Foreign travellers entering India, including OCI cardholders, must submit the free e-Arrival Card within the 72 hours before arrival. Indian passport holders do not submit it.
Verified
Run by Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs. Last verified September 14, 2026.
· Archived snapshot
Start here
1. Is the India e-Arrival Card free?
Yes. See the official .gov.in portal, the 72-hour submission window, and why this card does not replace a visa or OCI status.
→ Read the e-Arrival Card overview
2. Every field, in order
Identity, visa or OCI details, travel, India address, contact information, and the final declaration. → Field-by-field e-Arrival Card guide
The fast facts
- e-Arrival Card fee: free. The official form says the service is free of cost.
- Who files it: foreign nationals, including OCI cardholders. Indian passport holders are not foreign nationals and do not file it.
- When to submit: within the 72 hours before arrival in India.
- e-Visa is separate: it is a paid travel permission, not an arrival card. Completing either one does not complete the other.
- Tourist e-Visa examples: many nationalities pay USD $10 from April to June or $25 from July to March for 30 days, $40 for 1 year, and $200 for 5 years. Exceptions include the United Kingdom at $484 for 5 years. Add the 3% bank charge and check the live official quote.
- Ports matter: an e-Visa permits first entry only through the airports and seaports on the current official list.
Verified
Run by Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs. Last verified September 14, 2026.
· Archived snapshot
Who we are
We are not India’s Bureau of Immigration. We do not collect passport data, submit an e-Arrival Card or e-Visa, or charge application fees.