Has Anyone Traveled to India Using the New e-OCI Card?

I recently traveled from Sydney to Chennai.

Although I had access to the e-OCI, I also carried my physical OCI booklet because the system is still fairly new. At Sydney airport, the airline representative asked whether I had the digital or physical version. I showed both, and they accepted them without any issues.

One thing I'd recommend is downloading the e-OCI before leaving home instead of relying on internet access at the airport. I also kept screenshots of the QR code in case I couldn't log into the portal while traveling.

Official guidance says that existing physical OCI cards remain valid, so there's no harm in carrying both if you already have them. 

I traveled from Toronto to Delhi earlier this month.

I had downloaded my e-OCI a few days before departure but decided to keep a printed copy as well as the PDF saved offline on my phone. Fortunately, I didn't need the printout.

The airline agent had heard about the e-OCI rollout but spent a couple of extra minutes verifying my documents. Once everything was confirmed, boarding wasn't an issue.

Immigration in Delhi was actually quicker than I expected. The officer scanned my passport, checked a few details on the screen, and returned my passport within a minute or two.

Every airport and airline may handle new procedures a little differently, so carrying backup documents gave me some peace of mind.

I flew from San Francisco to Bengaluru via Singapore Airlines about a week after receiving access to my e-OCI.

To avoid any confusion, I carried both my digital e-OCI and my physical OCI booklet. At airline check-in, the staff initially asked for my passport and OCI details. I showed the digital version on my phone, but I also had the physical booklet ready. The check-in agent glanced at both and completed the verification without any delay.

Immigration in Bengaluru was straightforward. The officer mainly looked at my passport and confirmed my OCI status electronically. I wasn't asked any additional questions.

Based on my experience, I'd still carry the physical OCI card if you already have one. Even though the digital system has been introduced, some airline staff may still be more familiar with the traditional booklet during the transition period.