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New digital process for air travel in India

If you are planning air travel to India after March, this information is important for you. Indian airports will be completely converted to digital system from April 1, 2026, and you will need an e-Arrival Card to travel. Whether you are a tourist, on a business trip, or an OCI card holder, this update may impact your entry process. There is no need to worry, because all the information to e-Arrival Card is given below.

Definition of e-Arrival Card

The e-Arrival Card will act as a new online form, replacing the earlier paper disembarkation form. From April 1, 2026, filling this form will be mandatory and the use of paper forms will be completely eliminated. This means there will be no need to fill paper forms anymore, everything will be digital.

form filling time

You have to fill this form 72 hours before reaching India. To avoid any delay at the airport, it would be better to complete this well before your flight. After filling the form, you will receive a QR code, which needs to be shown at the immigration counter.

necessary information

The process is simple and does not require uploading any documents. All you need to do is fill in your passport information, flight details, contact number, purpose of travel and address of stay in India. It is designed in such a way that anyone can fill it easily and quickly.

Who has to fill this form?

This form is mandatory for foreign nationals and OCI card holders. Indian citizens are not required to fill it. The good thing is that up to five members of a family can fill the same form, making traveling in a group even easier.

Form submission process

You can fill the e-Arrival Card through the official Visa to India website, ‘Su-Swagatam’ mobile app or other government portals. After filling the form, save your QR code in your phone or print it and show it at immigration.

What will happen if the form is not filled?

If you do not fill out this form, you will not be granted entry into India, but your travel may be slowed down. You may face more inquiries and long queues at immigration. Therefore, airport officials advise to fill it in advance.

Why this step of India?

The change is part of a larger initiative to modernize travel. e-Arrival Card reduces the time taken for immigration by about 40%. This reduces paperwork and makes it easier to manage crowd at major airports. This brings India into the category of developed countries where paperless entry system is already in place.

special information

If you are coming to India after April 1, make the e-Arrival Card an essential part of your checklist, like your passport and visa. This is to facilitate your entry, provided you fill it in on time. Ignoring this could mean that you are greeted with long queues in India.