India tightened its entry process for foreign visitors in 2026, and the changes go further than the headlines about a new digital arrival form suggest. Between April 1, 2026 and mid-year, three separate rules shifted at once: how you declare your arrival, how long-stay visitors register with local authorities, and how much certain e-Visas cost depending on your nationality.
If you’re planning a trip to India this year, here’s exactly what changed, what it costs, and what to do before you fly — without wading through a dozen scattered government notices to piece it together.
None of these changes are dramatic on their own. Digitizing an arrival form, tightening a registration deadline, adjusting visa fees by nationality — each is a fairly routine immigration update. What trips people up is that they’re happening in the same year, and most travel advice online only covers one of the three. Someone searching “new India travel rules” right now is more likely to land on a page about the e-Arrival Card alone than on something that connects it to the FRRO and visa fee changes that came alongside it — which matters if your trip involves more than a two-week holiday.
- The paper arrival form is gone. A mandatory digital e-Arrival Card replaced it nationwide as of April 1, 2026.
- FRRO registration timing shifted. Long-stay foreign nationals must now register before hitting 180 days in the country, not within a grace period after.
- e-Visa pricing moved to a reciprocal model. Fees now vary more by nationality, and the list of entry points accepting e-Visas expanded to 51.
Each of these is worth understanding on its own, because they affect different types of travelers in different ways. A two-week tourist mainly needs to worry about the e-Arrival Card. Anyone staying longer — for work, study, or an extended visit — needs to pay closer attention to the FRRO change.
The New e-Arrival Card Requirement
Who Needs It
Every foreign passport holder entering India now needs to complete the e-Arrival Card before landing — and that includes Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders. Early guidance suggested OCI holders might be exempt, but updated advisories from Indian missions abroad confirmed they’re expected to follow the same process as any other foreign passport holder. Indian citizens traveling on an Indian passport are not required to file one.
We’ve built a full breakdown of exactly who needs to fill out the e-Arrival Card if you want the complete eligibility rules by visa type.
When and How to Submit It
The form can be submitted online or through the official Su-Swagatam mobile app, starting up to 96 hours before your flight lands. Submit it within 72 hours of arrival and the system generates a QR code — that’s what you’ll show immigration officers at the counter, either on your phone or printed out. It takes most travelers about five minutes to complete, and one person can submit on behalf of a family or travel group of up to five.
Timing matters more than people expect. File it too early and you won’t get the QR code yet; file it too late and you’re scrambling at the gate. We cover the exact window in more detail in when to fill out India’s e-Arrival Card.
What Happens If You Skip It
Skipping the e-Arrival Card isn’t automatic grounds for being denied entry, but it’s not a free pass either. Travelers without a completed form and QR code are routinely pulled aside for secondary inspection, which can mean a long wait — and if you’re on a tight connection, that delay can cascade into a missed flight. Airlines are also increasingly checking for the QR code before boarding, since India’s government reminder and industry advisory in May 2026 put pressure on carriers to enforce it at check-in.
Visa and FRRO Changes You Should Know About
e-Visa Reciprocal Pricing
Early in 2026, India moved its e-Visa fee structure to a reciprocal pricing model — meaning what you pay is tied more closely to what your home country charges Indian nationals for a comparable visa. At the same time, the government expanded the list of accepted e-Visa entry points to 51, giving travelers more airports and seaports where an e-Visa is valid on arrival. Because fees now vary by nationality and visa duration, it’s worth checking the current fee for your specific passport on the official e-Visa portal rather than relying on a flat number — a US citizen applying for a 10-year tourist e-Visa, for example, currently sees a fee in the range of $160, but that figure won’t hold for every nationality or visa length.
The expanded entry point list is worth checking too, especially if you’re flying into a smaller city or arriving by sea. Not every airport or port historically accepted e-Visa arrivals — travelers occasionally got caught out landing somewhere their e-Visa wasn’t valid for entry. With 51 designated entry points now on the list, that risk is lower than it used to be, but it’s still worth confirming your specific arrival point is included before you book flights, particularly for regional or secondary airports.
FRRO Registration — The 180-Day Rule Changed
This is the change most travel guides are skipping entirely, and it matters if you’re staying in India longer than a short holiday. Under the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs revised how FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) registration timing works. Previously, foreign nationals on visas valid for 180 days or less generally had a 14-day grace period *after* their stay passed the 180-day mark to register if they wanted to extend. Under the revised rule, anyone intending to stay beyond 180 days now has to complete FRRO registration *before* they hit that 180-day threshold — which means you need to plan ahead rather than sort it out once you’re already over the limit.
