Paper arrival forms axed
India has scrapped paper arrival forms for international visitors and is moving to electronic arrival cards—an administrative tweak meant to simplify entry, though experts say it won't on its own supercharge tourism. (skift.com)
Paper disembarkation cards were permanently discontinued at 00:01 IST on April 1, 2026 and the digital e‑Arrival Card became mandatory for all foreign arrivals. (visahq.com) The e‑Arrival Card must be filed online within 72 hours before landing via the Indian Visa Online portal, the Bureau of Immigration site or the Su‑Swagatam mobile app. (in.usembassy.gov) Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders were explicitly added to the e‑Arrival requirement by an October 4, 2025 regulatory update, removing their earlier exemption. (fragomen.com) Submitting the form generates a PDF/QR confirmation that travellers must present at immigration, and the digital record captures passport details, flight information, purpose of visit and local address (with a brief health declaration in some cases). (indiatoday.in) The e‑Arrival system was rolled out as an optional digital channel on October 1, 2025 and ran through a six‑month transition that ended March 31, 2026, after which paper forms were no longer accepted. (visaverge.com) Government and airport analyses estimate the digital process can cut immigration processing times by roughly 40% compared with the old paper workflow. (indiatoday.in) The new card is timestamped against visa records and tied into broader border upgrades — authorities and industry advisers are telling airlines to verify e‑Arrival confirmations before boarding and urging employers to add the form to pre‑travel checklists to avoid on‑arrival fines or delays. (visahq.com) Industry commentators note the change removes a paperwork step but will not by itself solve India's larger capacity, infrastructure and service issues that constrain tourism growth. (skift.com)
