To ease airport congestion and speed up immigration procedures, India has introduced a mandatory e-Arrival Card for foreign visitors. Since 1 October 2025, travellers no longer need to fumble for a pen in long queues or risk blotting ink on the old paper form mid-flight, as the digital version can now be completed online before boarding.
According to the Bureau of Immigration, the new system is designed to “streamline immigration clearance and enhance passenger convenience”. It replaces the traditional disembarkation cards that used to be handed out on planes prior to landing. It will also reduce paperwork and waiting time at passport control.
On Facebook, Delhi International Airport Limited, which is overseeing the project, described the new e-Arrival Card as “a seamless, paperless arrival experience for foreign travellers at Delhi Airport”. It is a digital-first initiative by the Bureau of Immigration to make your journey smoother. The post adds that the new system will help passengers “breeze through immigration!”.
Introducing the e-Arrival Card — a seamless, paperless arrival experience for foreign travelers at Delhi Airport.
— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) October 1, 2025
A digital-first initiative by the Bureau of Immigration to make your journey smoother.
Arriving in India? Just submit the form and breeze through immigration! pic.twitter.com/7pfanlxs6z
The e-Arrival Card collects the standard information that was previously required on paper forms, such as full name, nationality, passport number, reason for visit, address in India, contact details, length of stay, and countries visited in the last six days. Travellers arriving for tourism, business, study, conferences or medical purposes must complete the form. No documents need to be uploaded.
International travellers are advised to complete the online questionnaire no earlier than 72 hours and no later than 24 hours before departure. Once submitted, travellers will receive a confirmation email to present to immigration officers upon arrival. While a digital copy of the e-Arrival Card is accepted, the authorities recommend carrying a printed version as a backup.
The e-Arrival Card can be submitted through several official channels, including the Bureau of Immigration portal, the India Visa website and Delhi Airport’s official website, or on a dedicated app, the Su-Swagatam mobile app. The process is free of charge.
The new system only applies to foreign nationals. Indian passport holders and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) are exempt, as they already benefit from the Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme, which was launched at Delhi Airport in June 2024. This programme will continue to operate separately from the system in place for foreign visitors.
#Notice
— India in Melbourne (@cgimelbourne) October 5, 2025
Mandatory E-Arrival Card Submission for International Travelers entering India ⭐️
From 1 October 2025, all international travelers entering India are required to complete Electronic Arrival Card prior to entry.
Please apply at https://t.co/Owbuq9ATfP or use Su-Swagatam… pic.twitter.com/8G4TZ4jPxS
Failure to complete the e-Arrival Card or errors in the form will not prevent entry, but may result in longer processing times and referral to manual counters.
It is important to note that travellers must still obtain a valid visa or e-visa, which is an online application process usually taking three to five business days. This is available for tourism, business and medical visits, and the new e-Arrival Card serves only as an additional immigration requirement, not a substitute.
Similar digital arrival systems are already in place in Singapore, Thailand and Australia. Through this initiative, India aims to create a smoother, paperless process and reduce queues at major airports such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
