Glossary of India Travel Terms

A form hotels are legally required to file with the Bureau of Immigration within 24 hours of a foreign guest’s check-in, recording passport and address details. Handled by the hotel — not something you fill out yourself.

India’s facial-recognition airport entry system, letting registered passengers skip manual document checks at security and boarding. Free app-based registration.

A mandatory digital arrival form, replacing the old paper version since October 2025. Every foreign national must file it online within 72 hours before landing. See Arrival & Immigration.

India’s online visa system — 9 sub-categories (Tourist, Business, Medical, and more), applied for entirely online without an embassy visit. See Visa Categories.

The office foreign nationals must register with for stays generally beyond 180 days. FRRO exists in major cities; FRO (a designated local police officer) handles it elsewhere. See FRRO Registration.

Registered-traveller e-gates at major airports for faster immigration clearance, available to eligible Indian citizens and OCI cardholders.

Any of India’s 100+ authorized exit points. You must enter via one of the designated e-Visa airports, but can generally exit via any ICP.

A permit system for Indian citizens only traveling to certain restricted states. Foreign nationals need PAP/RAP instead, not ILP. See Restricted Areas.

The official portal for booking Indian train tickets online.

An Indian citizen currently living outside India. Distinct from OCI — an NRI still holds an Indian passport.

A lifelong, visa-free multi-entry status for foreign citizens of Indian origin (and their spouses/children). Not the same as citizenship or a passport. See OCI, PIO & Indian Origin.

Extra permits foreign nationals need — on top of a valid visa — to visit parts of Sikkim, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and the Andamans. See Restricted Areas.

An older status now merged into the OCI scheme. If you still hold a PIO card, converting to OCI is generally recommended.

India’s dominant QR-code-based payment system, used almost everywhere from restaurants to street stalls. See Money, Payments & Budgeting.

A government-backed prepaid UPI wallet built specifically for foreign tourists, letting you use UPI without an Indian bank account.

An outsourced visa application centre used by many Indian missions abroad to process regular (non-e-Visa) visa applications.

A narrow facility currently limited to Japanese, South Korean, and select UAE nationals at designated airports — not a general option for most travelers.