Combien de temps est valable un visa non-utilisé pour l'Inde?

"It’s true that you, who’ve never applied for an e-visa and haven’t traveled in years, are in a better position to talk about e-visa eligibility requirements."Just pointing out that I did respond to your call-out, and I could’ve just as easily not replied since I don’t know much about the e-visa (aside from your adventures in our private chats).My take on the ETA details in the post is exactly what I read carefully—no interpretation needed.Come on, let’s not argue about it! Go pack your bags, your departure’s coming up!

Everything written here seems pretty confusing.
I was in the same situation and I went to the official website with my reference number—application file—and I printed out the e-visa/ETA. When I arrived at immigration in India, they stamped my passport after I showed them the paper.
Nothing complicated!!!

Thanks for your reply. Of course, I’ve checked the site and printed the document.When did you get this e-visa, and how long after did you use it for the first time?

I was supposed to leave in March 2020 and COVID hit me.
So I only went back in November last year, 2023.
Validity: January 2020 to January 2025. And I’m heading back on November 10th to take advantage of my visa while it’s still valid! !

Lula,
As a safety measure, it’d be a good idea to send an email in English to support-boi@mha.gov.in AND visasupport@gov.in explaining your situation clearly.
In any case, you must travel with the same passport as the one listed on your ETA (keep the old one and bring it with you if you get a new one. If the old one is no longer accessible, you’ll need to apply for a new visa. But be careful—some people have been denied a new visa when they already had a valid one....

Thanks, Babibi, for being less categorical.
Sorry for chiming in again. Your nuanced take is wise. If it were me, I’d ask the right questions again, making sure to draw Indian Visa Online’s attention to the fact that I waited TWO YEARS—well over the 120 days mentioned—before traveling.
That little phrase saying the e-visa isn’t automatically granted on arrival, even if the ETA is GRANTED, really doesn’t sit well with me.
I’ve run into jerks MULTIPLE TIMES who made me sweat for 30 or 40 minutes before stamping my passport, asking dozens of questions, pulling mysterious faces, leaving their counter to check with a supervisor, etc. And there you are, wondering what’s wrong—are they gonna stamp it or not? It’s ALWAYS worked out in the end, but what a nightmare!!!
There are national rules, but every airport—and especially every agent at their own counter—does things their own way. One will stamp your passport in 5 minutes without asking a single question, while another will drag it out for over half an hour, grilling you with 50 suspicious questions. One will thank you for visiting India so often, and another will find it super sketchy that you come so often...
An example of the inconsistency I’m talking about is what Babibi mentioned about applying for a new visa while still having a valid one. I’ve done it twice, and both times, the existing visa was simply canceled in favor of the new one. Yet I’ve heard of other travelers being denied a new visa... because they had a valid one.
But it gets even better.
I’ve been denied the famous "entry visa" multiple times—the one that lets you stay in India indefinitely for 5 years as a resident—because I was a TENANT and not a HOMEOWNER.
Yet I know someone in the exact same situation (tenant, not homeowner) who was granted that same entry visa without any issues at a different embassy...
Good luck!!!

Hi,
I hold a 5-year visa that, by the way, just expired. I’ve been visiting India every year, and up until last February, I hadn’t had any issues at all.
This time, though, I ran into a particularly zealous official who scrutinized my passport and noticed that I come to India "often." Which is pretty relative, if you ask me.
Without saying a word, he disappeared into an office. About 20 minutes later, he came back and asked me to follow him. I tried asking questions, but all he said was "wait here." So, I waited in a hallway. One of his colleagues eventually showed up (after making me wait even longer), passport in hand, and asked me a few questions about my past trips to India. "What did you go do in such-and-such place?" Places where very few foreigners probably go, but okay...
He told me there’s nothing to do in those cities. I said that’s exactly what interests me. Anyway, he found it weird...
But I still got my stamp!
The whole thing made me realize that thanks to the forms filled out at hotels, the police and immigration services track your movements very precisely.
I was told it’s for security reasons—to protect me.!

A huge thank you for your testimony—it backs up my own experience. I sounded like I was talking nonsense...
So it really is just a story of some overzealous guy or gal at the counter. And the time it takes is incredibly stressful. Especially since, as you said, no matter how much you ask what’s going on, they don’t answer and just give you this super unpleasant, mysterious, suspicious look!

which airport was it?
I almost have an idea

It was in Mumbai in the middle of the night, of course.
Luckily, no one was waiting for me, and I wasn’t in a rush since I was waiting for my hotel room to be ready.
But that doesn’t excuse this way of doing things. As you said, this mysterious attitude could be worrying.
It feels like a bad crime novel.
I probably ran into an overzealous official looking for a promotion

I would’ve thought Bangalore—there’s a bunch of zealous types like that there...
What you’re describing, I’ve experienced 4 or 5 times, always in Bangalore and nowhere else. Last May, when I LEFT India, I ran into one of those guys who made me sweat for 40 minutes!!!
His argument was: You have a tourist visa and you don’t move around! You always stay in the same place! And why do you come so often? And why do you stay so long? etc...
One day, when I arrived, I was the first one off the plane and nearly the first at the immigration counter. That was the worst day! Over 40 minutes of hassle with dozens of questions, repeating the same ones to see if I’d trip up. At one point, I turned around—the whole room was empty, over 350 people had already gone through!!!
I’m starting to think about only entering and exiting India through Delhi, where it’s always quick and easy. But when you need to go to the deep south, it’s really not ideal.
This time, less than a week ago, it took 5 minutes. But I had a new passport and a new visa...

I'm leaving in early January with a new passport and a new 5-year visa. Fingers crossed I get it!
I'll see if they question me again and keep you posted.