Applying for India’s e-Arrival Card is safe when you use the two official portals: indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival or the Su-Swagatam app. The process is completely free, takes under 10 minutes, and your data is protected under India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2025. Third-party websites that charge fees for this service are unnecessary at best and dangerous at worst.
What Is the India e-Arrival Card and Why It Matters
The India e-Arrival Card replaced paper disembarkation forms on April 1, 2026. It is now mandatory for all foreign nationals and OCI cardholders visiting India. You must submit it within 72 hours before your scheduled arrival — no earlier, no later.
The card collects basic travel information: passport details, purpose of visit, accommodation address in India, and a health declaration. Once submitted, you receive a QR code. Immigration officers scan this code when you arrive — no paper required.
India is following a global trend. Countries like Singapore, Thailand, Australia, and the Philippines already operate similar digital arrival systems. The shift is designed to reduce immigration processing times, which Bureau of Immigration pilot data shows fell from 5–6 minutes to under 3 minutes when the digital card was trialled at Delhi and Bengaluru airports.
Learn more about the QR code you receive after submitting your e-Arrival Card.
The Only Two Official Portals to Apply Safely
The India e-Arrival Card is available exclusively on two government-operated channels:
- indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival — the official Indian Visa Online portal managed by the Bureau of Immigration
- Su-Swagatam mobile app — the official Indian government immigration app (available on iOS and Android)
Both are operated by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs. Both are completely free. Neither will ever ask you for payment. The Indian Consulate General in Hong Kong explicitly confirmed: “e-Arrival card can be filled up and submitted online through the Bureau of Immigration website (boi.gov.in), the Indian Visa website, or the Su-Swagatam mobile app.”
Any other website offering to submit your India e-Arrival Card is a third-party service — not an official government portal. This includes sites with names like “india-arrival-card.com,” “indiaearrivalcard.org,” or “india-e-arrival.net.”
If you are a US citizen, check our dedicated India e-Arrival Card guide for US citizens or for UK travellers, see our UK citizens guide.
Red Flags: How to Spot Unofficial and Unsafe Websites
Since the e-Arrival Card became mandatory in April 2026, hundreds of unofficial websites have appeared in search results, social media ads, and email campaigns. These sites look professional, may appear before the official site in paid search results, and often use urgent language to pressure you into paying.
Here is what to watch for:
Domain and URL Warning Signs
- Non-.gov.in domain: Any legitimate Indian government service ends in
.gov.in. If the URL ends in.com,.net,.org, or any country TLD other than.inon a government-looking site — be suspicious. - Misspelled official names: Watch for domains like
indianvisaonline.com(not .gov.in),india-earrival-card.com,e-arrival-india.net, orindiaearrivalform.org. - Excessive subdomains or hyphens: Domains like
apply.india-arrival-card-official.comare constructed to appear legitimate but are not. - No visible government branding: Official portals display the Indian government emblem and explicit Bureau of Immigration attribution.
Payment Requests = Scam Alert
The India e-Arrival Card is free. Full stop. If any website asks you to pay — whether $5, $30, or $80 — to submit your e-Arrival Card, it is not the official portal. There is no legitimate fee, no “processing charge,” and no “expedited service” for a form that is instant upon submission.
Some sites frame the charge as a “service fee” for filling out the form on your behalf. This is legal in a narrow sense, but wildly overpriced for a 10-minute free process — and completely unnecessary. More importantly, you are handing your passport data to an unverified third party.
Pressure Tactics and Countdown Timers
Scam sites frequently use countdown timers (“Your session expires in 10 minutes!”), urgency language (“Apply now — last chance before your flight”), and fake “limited slot” messages. The official portal has none of these elements. You can apply and reapply at any time within the 72-hour window without pressure.
How Your Personal Data Is Protected on Official Portals
India’s Bureau of Immigration stores e-Arrival Card data under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2025. According to VisaHQ’s March 2026 report citing Bureau of Immigration officials, the Act mandates explicit purpose limitation — your arrival data is used only for immigration processing and is not sold or shared with commercial entities.
