Starting October 1, foreigners traveling to India will no longer need to complete paper disembarkation cards at immigration. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that the immigration process will transition to an online format.
New Digital Arrival Card Process
Visitors will be able to submit a digital arrival card prior to their travel. This e-arrival card will require essential information including:
- Passport number
- Nationality
- Purpose of visit
- Local address
- Contact information
No document uploads will be necessary, simplifying the entry process for foreign travelers. Additionally, Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders are exempt from this requirement.
Government Initiative to Streamline Immigration
This initiative is a part of the Indian government’s ongoing efforts to minimize airport delays using technology. Recently, the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, launched the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) at five airports: Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Trichy, Kozhikode, and Amritsar.
The FTI-TTP, which aims to expedite the immigration process, was originally introduced in Delhi in 2024 and later expanded to major cities including Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Ahmedabad. Currently, the program is available at 13 airports, with plans to include Navi Mumbai and Greater Noida in the future.
Efficient Immigration Clearance
The new system promises to enhance traveler experience by eliminating long queues and manual checks. Immigration clearance can now be achieved in as little as 30 seconds. As of September 11, approximately 300,000 travelers have registered on the FTI-TTP portal, with 265,000 already using it during their travels.
The move to ditch paper immigration forms is expected to significantly improve the efficiency of the arrival process for international visitors to India.
