India e-Arrival Card for US Citizens – Recent Experiences

I entered India through Bengaluru earlier this month on a U.S. passport with an Entry Visa.

The online form was simple, and I completed it within the recommended submission window before my arrival. My airline didn't ask for proof, but I noticed several passengers filling it out at the boarding gate after staff made an announcement.

If I had one suggestion, it would be to complete it before leaving home instead of relying on airport Wi-Fi. It removes one thing to worry about during travel.

I traveled from Chicago to Mumbai with my wife and two kids.

Each family member completed the required arrival information before departure. We kept screenshots of the confirmations just in case. At Mumbai immigration, nobody asked us to show them, but our airline had reminded passengers about the digital arrival requirement during online check-in.

Overall, it was much easier than filling out paper forms on the aircraft. Since travel requirements can change, I'd still recommend checking the latest official instructions a day or two before your flight.

I flew from Los Angeles to Delhi about three weeks ago on a tourist visa.

The e-Arrival Card only took me around five minutes to complete. I filled it out the day before my flight and saved the confirmation on my phone. The airline agent asked whether I'd completed the arrival form but didn't ask to inspect it in detail.

Immigration in Delhi was straightforward. The officer mainly checked my passport and visa, and I cleared immigration pretty quickly. Having the confirmation available gave me peace of mind, even though it wasn't specifically requested.

I traveled through Bengaluru Airport last month as a U.S. citizen married to an Indian citizen.

My airline specifically included a reminder email about the e-Arrival Card before departure. I completed it through the official system about two days before my flight.

Immigration was quick because the officer already had my information electronically. The entire process took less than ten minutes.

One tip: save both a PDF copy and a screenshot. A traveler near me couldn't access the confirmation email because of a network issue and had to spend extra time retrieving it.

Overall, the system seemed much smoother than the old paper arrival forms.

I flew from San Francisco to Mumbai in April. The process was easier than I expected.

I completed the e-Arrival Card about 48 hours before departure. Nobody at check-in spent much time reviewing it, but they did verify that I had completed it. Immigration officers in Mumbai scanned the QR code and checked my passport.

One thing I noticed was that many travelers were trying to fill out the form at the last minute. That created unnecessary stress.

The requirement appears to apply to foreign passport holders regardless of whether they're visiting on a visa or OCI status. Requirements can change, though, so I would verify the latest rules before traveling.