India Finally Ditches Paper Arrival Forms. It’s Not Going to Fix Indian Tourism
Photo Credit: Passport control at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India. Adobe Stock / saiko3p
Skift Take
E-arrival cards save passengers from having to do paperwork just after disembarking a plane. But the initiative will only make a tiny dent to the bigger problem India faces.
India has made it mandatory for foreign nationals and OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card holders to complete and submit an e-arrival card online before visiting the country. The new rules, implemented from April 1 are part of the government’s ongoing efforts to digitize systems.
The e-arrival cards first became operational last October and replace the physical disembarkation forms that air passengers previously had to fill in on arrival in India.
However, the Indian authorities have clarified that the e-arrival card cannot be used as an alternative to the visa. On the online visa website, the Indian Bureau of Immigration said: “Foreigners and OCI Card holders can complete and submit the e-Arrival card online within 72 hours before their arrival in India… This is for arrival information, not a visa.”
The move makes it easier for pa
