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Landing in India
Arrival & Immigration
Your visa gets you on the plane. What actually happens once you land — the new digital arrival form, immigration counters, and customs — is a separate process most guides gloss over. Here’s the current picture.
General information only, not legal advice. See our full disclaimer on the hub page. For airport-specific immigration details, see individual airport guides.
The e-Arrival Card — don’t skip this
India replaced the paper arrival form (once handed out on flights or filled at the airport) with a mandatory digital e-Arrival Card. Every foreign national must complete it online within 72 hours before arrival — this is separate from, and in addition to, your visa. It’s new enough that plenty of circulating guides still describe the old paper process, which no longer applies.
What happens at immigration
1 — Immigration counter
Present your passport, printed ETA (if on e-Visa), and any requested documents. Biometric capture (photograph and fingerprints) is standard for most foreign nationals on arrival.
2 — Baggage reclaim
Standard process, same as any international airport — collect your checked baggage from the belt assigned to your flight.
3 — Customs: green or red
Green channel if you have nothing to declare. Red channel if you’re carrying anything requiring declaration — currency above prescribed limits, restricted goods, or high-value items. Choosing green with undeclared goods is itself an offence, not just a fee to pay if caught.
4 — You’re in
Onward to the arrivals hall — for terminal-specific facilities, transport, and what to expect at your specific airport, see our individual airport guides.
Customs basics
Currency declaration
Carrying foreign currency above roughly US$5,000 in cash (or a higher combined figure including instruments) generally requires declaration on arrival — confirm the current threshold, as these limits are reviewed periodically.
Duty-free allowance
Indian residents and OCI/foreign visitors have different duty-free allowances for personal goods, alcohol, and tobacco. If you’re not sure which category you fall into, check the current CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs) allowance before assuming.
Which airport will you land at?
e-Visa holders can only enter through one of 33 designated airports — full list on Short-Term Visits. All 19 airports we have full guides for are on that list.
Know exactly which airport you’re landing at? Check its dedicated guide on our interactive map for terminal layout, immigration counter locations, and what to expect on arrival specifically there.
Official sources
Bureau of Immigration — e-Arrival Card and entry procedures.
Customs allowances and declaration rules.