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India's e-Arrival Card: the 72-Hour Window Explained

Updated 2026-10-15

Key Takeaways

The window opens 72 hours before your arrival time — not before your departure.
Filing too early is the most common rejection reason, not filing too late.
The form takes about five minutes when you have your documents to hand.
There is no government fee; the official portal is free.

When the clock starts

The 72 hours are counted back from your arrival time in India, not from your departure. On a long-haul flight that difference is a whole day, and it is the reason people file on the wrong side of the window.

If you are arriving on a flight that lands at 06:00 on the 20th, you can submit any time from 06:00 on the 17th. Submitting at check-in two days before your flight, when your flight itself is another day long, often falls outside the window.

What you need in front of you

Have these ready and the form takes about five minutes:

Passport — number, expiry and place of issue
Your flight into India, and the airport you land at
The address where you are staying, in India
An email address that you can check after you land

If you have left it late

Submit as soon as you are inside the window. Do not wait until you are at the airport if you can do it on the way — the form is online and does not need to be completed at a desk.

The QR code you receive is what you show on arrival. Save it to your phone and, if you want a belt-and-braces option, take a screenshot before you lose signal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I fill it in more than 72 hours before I land?

No. The form is only accepted inside the 72-hour window before arrival, and filing earlier is a common reason for rejection. Count back from your landing time in India.

Does it need to be printed?

The QR code is what matters. Keep it on your phone and take a screenshot as a backup — that covers you if you arrive without signal. If you prefer paper, printing it does no harm.

How long does the form take?

Roughly five minutes if your passport, flight details, Indian address and email address are in front of you. Most of the time people lose is spent looking for the accommodation address.

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