Related Blogs
By Vipul Jain | 27 Nov, 2025
Every traveller has to fill out a disembarkation card before immigration, which contains the personal and travel information about them. It is submitted to the immigration for security purposes. With the digital development of India in the travel sector, this process has been taken completely digital, and e-Arrival cards have been introduced by the Indian Government from October 1, 2025. Now, the travelers can fill out this form digitally, up to 72 hours before their arrival.
In this blog, we will understand the E-arrival cards and how they are better than the traditional paper cards. We have provided all the information related to the digital arrival cards, such as how to fill, where to submit them, and their importance.
The E-arrival card is the digital version of the physical disembarkation card (Form D). It used to be filled by the foreign travelers before entering the plane. Now, this whole process has been shifted online by the Indian government from October 1, 2025. It is used to collect basic information from travelers for immigration and security checks.
This system of the e-arrival card is connected to India's immigration database directly, which helps the immigration authorities to process the arrivals of foreign travelers more efficiently and quickly. It also helps in minimizing the data entry mistakes that are prone to happen manually, and also helps India move toward a paperless and technology-driven control process.
The main purpose of introducing the e-arrival card is given below:
Your Indian Adventure Starts with a Click – Apply for Your Indian Visa Today!
It is important for all foreign nationals and individuals who are registered as Overseas Citizens of Indian (OCI) to fill out an e-arrival card. The e-arrival card is necessary fr the travelers who are arriving with the following visas:
Only Indian passport holders are not required to apply for the e-arrival card. It is always a great idea to check with the latest requirements on the official website of the Bureau of Immigration before your travel.
Also Want to Know About Tourist Visa on Arrival in India Powered With ETA Check Now!The process of submitting an e-arrival card is very simple:
1. Visit one of the official portals to apply:
2. Enter your details: Fill out your personal information, travel details, and passport details.
3. Submit your application form: You can complete the application form up to 72 hours before your flight.
4. Get a confirmation digitally: After the successful submission of the form, you will get a QR Code or a digital acknowledgment. You need to show this to the officers at the time of immigration at the airport.
The E-visa and E-arrival card are two different processes. According to the U.S. Embassy, the e-arrival card is not a part of the e-visa application system. The foreign national travelling to India needs to carry both:
As per the announcement from the government, the paper arrival cards are still acceptable for the next six months after October 1, 2025. Although the foreign travellers are encouraged to use the usage of e-arrival card by the US Embassy, as it is a faster and more efficient option for immigration checks.
The main purpose of the electronic arrival form is to reduce the manual labour in the data processing of foreign travellers and reduce the queue at airports. It allows international travellers to complete their formalities in advance.
This new system of digital e-arrival card is one step towards smarter travel and modernizing the process of immigration. It improves the travel experience for foreign travelers and visitors.
The main advantages of the e-arrival card include:
This practice of digital e-arrival card was already working in Singapore and Malaysia, and now India has also introduced it. It is considered one of the best practices in Indian visa travel history because it helps travelers to complete the arrival process digitally. Similar to both these countries, Indian has also adopted the digital entry forms to maintain convenience and efficiency for the global travelers.
By adopting electronic arrival cards similar to the SG arrival card and the Malaysia digital arrival card, India has also made the entry smoother for foreign travelers. It encourages the travelers to visit Indian to explore the cultural landmarks and attend business conferences.
This change is a major shift in the process of how Indian manages travel data and takes a step forward towards a paper-free and contactless immigration process. It increases the convenience and efficiency for international travelers.
Stop worrying about delays. Apply now and get Indian Counsellor Services.
Chat NowFor travelling internationally, it is important to sort your travel documents beforehand to make it go smoothly. With the digitalization of all the processes, you should also complete your arrival forms digitally. If you seek expert guidance on this or any other traveling requirements, then you should visit trusted online service providers, like Visament. We have experts who have a combined experience of 30+ years in this field of service. You can also get customer assistance 24/7 at very affordable prices. For NRIs, we also provide personalized assistance based on their requirements. You can apply for a passport, a visa, OCI cards, and get many other services.
India has launched an e-arrival card for all foreign travelers and OCI cardholders entering the country. It is a digital replacement for the old physical disembarkation card, which makes the immigration process faster and more efficient.
Yes, it is mandatory to apply for an e-arrival card for all foreign nationals and OCI cardholders while entering India.
No, it is not required for Indian citizens to fill out an e-arrival card. It is only for foreign nationals and OCI cardholders who are entering India.
The basic point of an arrival card is to collect the basic information about themselves, their travel, and their stay from international travelers. This information is used for immigration and security checks.
You can visit the official website of the e-arrival card by the Indian government and fill up to 72 hours before your flight. You need to enter all the details asked in the form, such as passport and personal details, address in India, arrival information, and contact information.
Yes, it is important to print out the eVisa for India, as it is needed to show it to the immigration officials at the airport.
When you visit a website, it may store data about you using cookies and similar technologies. Cookies can be important for the basic operations of the website and for other purposes. You get the option of deactivating certain types of cookies, even so, doing that may affect your experience on the website.
It is required to permit the basic functionality of the website. You may not disable necessary cookies.
Used to provide advertising that matches you and your interests. May also be used to restrict the number of times you see an advertisement and estimate the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. The advertising networks place them after obtaining the operator’s permission.
Permits the website to recognize the choices you make (like your username, language, or the region you are in). Also provides more personalized and enhanced features. For instance, a website may inform you about the local weather reports or traffic news by storing the data about your location.
Aid the website operator to determine how the website performs, how visitors interact with the site, and whether there are any technical issues.
