# Is There a US eVisa for Indians? ESTA vs DS-160 Explained > There is no US eVisa for Indian passport holders, and ESTA is not open to India. How the DS-160 route works, what you pay in rupees and which steps stay in person. _Published: 2026-10-28 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1214_ ## TL;DR The US has no eVisa for Indians, and ESTA is only for Visa Waiver Program countries, which India is not. Indians fill in the DS-160 online, pay the non-refundable $185 fee in rupees at the consular rate, give biometrics at a Visa Application Center and attend an interview unless they qualify for a waiver. The visa is then placed in the passport. ## Key takeaways - There is no US eVisa for Indian citizens; the visa is issued in your passport. - ESTA is only for Visa Waiver Program countries, and India is not one of them. - B-1/B-2 visitors pay $185, in rupees at the consular exchange rate of INR 98 per USD from 25 May 2026. - Biometrics at a Visa Application Center come at least 2 business days before the interview. - Processing after the interview typically takes 7-10 working days. **No. According to the U.S. Embassy in India and the Department of Homeland Security, there is no US eVisa for Indians, and ESTA is only for Visa Waiver Program countries, which do not include India. You complete the DS-160 online, pay the $185 fee for B-1/B-2 visas, then attend biometrics and an interview, unless eligible for an interview waiver.** ## Article The confusion is understandable. The DS-160 form, the fee payment and the appointment booking all happen online, so the process feels like an eVisa. But the visa itself is issued in your passport after an in-person step. This explainer uses the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India, the official appointment service at ustraveldocs.com, and DHS and CBP pages, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For fees across all visa classes, see our US visa guide for Indians. ### Is there a US eVisa or ESTA for Indian passport holders? Neither. The United States does not issue an electronic visa to Indian citizens. ESTA, run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), is the online travel authorization for citizens of countries in the Visa Waiver Program. India is not one of the countries designated for that programme, so Indian citizens need a visa even for a short tourist or business trip. There is no visa on arrival either. A foreign citizen generally must first obtain a visa placed in the passport. VFS Global does not handle US visas from India; the U.S. Embassy runs its own appointment system. ### What is the DS-160, and why is it not an eVisa? The DS-160 is the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application. It collects your details before the consular officer sees you. Submitting it does not give you permission to travel. Its confirmation page carries a barcode, and that barcode must match the one used to book your appointment. You upload your photo with the DS-160: 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), white background, taken within the last six months, with no eyeglasses. Renewal applicants generally must not reuse the photo from the old visa. If the upload fails, bring one printed photo. ### How do ESTA and the DS-160 route compare? PointESTADS-160 visa routeWho it is forCitizens of Visa Waiver Program countriesTravellers who need a visa, including Indian citizensOpen to Indian passportsNoYes, and requiredWhat you getAn online travel authorizationA visa placed in your passportIn-person stepNot applicable to IndiansBiometrics at a Visa Application Center and an interview, or an interview waiver if eligibleFee for tourism or businessNot applicable to Indians$185 for B-1/B-2, non-refundableAny website offering Indian citizens an "ESTA" or a "US eVisa" is selling something the US government does not offer to India. ### How do you pay the $185 fee in rupees? The $185 fee covers B, C-1, D, F, I, J, M, T and TN/TD visas. Work categories such as H, L, O, P, Q and R cost $205, the E visa costs $315 and the K visa costs $265. The fee is payable in Indian rupees at the consular exchange rate, which the U.S. Embassy set at INR 98 per USD from 25 May 2026 (previously INR 96). - Payment options: NEFT, UPI, debit or credit card, or cash at DRUK Bank, AXIS Bank and Citibank. - When you can book: UPI or QR payments allow booking instantly; NEFT and RuPay cards within one business day; cash the following business day. - Validity: the payment is valid for 365 days from the receipt date, and you must schedule the appointment within that period. An optional $750 fee for an expedited B1/B2 interview appointment is being piloted from 1 July to 31 December 2026 at limited posts listed on travel.state.gov. Whether Indian posts take part has not been verified, and the fee does not speed up processing. ### Which steps still happen in person? You give fingerprints at a Visa Application Center (VAC) at least 2 business days before your interview. The interview is at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi or a Consulate General. Anyone legally present in India may apply at any of the five posts. CityVisa Application CenterInterview postNew DelhiShivaji Stadium Metro StationU.S. Embassy, Shanti Path, Chanakya PuriMumbaiBandra Kurla ComplexConsulate General, C-49, G-Block, BKCChennaiNungambakkamConsulate