India e-Arrival Card (digital landing card): who needs it, when to file, what to show

What the e-Arrival Card is — the digital landing card

The e-Arrival Card is the online replacement for India's paper arrival card — the Disembarkation Card, or landing card, that foreign nationals filled in on the plane or at the counter. It is an immigration form run by the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs: not a health declaration, and not a visa. It collects your passport, contact, flight and India-stay details and issues a QR-coded acknowledgement. The digital card was introduced on 1 October 2025 with a transition period; paper cards were withdrawn from 1 April 2026, so the online card is now the standard entry form.

Who files it, and who does not

• All foreign passport holders arriving in India by air, including British citizens travelling on an Indian visa or e-Visa.
• OCI and e-OCI cardholders. OCI holders have been in scope since early October 2025 — an exemption announced at launch was withdrawn within days. Holding OCI does not skip this step.
• Indian passport holders (Indian citizens) do not file it.
• Children: each traveller, including a child, generally needs their own card. Family members can usually be entered in the same session — confirm on the official form when you file.
• Sea and land arrivals, transit passengers who stay airside, and diplomatic or official passports are not covered by this guide. Confirm the rule for your entry type on the official channel.

When to file — within 72 hours before arrival in India

• The window is counted from your scheduled arrival in India, not from departure: it opens 72 hours before you land and closes when you arrive.
• For a UK–India flight, filing the day before you fly — once your flight and India-address details are settled — keeps you comfortably inside the window.
• Airlines may ask to see the acknowledgement at check-in, so do not leave it to the arrival hall.

Where to file — the free official channel, and the look-alike sites to avoid

• The official channel is the Bureau of Immigration's e-Arrival Card service at indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival, also available through the government's Indian Visa Su-Swagatam app. Both are run by the Bureau of Immigration.
• It is free. There is no fee, nothing to upload, and the form takes around five minutes.
• Search results are full of look-alike sites that charge a fee to "process" the card. They are not official: do not pay for the e-Arrival Card, and do not give a passport scan, password or one-time code to a third-party site.
• Matrix Solutions does not file the e-Arrival Card for clients — it is a personal declaration you complete on the official channel. What we do is check the rest of your pre-travel picture, below.

What you show at the airport

Once submitted, the e-Arrival Card produces a QR-coded acknowledgement. Save it to your phone or print it as soon as it is issued, and keep it with your passport and, if you hold one, your OCI. You may be asked for it at airline check-in in the UK, and you present it at the immigration counter in India.

Travelling on OCI? The other thing to check before you fly

• Your OCI should be linked to the passport you are travelling on. An OCI still showing an old passport number can cause questions at the counter.
• If you renewed your passport and have not linked your OCI, OCI Link (£100) or the OCI Passport Details Update (£125, e-OCI included) puts it right before you travel — we confirm which one applies to your case.
• Digital e-OCI: the Bureau of Immigration advises that the digital e-OCI can be presented at immigration check posts and to airlines. Individual carriers and officers may still run their own checks, so carry your passport and, where possible, your physical card as well.
• Not sure whether your OCI is linked? WhatsApp us your travel date, OCI and passport details and we confirm what, if anything, needs doing before you fly.

e-Arrival Card vs Air Suvidha — two different forms

• e-Arrival Card: an immigration form from the Bureau of Immigration (Ministry of Home Affairs). It is the permanent replacement for the paper landing card, applies to foreign passport holders only, and is filed within 72 hours before arrival.
• Air Suvidha 2.0: a health self-declaration run by the Ministry of Civil Aviation with the health authorities. It was reinstated on 25 June 2026 after the WHO public-health emergency declaration, applies to all international arrivals including Indian citizens, is completed within 24 hours before arrival, and can be withdrawn at short notice.
• As of September 2026 both apply to a foreign passport holder flying into India. Our separate Air Suvidha guide covers the health form.

Travelling on an Indian visa or e-Visa?

The e-Arrival Card is in addition to your visa, not instead of it. British and other foreign passport holders need a valid Indian visa or e-Visa, and then file the e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before arrival. If you still need the visa, our Indian visa services cover tourist, business and medical e-Visas and the paper (sticker) visa.

Frequently asked questions

Is the e-Arrival Card the same as the India landing card?+

Yes. It is the digital version of the paper landing (disembarkation) card that foreign nationals used to fill in on arrival. Paper cards were withdrawn from 1 April 2026, so the online e-Arrival Card is now the only version.

Do OCI cardholders need to file the India e-Arrival Card?+

Yes. OCI and e-OCI cardholders have filed it since early October 2025, like other foreign passport holders. Indian passport holders do not.

When exactly do I file the e-Arrival Card?+

Within 72 hours before your scheduled arrival in India — the window is counted to arrival, not departure. Filing the day before you fly, once your flight and India address are settled, is the practical routine.

Is there a fee for the e-Arrival Card?+

No. It is free on the official Bureau of Immigration channel and there is nothing to upload. Sites that charge a fee for it are not official — do not pay, and do not share passport scans or one-time codes with them.

Where do I file the e-Arrival Card from the UK?+

On the official Bureau of Immigration e-Arrival Card service at indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival, or through the government's Indian Visa Su-Swagatam app. Matrix Solutions does not file it for you; we can confirm whether your OCI or visa is in order for the trip.

What do I show at the airport?+

The QR-coded acknowledgement the e-Arrival Card issues — on your phone or printed — alongside your passport and, if you hold one, your OCI. Airlines may ask for it at check-in, and you present it at the immigration counter in India.

Do children need their own e-Arrival Card?+

Generally yes — each traveller, including a child, has their own record and QR code. Family members can usually be entered in the same session; confirm on the official form when you file.

Is Air Suvidha still required as well?+

As of September 2026, yes. Air Suvidha 2.0 is a separate health self-declaration, reinstated on 25 June 2026, completed within 24 hours before arrival and applying to all international arrivals including Indian citizens. It can be withdrawn at short notice, so check before each trip.