India has replaced paper immigration forms with a mandatory digital e-Arrival Card for all foreign nationals and OCI cardholders, effective April 1, 2026. The change affects tourists, students, and business travellers entering the country. Indian citizens are exempt.
The process is straightforward. Travellers fill out a short form online up to 72 hours before arrival, entering passport details, flight information, contact details, purpose of visit, and accommodation address. No document uploads are required. Submission takes roughly five minutes and generates a QR code, which immigration officers scan on arrival. One submission can cover a family of up to five.
The form is available through three official channels: the Bureau of Immigration website at boi.gov.in, the Indian Visa Online portal at indianvisaonline.gov.in, and the Su-Swagatam app. All are free.
Skipping the form does not bar entry, but expect additional screening and longer waits at immigration. Early trials of the system showed queue times dropping by around 40 percent at major airports, including Delhi and Mumbai.
Paper forms remain available as a backup during a transition period of approximately six months, after which the digital system becomes the only option.
