India's e-Arrival Card Is Mandatory Now , No Paper Option Left

India's Electronic Arrival Form (e-Arrival Card) has been fully mandatory since April 1, 2026, paper disembarkation forms are gone at every entry point. Air, sea, land , doesn't matter, you need the digital form. The U.S. Embassy flagged it again on April 8, which means enforcement is, honestly, very much active right now.

The form itself is free, takes minutes and replaces the old paper card that immigration used to hand out on flights. It collects your passport details, flight info, purpose of visit and your address in India, then spits out a QR code you show at the border. No approval wait, no fee, just submit and save the confirmation.

Who needs it:

• All foreign passport holders, regardless of visa type
• OCI cardholders (added to the requirement in October 2025)
• Tourists, expats, business travelers, students, digital nomads , everyone

Indian citizens and transit passengers who aren't entering India are exempt, that's the full list of exemptions.

Submit within 72 hours before arrival via the official portal at indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival or the Su-Swagatam app (free on iOS and Android). Don't confuse this with your visa , your e-Visa or OCI card is still required separately, this form is on top of that. Frequent travelers, turns out, have to do this every single time they enter, there's no stored profile that carries over between trips.

Miss it and you're looking at immigration delays, denied boarding or both. Airlines are reportedly checking for proof, so print the QR code or keep it on your phone before you get to the gate.

Check our full India guide for visa types, entry rules and the latest nomad news affecting long-term travelers.