Transit passengers who stay in the airside transit zone without clearing India immigration do not need an India e-Arrival Card. If your layover requires you to pass through immigration control – for example, to collect bags, change terminals at certain airports, or stay overnight – you do need the eAC. Submit it free at indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival within 72 hours before arrival.
Transit in India: When the e-Arrival Card Is Required
The India e-Arrival Card is mandatory for any transit passenger who passes through Indian immigration control. The requirement is not about the duration of the stopover – it is about whether you cross the immigration boundary into India.
Quick rule:
- Airside transit only (no immigration clearance): eAC NOT required
- Immigration clearance required (for any reason): eAC IS required
- Indian citizens transiting: exempt from eAC regardless
This distinction is critical for transit travelers, and many general travel articles fail to make it clearly. If you never cross the immigration checkpoint – even on a 12-hour layover – you are not “entering India” in the legal sense and no eAC is needed.
Airside Transit vs. Immigration Clearance – The Key Difference
Most major Indian airports – Delhi Indira Gandhi International (DEL), Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (BOM), and Bengaluru Kempegowda (BLR) – have international airside transit zones where passengers can wait between flights without going through immigration.
What Is Airside Transit?
Airside transit means you remain in the international departure/arrival secure zone at all times. You pass through security screening on arrival but do not proceed to the immigration counter. You wait at the gate area or transit lounge and board your onward flight directly. No stamp is placed in your passport, and you have not formally entered India.
In this case, the India e-Arrival Card is not required.
What Counts as Immigration Clearance?
You clear immigration – and therefore must have submitted an India e-Arrival Card – if any of the following apply to your transit:
- You need to collect checked baggage and re-check it for your connecting flight
- Your connecting flight departs from a domestic terminal (common at some airports)
- You are staying overnight in India and need to exit the airport
- Your visa type requires immigration clearance even for short stops
- Your airline requires all passengers to clear immigration at that port of entry
If you leave the international secure zone – even briefly – you have entered India and the India e-Arrival Card requirement applies. When in doubt, contact your airline or check the transit rules at your specific Indian airport before travel.
Long Layovers and Overnight Stops in India
A long layover that keeps you airside – even 18 or 24 hours – technically does not require the India e-Arrival Card if you never cross immigration. However, most passengers on overnight layovers exit the airport to rest at a hotel. This counts as entering India, and the eAC must be submitted before your original inbound flight departs.
Practical rule for long layovers:
- Staying airside all night? No eAC needed (confirm your airport has a 24-hour transit lounge)
- Exiting to a hotel? Submit eAC within 72 hours before your inbound flight
- Re-entering the airport next day? Present your QR code at immigration on the way in
Delhi and Mumbai airports have dedicated transit hotels inside the airside zone. If you use these, you may not need to clear immigration – check with the hotel directly. If you use a city hotel, you will cross immigration and the eAC is mandatory.
Which Nationalities Need a Transit Visa for India?
Transit visa requirements and the India e-Arrival Card are two separate systems. Do not confuse them.
Some nationalities require a transit visa even for a short airside connection in India. Others can transit without a visa for up to 24-72 hours depending on nationality and purpose. Check the official transit visa rules for your specific nationality.
If you clear immigration during your transit (for any of the reasons above), you need both:
- A valid visa or visa-on-arrival eligibility for India
- A submitted India e-Arrival Card (from 1 April 2026)
Neither replaces the other. The eAC is a mandatory pre-arrival declaration – not a visa substitute.
How to Complete the e-Arrival Card If You Are Transiting
The process for transit passengers is identical to regular arrivals, with one important difference: select Transit as your purpose of visit. This field appears during the form and affects what information you need to provide about your stay in India.
Step 1 – Open indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival
Go to indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival or download the Su-Swagatam app. Create an account or continue as a guest.
Step 2 – Select Transit as Purpose of Visit
When the form asks for your purpose of visit, select “Transit.” You will then be prompted to enter your onward flight number, departure date, and destination country. Have your connecting flight booking reference ready.
Step 3 – Enter Your Onward Flight Details
Provide the following for your connecting flight:
- Onward flight number (e.g., EK 504)
- Departure date and time from India
- Final destination country
- Accommodation address if you are staying overnight in India (required if you exit the airport)
Submit the form and download your QR code. Present it at immigration when you pass through the checkpoint in India.
For more detail on the full submission process, see our application guide or the FAQ page.
What If You Miss Your Connecting Flight During Transit?
If you miss your onward connection and must leave the transit zone – for example, to be rebooked on a new flight the next day – you will need an India e-Arrival Card. In a missed connection emergency, the immigration process becomes more complex.
What typically happens:
- Your airline’s ground staff will assist with rerouting and may provide a hotel voucher
- If you need to exit the airport, you must have valid immigration documents (visa) and ideally a submitted eAC
- The eAC cannot be submitted at an airport counter – it is online only
- Submit immediately on your phone while still in the secure zone, before proceeding to immigration
If your original flight details change due to a missed connection, the eAC tied to the original flight may not match your new arrival details. In that case, submit a new eAC with the corrected flight number. The old submission can be left – it will not cause a conflict, but the new one should reflect your actual arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do transit passengers need an India e-Arrival Card?
Only if they clear immigration. Transit passengers who remain airside (in the international transit zone without passing through immigration) do not need an India e-Arrival Card. If you exit the transit zone for any reason, you need the eAC.
I have a 6-hour layover in Delhi – do I need the eAC?
Only if you exit the airside transit zone. If you stay in the international terminal and board your onward flight without clearing immigration, the eAC is not required. If you plan to leave the airport or the layout of the airport requires immigration clearance, submit the eAC.
What is the difference between a transit visa and the India e-Arrival Card?
A transit visa is a permission to enter India for short transit purposes, required by certain nationalities. The India e-Arrival Card is a separate mandatory declaration form for all foreign passport holders who clear immigration. Both may be required simultaneously if you clear immigration during transit.
Do OCI card holders need the India e-Arrival Card when transiting?
Yes – OCI holders who clear immigration at an Indian airport must submit the India e-Arrival Card. OCI holders are required to submit the eAC since 4 October 2025. If they stay airside without clearing immigration, it is not required.
Can I submit the India e-Arrival Card after I land if I forgot?
The eAC must be submitted within 72 hours before arrival. There is no airport counter for on-the-spot submission. However, if you realize you forgot, you can submit on your phone while in the queue – as long as you have not yet reached the immigration counter and the 72-hour window has not expired relative to your scheduled arrival time.
What happens if my connecting flight details change after I submit the eAC?
If your arrival flight number or date changes, submit a new India e-Arrival Card with the updated details. The form cannot be edited after submission. Use the correct inbound flight information – not the connecting flight – as the “arrival” details.
For the full 72-hour submission window explained, see India e-Arrival Card 72-Hour Rule. More transit-specific requirements are covered in our Transit Passengers Guide.
