Planning from the US
US passports are on India's e-Visa list, so the visa for a Darjeeling trip is an online form, not a consulate visit. Here is where to apply, how far ahead, and why our planning guide puts it ahead of any fare you cannot change.
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The portal
The e-Visa portal, indianvisaonline.gov.in, calls itself the only official site for the application. You upload a recent front-facing photo on a white background and your passport's photo page, pay online, and the authorization arrives by email.
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Timing
For the 30-day e-Tourist visa, the portal accepts applications from 120 days before your arrival date down to a minimum of four days. The fee is set country by country, carries a 3% bank charge and is not refunded if your plans change.
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Your passport
Your passport needs at least six months' validity when you apply and two blank pages for the stamp. The portal also expects a return or onward ticket and enough money for the stay, and your biometrics are recorded at immigration.
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Entries
It runs 30 days from your first arrival in India and allows multiple entries inside that window. That matters if you go on to Bhutan or Nepal and return to India before flying home, so we check your dates against it when we plan.
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Where you land
The portal lists 33 airports for e-Visa arrival, Delhi, Kolkata and Bagdogra among them, and lets you leave from any immigration post. Most travelers clear immigration in Delhi or Kolkata, then fly on to Bagdogra as domestic passengers.
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Sikkim
The e-Visa itself does not cover protected or restricted areas. For Sikkim, foreign passports also need the Restricted Area Permit, issued online through e-FRRO before the border; Indian missions suggest about 30 days ahead from abroad. We prepare it with you.
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The order
Our guide's order is simple: apply for the e-Visa before paying for flights you cannot change, and check that the portal shows it as granted before you travel. Send us your dates and passports, and the Sikkim and Bhutan paperwork is lined up around them.
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