instead of the eVisa. If you are planning to visit India once and not go back, or not go back for a long time, getting the eVisa will be a lower-hassle option.