Foreign visitors to India will be able to submit arrival details online from Oct. 1, as the government replaces paper disembarkation forms and expands biometric fast-track clearance to 13 airports.
Travellers can complete the e-arrival card up to 72 hours before flying or upon reaching the airport via the official Indian visa website or the “Indian Visa Su-Swagatam” mobile app. The form requests basic details including passport number, nationality, purpose of visit, local address, and contact information. No document uploads are required. Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders are exempt, while physical forms will remain available for a transitional period of six months or until the digital system stabilises.
The move complements the expansion of the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP), first launched at Delhi airport in 2024. The programme allows registered travellers to clear immigration using automated e-gates with biometric verification, including fingerprints and facial recognition, in under 30 seconds. Registration is free and valid for five years or until passport expiry.
The FTI-TTP is now operational at 13 airports including Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Trichy, Kozhikode, and Amritsar. Expansion plans include Navi Mumbai and Jewar airports. Since its launch, roughly 3 lakh travellers have registered, with 2.65 lakh already using the system. The programme allows low-risk passengers to pass without manual inspection, while authorities can focus on higher-risk arrivals.
The initiative is part of broader efforts to modernise immigration infrastructure and manage rising passenger volumes. Between 2014 and 2024, outbound Indian travellers rose from 3.54 crore to 6.12 crore, while foreign arrivals grew from 1.53 crore to nearly 2 crore. Officials expect registrations and usage of the e-gates to increase as awareness spreads. The digital arrival card and expanded fast-track gates aim to reduce delays and streamline airport entry for travellers.
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