India Makes e-Arrival Card Mandatory for All Foreign Travellers from April 1, 2026

From April 1, 2026, India requires all foreign travellers to fill an e-Arrival Card online within 72 hrs before entry, replacing the paper disembarkation form.

Pune | 26 March, 2026: In a major shift toward digital border processing and streamlined immigration, the Government of India has announced that starting April 1, 2026, all foreign travellers entering India must complete and submit an e-Arrival Card online within 72 hours before arrival at Indian airports, replacing the traditional paper disembarkation card that has been used for decades. This move is aimed at expediting immigration clearance, reducing queues at arrival counters, and enhancing the overall traveller experience at major gateways such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai International Airports.

Under the new system, the e-Arrival Card-also known as the digital disembarkation form-must be filled out through official platforms including the Indian Visa Online portal (indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival/), the Bureau of Immigration website, or via the government-backed Su-Swagatam mobile app. Once the form is successfully submitted, travellers receive a digital confirmation along with a QR code, which they must present at immigration either on a mobile device or as a print-out upon arrival. The requirement covers all foreign nationals-including tourists, business visitors, students and medical travellers-though Indian citizens with Indian passports are exempt.

The e-Arrival Card requirement is now fully mandatory; the previous era of handing out blue-and-white paper cards in aircraft or at airport arrival halls has officially ended. Officials have stressed the importance of completing the digital form before departure, as travellers who arrive without a completed e-Arrival Card may face additional processing or delays at immigration, including being directed to manual counters to complete the form before entry clearance.

The new process still requires travellers to have a valid visa or e-Visa for India-the e-Arrival Card does not replace the visa requirement. Instead, it supplements existing entry requirements by pre-loading essential information—such as passport details, flight number, intended address in India and purpose of visit—into immigration systems well before passengers reach the arrival gate. Immigration authorities estimate that pre-submission of data through the e-Arrival portal will meaningfully reduce processing time and help immigration officers manage passenger flows more efficiently, especially during peak travel periods.

The transition to digital arrival cards aligns with India’s broader digital initiatives to modernise travel infrastructure and border management. By digitising data collection at the very first point of international contact, the Government aims not only to improve traveller convenience but also to enhance security screening and identity verification processes at airports. As of early 2026, Indian missions abroad and airlines have been educating travellers about the requirement, stressing that completing the e-Arrival Card should be a part of pre-departure travel preparations to avoid delays and ensure smooth entry into the country.

With the April 1 deadline now in effect, foreign travellers planning to visit India in 2026 and beyond are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the e-Arrival Card process well before their departure date to avoid unexpected delays at immigration counters.

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