e-Arrival Card India for H1B Visa Holders Visiting Family

I think a lot of confusion comes from the phrase "H1B visa holder."

People often assume H1B status changes the entry requirements for India, but Indian immigration generally looks at your citizenship and travel document.

I visited family in Bengaluru last month while working in the US on H1B. Since I entered India using an Indian passport, I did not need to present any visa or OCI documentation for entry into India itself.

If you're still an Indian citizen and have not become a US citizen or obtained an OCI card, your experience will likely be different from that of foreign nationals or OCI holders who are covered by the e-Arrival Card discussions. Based on recent advisories, the digital arrival process has primarily been aimed at foreign travelers entering India.

My wife is on H4 and I'm on H1B. We traveled from New York to Delhi in April 2026.

We both hold Indian passports and neither of us completed an e-Arrival Card before travel. Check-in at JFK was straightforward. The airline reviewed our passports, visas, and return travel information.

Based on conversations with other passengers, it seemed that the e-Arrival Card was mainly being discussed by foreign passport holders and OCI cardholders traveling to India. Some of them had QR codes or confirmation emails ready for inspection.

Our entry process in Delhi was completely normal.

I traveled from Newark to Chennai in May 2026 on H1B status.

One thing to keep in mind is that your immigration status in the United States (H1B, L1, F1, etc.) isn't what determines the requirement. What matters is the passport you're traveling on.

Since I'm an Indian citizen traveling on an Indian passport, I wasn't asked for an e-Arrival Card. The airline only checked my passport and US visa to verify I could return to the United States.

Several foreign passport holders on the same flight mentioned completing the e-Arrival Card, but that wasn't applicable in my situation.

Of course, travel rules can change, so it's worth checking official guidance closer to departure.