What is the India e-Arrival Card?
The e-Arrival Card is an online form that replaces the paper disembarkation card previously handed out on flights or at the immigration counter. It captures your travel details, entry purpose, and health declaration before you land.
The system went live on October 1, 2025, as part of India's Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 (effective September 1, 2025). A six-month transition period ends March 31, 2026. From April 1, 2026, the e-Arrival Card is the only accepted method.
The form must be submitted at least 72 hours before your scheduled arrival in India.
Who must file it?
Every international air passenger arriving in India must file the e-Arrival Card. There are no exceptions based on nationality or travel document type.
Foreign nationals: required.
OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cardholders: required. The earlier exemption ended October 4, 2025. OCI cardholders now file the same e-Arrival Card as all other passengers.
NRIs with Indian passports: required.
Indian citizens returning from abroad: required.
Children travelling with parents: each traveller needs a separate submission, including minors.
How to fill the e-Arrival Card — step by step
Step 1: Visit the official Indian e-Arrival Card portal (indianarrivals.gov.in or the Ministry of Home Affairs designated portal — always confirm the URL from the official MHA website before entering any personal information).
Step 2: Enter your passport number, date of birth, and nationality. The system will pull your travel document details.
Step 3: Fill in your flight details: airline, flight number, expected arrival date and time, port of entry.
Step 4: Provide your India contact address — this can be a hotel address, a relative's address, or your own home address for Indian nationals.
Step 5: Complete the health and travel history declaration.
Step 6: Submit and save or screenshot the confirmation reference number. You may be asked to show it at immigration.
What happens if you do not file it?
Airlines are expected to verify e-Arrival Card completion at check-in for India-bound flights. Passengers without a confirmation may face delays at the boarding gate or at Indian immigration on arrival.
Indian immigration officers have authority under the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 to question passengers who cannot produce an e-Arrival Card confirmation.
The safest approach: file it 72–96 hours before your flight departs, not 72 hours before arrival.
Special note for NRIs helping family travel to India
If you are an NRI in the UK, US, Canada, or UAE and your parents or relatives are travelling to visit you — or returning to India after visiting you — they must complete the e-Arrival Card before their inbound India flight.
Elderly or first-time digital users in your family may need help. The form is available in English. If your family member is uncomfortable with online forms, help them complete it before they leave for the airport. It takes approximately 10 minutes.
Save the confirmation number in a WhatsApp message to them so they can show it if asked at immigration.
Does this affect your outbound visa application?
The e-Arrival Card is for arriving in India, not for applying for visas to other countries. It does not affect your Eazy4 visa application for the USA, Australia, Canada, or New Zealand.
However, if your family member is visiting India first before travelling abroad together, they will need the e-Arrival Card for their India arrival leg.
Source
Ministry of Home Affairs, India — Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 (effective September 1, 2025).
e-Arrival Card system live from October 1, 2025. Mandatory from April 1, 2026.