New India e-Arrival Card: What Flyers Need From Oct 1

International travelers planning trips to India later this year will face a new digital step in the immigration process, as the country phases out paper arrival forms in favor of a mandatory online e-Arrival Card tied to each passenger’s flight.

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Key Dates and Who Must Complete the New e-Arrival Card

Publicly available government circulars and airline advisories show that India is introducing a nationwide e-Arrival Card system that will gradually replace the traditional paper disembarkation form. Notices from Indian embassies abroad and immigration guidance documents indicate that the new digital requirement is being tied to flights arriving from October 1, 2025, with a transition period running into early 2026.

The e-Arrival Card applies to most non-Indian nationals arriving by air, regardless of visa category. Travelers on e-visas, regular sticker visas, business visas, student visas and other long-stay permits are expected to submit the form online before boarding their flight. Indian citizens are generally exempt, while some embassy notices initially suggested that Overseas Citizen of India cardholders might be exempt before later updates indicated that they too are being brought into the system.

Guidance distributed through diplomatic missions describes the e-Arrival Card as the digital version of the familiar arrival slip once handed out on board aircraft or at immigration counters. The data collected remains similar: passport details, flight information, address in India and declarations that immigration officers routinely verify on arrival.

Although official communications describe the change as effective from the October start date, several notices refer to a phased rollout through March and April 2026. During this period, physical paper forms are expected to remain available at many airports, but travelers are being strongly encouraged to use the online system to avoid delays and possible boarding issues with airlines that are already enforcing the new rule at check in.

When and How to File the Card Before Your Flight

Information published by Indian embassies and consulates, as well as travel industry briefings, indicates that passengers must complete the e-Arrival Card in a short window of time before travel. Most guidance points to a submission window opening 72 hours before the scheduled flight and closing roughly 24 hours before departure, although some advisories describe the deadline in terms of the time of arrival instead of departure.

The form is hosted on official Indian government platforms associated with the Bureau of Immigration and the country’s online visa system, and it is also integrated into a dedicated “Su-Swagatam” mobile application. Passengers are instructed to enter personal details, passport and visa numbers, their flight and seat information, contact details, and the address where they will stay in India, along with an emergency contact.

Once submitted, travelers receive an on-screen confirmation, often described in guidance as including a reference number or QR code. Passengers are advised to save this confirmation on a mobile device or print a copy, even though airlines and immigration counters are expected to retrieve the information electronically through the immigration system using the traveler’s passport.

Because the submission window is relatively narrow and errors may require resubmission, advisory notes from global mobility firms and airline updates recommend that travelers gather key information in advance. Having hotel details, local contact numbers and a confirmed itinerary before the 72-hour window opens can help ensure that the form can be completed in one session without risking a missed deadline.

What Information the e-Arrival Card Collects

According to explanatory notes distributed by Indian missions in Europe and the Gulf region, the e-Arrival Card largely mirrors the content of the paper arrival card that has long been in use. Travelers are asked to provide passport details, nationality, date of birth and gender, together with their visa category and validity dates where applicable.

The form also asks for details about the journey, including the airline, flight number, date and port of arrival, and the city from which the passenger is boarding the international leg. This is paired with contact information in India, typically a hotel name and address or the residential address of a host, plus a reachable mobile number and email address.

Several published guidance notes indicate that the digital card includes questions about the purpose of the visit, anticipated duration of stay and an emergency contact person. These fields allow immigration systems to link travelers to a point of contact in case of medical or security emergencies, something that previously might have been handwritten in pencil on the old cards.

Because the e-Arrival Card is processed electronically, the information is stored before a traveler reaches the border control desk. Industry analysis suggests this will allow immigration officers to see the data on their screens as soon as a passport is scanned, helping to speed up inspection and reduce the risk of illegible handwriting or incomplete fields causing hold-ups at the counter.

Transition Period, Exemptions and Common Traveler Questions

Official circulars circulated through embassies refer to a transition phase of up to six months following the October 1, 2025 launch, during which both paper and digital cards may coexist. This timing aligns with commentary from frequent flyer forums and global immigration trackers, which report that some airports began encouraging digital submissions even while still handing out paper forms as a backup.

During this overlap period, travelers who have not completed the e-Arrival Card may still be able to fill out a paper card at the airport, but there is growing evidence from airline notices that carriers are starting to treat the online submission as a pre-boarding requirement. Some passengers report being asked to show proof of completion or a confirmation screen at check in, which suggests that noncompliance could eventually lead to denied boarding in markets where airlines are closely aligned with immigration directives.

Confusion has centered on whether OCI cardholders must complete the form. Earlier embassy notes in some countries appeared to exempt them along with Indian citizens, but more recent public guidance, including airline operational updates, indicates that non-Indian nationals with OCI status are being asked to complete the e-Arrival Card as well. Travelers who previously relied on e-gates and fast-track programs are being advised in public forums to check the latest information shortly before travel.

Questions have also arisen about land borders and sea arrivals. Most published information so far focuses on international airports, where the digital rollout is most advanced. Analysts following the policy suggest that land and seaport procedures may evolve later or follow separate timelines, and travelers using these routes are being encouraged to verify entry requirements specific to their mode of transport before setting out.

Practical Tips and Potential Pitfalls for Upcoming Trips

With the e-Arrival Card becoming a standard part of the pre-flight checklist for India, travel planners are beginning to treat it in much the same way as online health declarations and advance passenger information systems introduced in other countries in recent years. Airlines and travel advisors are urging passengers to incorporate the new step into their countdown to departure, alongside checking visa approvals, passport validity and vaccination requirements.

One recurring theme in traveler reports is the risk of missing the submission window by attempting to fill in the form either too early or too close to departure time. Because some guidance specifies that forms must be filed at least 24 hours before arrival, passengers on overnight or multi-leg journeys need to pay careful attention to time zones and flight durations when calculating the cut-off.

Another frequently cited issue is the growing number of unofficial websites and third-party services that mimic government platforms and charge fees for what is described as a free process. Public warnings from travel communities and visa advisory firms stress that the genuine e-Arrival Card does not involve a service fee and that applicants should ensure they are on an official Indian government domain or using the recognized mobile application.

For travelers with imminent plans, the key message from published coverage is to assume that the e-Arrival Card will be required, to complete it within the stipulated window before boarding, and to retain digital or printed proof of submission. As India moves fully into the digital model over the coming months, being prepared for the new requirement is expected to make the arrival experience smoother and reduce the risk of delays at both check in and immigration control.