General, Anna SalaiHyderabadHitec City Metro StationConsulate General, NanakramgudaKolkataMirza Ghalib StreetConsulate General, Ho Chi Minh SaraniPrevious B-1/B-2 holders may skip the interview. You qualify if you are renewing a B visa that is still valid or expired within the past 12 months, you were at least 18 when it was issued, all 10 fingerprints were taken for it, and you have never been refused (unless the refusal was overcome or waived). You must also be in India when you submit. Allow up to three weeks from passport drop-off. The consular officer may still call you for an interview. ### How long does it take after you apply? After the interview, processing typically takes 7-10 working days, though individual cases may take longer. Some applications go into administrative processing, which cannot be predicted in advance; most is resolved within 180 days of the interview. The official scheduling page advises applying at least three months before travel and not buying tickets until the visa is issued. Once you land, a CBP officer decides how long you may stay and records it on the online Form I-94. The visa's expiry date is the last day you may use it to enter, not the end of your permitted stay. ### Mistakes to avoid on the US visa route - Paying any website for an ESTA or eVisa on an Indian passport. - Booking with a DS-160 whose barcode does not match the appointment. - Letting the fee receipt pass 365 days without scheduling an appointment. - Buying non-refundable flights before the visa is in your passport. - For F, M, J, H-1B and several other categories, leaving social media accounts private; they must be set to public. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa applicants, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). A reservation lets you plan dates without buying a ticket before the decision. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or visit our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Which US consulate covers my state? The U.S. Mission's map assigns states to posts: for example, Mumbai covers Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa, Chennai covers Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, and Hyderabad covers Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. For visas, the official FAQ says anyone legally present in India may apply at any of the five posts. #### Do Indian students pay more than the $185 visa fee? Yes. F and M students also pay the SEVIS I-901 fee of $350 to DHS before the interview and bring the payment receipt. J exchange visitors pay a SEVIS fee of $220, with lower amounts for some subsidised J categories. #### Is travel insurance required for a US tourist visa? Insurance is not published as a requirement on the U.S. Embassy pages. The documents listed are the DS-160 confirmation page, a passport valid at least six months beyond your stay, the photo, the fee receipt and the documents named in your appointment letter. #### Can I attend the US visa interview outside my home city? Yes. The official visa FAQ says anyone legally present in India may apply at New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad or Kolkata. Remember that biometrics at the VAC must come at least 2 business days before the interview. ## FAQ ### Which US consulate covers my state? The U.S. Mission's map assigns states to posts: for example, Mumbai covers Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa, Chennai covers Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, and Hyderabad covers Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. For visas, the official FAQ says anyone legally present in India may apply at any of the five posts. ### Do Indian students pay more than the $185 visa fee? Yes. F and M students also pay the SEVIS I-901 fee of $350 to DHS before the interview and bring the payment receipt. J exchange visitors pay a SEVIS fee of $220, with lower amounts for some subsidised J categories. ### Is travel insurance required for a US tourist visa? Insurance is not published as a requirement on the U.S. Embassy pages. The documents listed are the DS-160 confirmation page, a passport valid at least six months beyond your stay, the photo, the fee receipt and the documents named in your appointment letter. ### Can I attend the US visa interview outside my home city? Yes. The official visa FAQ says anyone legally present in India may apply at New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad or Kolkata. Remember that biometrics at the VAC must come at least 2 business days before the interview. ## Sources 1. [U.S. Embassy & Consulates in India - Visas](https://in.usembassy.gov/visas/) — U.S. Embassy & Consulates in India 2. [Official US visa appointment service India - Bank and payment options (INR at consular exchange rate)](https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/en/payment-options) — U.S. Department of State (official appointment service) 3. [U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Visa Waiver Program (designated countries)](https://www.dhs.gov/visa-waiver-program) — U.S. Department of Homeland Security 4. [U.S. Customs and Border Protection - ESTA (for Visa Waiver Program travellers)](https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/esta) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection