India e‑Arrival Card for All Foreign Nationals Within 72 Hours Before Arrival

Key Point  

• As of April 1, 2026, India requires all foreign nationals, including OCI cardholders, to complete and submit a digital e‑Arrival Card within 72 hours before arriving in the country. 

e‑Arrival Card 

As of April 1, 2026, India’s digital e‑Arrival Card is now fully mandatory for all travelers, and the paper disembarkation form has been discontinued. 

Background Context  

India first announced the shift to a fully digital arrival process on October 1, 2025, followed by a six‑month transition period during which travelers could continue using the physical form. That transition has now ended, and all travelers must complete the digital e‑Arrival Card before entry. 

Who Is Impacted?

According to an April 8, 2026, update from the U.S. Embassy in India, all foreign travelers — including business visitors, tourists and OCI cardholders — are required to complete the e‑Arrival Card prior to arrival. The form can be submitted online or through the Su‑Swagatam mobile app, and travelers must present the generated QR code upon entry. 

India’s Mandatory e‑Arrival Card: Operational Insight from Envoy Global 

Ashok Sharma, VP of Operations, Business Visas at Envoy Global, shared the following insight: 

India made its new e‑Arrival Card mandatory on April 1, 2026, replacing the paper disembarkation form that’s been handed out on flights since the 1960s. Every foreign passport holder and OCI cardholder must now complete it online within 72 hours of arrival. 

The process takes about five minutes. There’s no fee and no documents to upload, making it a straightforward requirement for most travelers. 

Here’s the catch we keep seeing: once you submit the form, the system generates your completed arrival card with a QR code — and if you close the browser without downloading or screenshotting it, you won’t be able to retrieve it. Submitting a new form may create a duplicate record. And if you arrive at immigration without the QR code, don’t assume the officer can simply look you up — in many cases they can’t, or it may mean a long wait at a staffed kiosk while they sort it out. 

Key takeaway: Download the form, save a screenshot or email it to yourself and keep a backup. 

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