If you’re a short-term tourist on a standard 30- or 90-day e-Visa, this change likely doesn’t touch you. If you’re a long-stay visitor, digital nomad, student, or someone extending an existing visa, it’s worth marking your calendar well before day 180, not after.
| Change | Who It Affects | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| e-Arrival Card mandatory | All foreign nationals, OCI cardholders | April 1, 2026 |
| FRRO registration before 180 days | Long-stay visitors, students, extensions | 2026, under the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 |
| e-Visa reciprocal pricing + 51 entry points | All e-Visa applicants | Early 2026 |
What These New Rules Actually Cost You
- e-Arrival Card: Free. There’s no charge to submit it online or through the app.
- e-Visa fees: Vary by nationality and duration under the new reciprocal pricing model. As a reference point, a 10-year tourist e-Visa for a US passport holder currently runs around $160; shorter categories and other nationalities will differ, so confirm your exact fee on the official portal before booking.
- Visa extension via e-FRRO: Typically falls in the $100–200 range, processed in about 3–4 working days for most tourist visa extensions.
Best Time to Apply Before Your Trip
Give yourself more runway than you think you need. Most e-Visa categories can be applied for starting at least 4 days before travel, and many categories allow applications as far out as 120 days in advance — apply early if your travel dates are firm. For the e-Arrival Card, the window opens 96 hours before arrival, but you won’t get your QR code until you’re inside the 72-hour mark, so plan to file it in that final window, not the moment it opens. If you’re a long-stay visitor approaching the 180-day FRRO threshold, start that process at least a few weeks ahead rather than in the final days.
A simple way to think about the timeline: visa first, e-Arrival Card last. Sort your e-Visa or regular visa well before booking flights, since visa approval timelines are the least flexible part of the process. The e-Arrival Card, by contrast, is designed to be a near-departure task — there’s no advantage to rushing it days early, and doing so just means an extra step to regenerate your QR code if your flight details change.
Pros and Cons of India's New Entry System
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Faster immigration lines once you’re at the counter with a QR code ready | One more pre-trip task to remember, on top of visa paperwork |
| No more handwriting a form mid-flight or losing a paper slip | Depends on having your phone charged and QR code accessible on arrival |
| One submission covers a family or group of up to five | Long-stay visitors now need to plan FRRO registration further in advance |
For a quick weekend business trip, the new system is mostly an upgrade. For a family of five heading to a wedding, the group submission genuinely saves time. For anyone on an extended stay — study, remote work, a long sabbatical — the FRRO shift adds a planning step that wasn’t there before.
Common Mistakes Travelers Are Making Right Now
- Filing the e-Arrival Card too early. Submitting outside the 72-hour window means no QR code yet, and travelers show up at the airport with an incomplete confirmation.
- Assuming OCI cardholders are exempt. That was true under early guidance; it isn’t anymore. OCI holders need to complete the e-Arrival Card like any other foreign passport holder.
- Treating the e-Arrival Card as a visa. It isn’t one. You still need a valid visa or e-Visa alongside it — the card only covers arrival information.
- Losing track of the FRRO 180-day deadline. Under the old rule, there was a grace period after the fact. There isn’t one anymore for anyone approaching the threshold.
- Assuming the e-Arrival Card replaces trip insurance or other documentation. It only covers arrival declaration — it has no bearing on travel insurance, onward ticket requirements, or proof of funds if an immigration officer asks for them separately.
Pro Travel Tips for a Smooth Entry Into India
- Save your QR code in three places — phone gallery, email, and a printed copy — in case of connectivity issues on arrival.
- Submit your e-Arrival Card inside the 72-hour window, not the moment the 96-hour window opens.
- If your flight number changes after you’ve submitted the form, file a new one if you’re still outside 72 hours; if it happens at the airport, immigration officers can update it manually.
- If you’re approaching 180 days in-country, start your FRRO registration several weeks early rather than waiting for a deadline reminder.
- Double-check your specific e-Visa fee on the official portal — the reciprocal pricing model means the number can differ from what a blog post (including this one) quotes as an example.
Who Should Do What
- Short-term tourist: Get your e-Visa sorted, then file the e-Arrival Card in the 72-hour window before you land. That’s the whole checklist.
- Long-stay traveler or digital nomad: Do the above, and put a hard reminder on your calendar well before day 180 to handle FRRO registration.
- Business traveler: Check your visa fee under the new reciprocal pricing model before you book — it may differ from what you paid on a previous trip.
- Family or group trip: Use the group e-Arrival Card submission to file for everyone at once and save time.
