UAE-India travel update: Delhi airport to introduce E-Arrival Card from October 1

Dubai: From 1 October, passengers flying from the UAE to Delhi will be able to complete their arrival details online before travel, thanks to a new E-Arrival Card system.

With thousands of Gulf-based travellers arriving in India daily for work, family visits, or tourism, the initiative is expected to cut waiting times at immigration and make the arrival process significantly smoother.

How the system works

The E-Arrival Card replaces paper forms with a secure online platform. Travellers can fill in their details up to three days before landing in Delhi through:

• Bureau of Immigration portal (boi.gov.in)

• Indian Visa website (indianvisaonline.gov.in)

• Su-Swagatam mobile app

• Delhi airport website (newdelhiairport.in)

On arrival, passengers will be processed faster as manual form-filling and paper handling are no longer required.

Boost during peak travel

The UAE–India route is one of the busiest in the world, with heavy traffic during school holidays, Eid breaks, and the festive season. Officials say the E-Arrival Card will be particularly helpful during these peak periods, when queues at Delhi airport tend to be longest.

Global-standard practice

Similar facilities are already in place at major hubs in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and Malaysia. Delhi’s rollout aligns India’s busiest airport with international best practices.

What about Indian nationals and OCIs?

The new E-Arrival Card applies to foreign nationals. Indian citizens and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders already have access to the Fast Track Immigration–Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP), launched in June 2024.