Is the India e-Arrival Card Mandatory for All Foreign Travelers?

We travelled as a family from Toronto to Bangalore, and I had done a bit of research before leaving.

From what I understand, the e-Arrival Card is part of India’s new digital immigration system and applies to all non-Indian passport holders. It replaced the old paper form you used to fill on the flight.

We all filled it online before departure, including my spouse and kids. It took around 10–15 minutes per person.

One important thing I noticed is that it is NOT the same as a visa, so people sometimes confuse the two. Your visa (or OCI) is for entry permission, while the e-Arrival Card is just for entry data collection.

At Pearson airport, airline staff did not check it strictly, but at Delhi immigration they did scan the QR confirmation.

So even though enforcement can feel inconsistent, I would not risk skipping it. Better to complete it in advance and keep a screenshot.

I travelled from London to Mumbai recently and can confirm the same trend.

The e-Arrival Card is now being treated as a standard requirement for foreign travelers entering India. It’s separate from visa rules, so even if you have an e-Visa, you still need to complete it before boarding.

In my case, I forgot to do it in advance and had to complete it at the airport using my phone before check-in. It worked, but it was stressful because the OTP took time and the Wi-Fi at Heathrow was slow.

Regarding exemptions, initially there was a lot of confusion about OCI holders, but most airlines and travel desks now assume everyone (except Indian passport holders) must complete it.

One thing I’d recommend is doing it at least a day before travel. The system under the Bureau of Immigration India can sometimes be slow during peak hours.

So yes, practically speaking, treat it as mandatory for all foreign travelers.

I travelled from New York to Delhi last month and had the same confusion.

From my experience, yes—the e-Arrival Card is mandatory for foreign passport holders now, but it is NOT a visa. It’s more like a digital entry form that replaces the old paper disembarkation card.

I’m on a US Green Card with Indian origin, and I still had to fill it because I was traveling on my foreign passport. A friend of mine with OCI also filled it, although some older posts said OCI was exempt initially.

I filled it within 48 hours before departure using the official portal linked to the Bureau of Immigration India system. It was pretty straightforward, but I did notice that the portal sometimes glitches if you wait too long or use autofill.

From what I saw at JFK check-in, airline staff were actually asking passengers if they had completed it, so it seems quite strictly enforced at least at departure airports.

So yes, I would treat it as mandatory unless you are an Indian citizen with an Indian passport.