The official portals use SSL encryption (look for the padlock icon and https:// in the URL). Data submitted through official channels is retained only for the purposes of border control and is not used for marketing profiling.
In contrast, unofficial third-party websites operating from outside India are subject to no such regulation. Your passport number, date of birth, and travel details submitted to these sites may be stored, sold, or used in ways you cannot control.
What to Do If You Used an Unofficial Website
If you have already submitted your data to a third-party e-Arrival Card site — especially one that charged you a fee — take these steps immediately:
- Check if you received a valid QR code from the Indian government’s Bureau of Immigration system. A legitimate confirmation email will come from an official
@gov.inaddress. - Re-apply on the official portal (indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival) if you are unsure whether your card was actually submitted.
- Contact your bank if you made a payment — request a chargeback for services that misrepresented themselves as official government services.
- Report the website to India’s CERT-In at cert-in.org.in — India’s national cyber security agency tracks and removes fraudulent government impersonation sites.
- Monitor your passport details and be alert for any unusual identity-related activity.
If you encountered technical issues on the official portal, visit our India e-Arrival Card portal troubleshooting guide.
Security Checklist Before You Apply
Before you submit your India e-Arrival Card, run through this quick checklist:
- ✅ URL begins with
https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrivalOR you are using the official Su-Swagatam app downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store - ✅ No payment is requested at any stage
- ✅ The page displays the Indian government emblem and Bureau of Immigration branding
- ✅ You found the portal through an official source (Indian embassy website, boi.gov.in, or the official Indian visa online portal)
- ✅ You are applying within 72 hours of your scheduled arrival — not earlier
- ✅ You have your passport ready (expiry date, issue date, passport number)
For a full walkthrough of the application process and what to do if you need to correct an error, see our India e-Arrival Card error correction guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the India e-Arrival Card completely free?
Yes. The India e-Arrival Card is completely free of charge. It is submitted through official Indian government portals — indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival or the Su-Swagatam app — at no cost. Any website charging a fee for this service is a third-party intermediary or scam.
Which website is the official India e-Arrival Card portal?
The official India e-Arrival Card portal is indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival. You can also use the official Su-Swagatam mobile app, available on iOS and Android. Both are operated by India’s Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
How do I know if a website is a scam?
Key red flags include: the URL does not end in .gov.in, the site charges any fee, it uses countdown timers or urgency pressure, it does not display the official Indian government emblem, and it is not linked from boi.gov.in or indianvisaonline.gov.in. When in doubt, close the site and go directly to indianvisaonline.gov.in.
Is my passport data safe on the official portal?
Yes. Data submitted through the official India e-Arrival Card portals is protected under India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2025. The Bureau of Immigration uses SSL encryption and limits data use to immigration processing purposes only. Third-party sites offer no such guarantees.
What should I do if I accidentally paid a third-party site?
Contact your bank or credit card provider immediately to request a chargeback. Re-apply for the e-Arrival Card on the official portal to ensure you have a valid QR code. Report the fraudulent site to India’s CERT-In at cert-in.org.in and to your local cybercrime reporting authority.
Can I re-apply on the official portal if I’m unsure my card was submitted?
Yes. You can resubmit the India e-Arrival Card on the official portal if you are unsure whether your previous application was processed. Make sure to apply within 72 hours before your arrival. If you experience technical problems, visit our portal troubleshooting page.
Are there any legitimate third-party services for the India e-Arrival Card?
Some licensed immigration and travel agents may offer e-Arrival Card assistance as part of broader visa services. However, they are filing the same free form on your behalf — there is no “expedited” process and no legal advantage. For a simple 10-minute form, there is no reason to pay a third party. Always verify any agent holds a valid license.
For technical issues when applying, visit our Portal Troubleshooting Guide. Common form errors are listed in Common Mistakes to Avoid.
