Ask a Question
I'm flying from Sydney to New Delhi next week to visit my parents after almost a year. While preparing for my trip, I completed the new India e-Arrival Card online and received the confirmation with a QR code.
I've seen different experiences shared online, and I'm a bit confused about what actually happens at the airport. Some travelers say the airline staff checked their QR code during check-in, while others mentioned it wasn't requested until they arrived in India. Since this is my first trip after the new system was introduced, I'd like to know what recent travelers experienced.
I'm an Australian citizen with a valid OCI Card, so I won't be traveling on an Indian visa. I have my passport, OCI Card, and the QR code saved on my phone, and I've also printed a copy just in case.
For those who recently flew from Australia to India, did the airline staff ask to scan or verify your QR code before boarding? If they did, was the digital copy on your phone enough, or did they prefer a printed version?
I understand airport procedures may differ between airlines and can change over time, so I'm just looking for recent experiences from travelers who have already completed the journey.
My experience was a little different.
I flew from Perth to Bengaluru with a stop in Singapore. The airline staff checked my passport and OCI Card but didn't ask about the QR code at all during check-in. However, after arriving in India, the immigration officer requested the QR code before processing my entry.
From talking to other passengers, it seemed the checks varied depending on the airline and even the airport staff on duty. I wouldn't worry too much if it isn't requested before boarding, but I'd definitely have it ready because it may be needed later.
I flew from Melbourne to Delhi in June 2026 with my family. During check-in, the airline agent asked whether we had completed the India e-Arrival Card. They didn't actually scan the QR code, but they did ask us to show the confirmation page on our phones before issuing our boarding passes.
When we landed in Delhi, the immigration officer scanned the QR code at the counter. The whole process took less than a minute.
I'd still recommend keeping both a digital and a printed copy. My phone battery was getting low by the time we landed, so having the paper copy gave me some peace of mind.
Share Your Thoughts and Connect with Others.
I recently submitted my OCI application online and noticed that I made a mistake in one of the details. I am worried because I have already submitted the form and...
My wife and I are Indian citizens living in the United States, and we recently welcomed our newborn baby. We want to apply for an OCI card for our child...
I am currently living abroad and planning to apply for an OCI card. I was previously an Indian citizen, but I acquired foreign citizenship a few years ago. My Indian...
I am planning to apply for an OCI card for my minor child and want to make sure I have all the required documents ready before starting the application. My...
I recently acquired British citizenship and am planning to apply for an OCI card. Before starting the application, I want to confirm whether I must obtain an Indian passport surrender...
Hi everyone, I recently became a US citizen through naturalization and am planning to apply for an OCI card. I still have my last Indian passport, but I haven't completed...
I recently became a British citizen and have started the process of surrendering my Indian passport. I want to apply for an OCI card as soon as possible, but I...
I recently submitted my OCI card application from the USA, and I’m trying to figure out whether I can travel to India while the application is still being processed. I’m...
I’m currently living in California and planning a trip to India for about three weeks in December. I’m a U.S. citizen and will be travelling on my valid U.S. passport....
I recently became a British citizen after living in the UK for several years. Before moving abroad, I had a normal resident savings account in India, which was later converted...
Let Visament guide you to the perfect solution for all your queries.
I recently traveled from Brisbane to Mumbai, and my airline verified the QR code twice. The first check happened at the check-in counter, where the staff simply confirmed I had completed the e-Arrival Card. Before boarding, a gate agent also briefly looked at the QR code while checking travel documents.
They didn't scan it either time, but they wanted to see the confirmation screen. Once I reached Mumbai, immigration scanned the code electronically.
Based on my trip, having the QR code saved offline was helpful because the airport Wi-Fi wasn't very reliable. I also kept screenshots of the confirmation page in case I couldn't access my email.