Bureau Of Immigration Shares 5 Airport And Immigration Updates Every International Traveller Should Know

International travel now comes with a fewer things to worry about. From carrying documents to clearing immigration, several steps are moving to your phone or getting faster at the airport. The Bureau of Immigration, Government of India, has shared five updates that travellers may have missed. They include a digital OCI card, easier OCI updates, e-boarding passes, biometric e-gates and a new online arrival card for foreign nationals.

Here is what travellers need to know before their next international trip.

5 updates you may have missed that makes your Immigration process smoother!

👉🏽 e-OCI
OCI has gone digital. Download your e-OCI and keep it on your mobile.

👉🏽 OCI Re-issue No Longer Required
OCI Cardholders can now update their details online through OCI Miscellaneous Services,… pic.twitter.com/cklH9Pl3gM

— Bureau of Immigration, Government of India (@BOIndiaOfficial) September 15, 2026

OCI Cardholders Can Now Go Digital

OCI cardholders can now download an electronic version of their OCI card, called an e-OCI, and keep it on their phone. The physical OCI card is still valid. But cardholders can now present the e-OCI along with their passport at Immigration Check Posts and participating airlines.

No Fresh OCI Card For Certain Updates

If you have gotten a new passport or changed basic details such as your name, nationality or gender, you own't have to apply for a fresh OCI card. Instead, the details can be directly changed online through OCI Miscellaneous Services on the OCI Portal. Once the update is approved, you can download the updated e-OCI from your dashboard.

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There is one deadline to keep in mind. Passport details must be updated within 90 days of getting a new passport. A US$25 late penalty applies after that.

Your Boarding Pass Can Stay On Your Phone

The days of printed boarding passes are gone. Digital boarding passes can now be shown at immigration counters for clearance. So, travellers can simply use the boarding pass on their phone.

However, if you still prefer a printed copy, that is still allowed, they just won't be stamped at the gates.

FTI-TTP Can Help You Skip Immigration Queues

Frequent international travellers can register for India's Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme, or FTI-TTP. The programme is free and allows registered travellers to use biometric e-gates at 14 international airports.

After registering online, applicants have to complete biometric enrolment, including fingerprints and a face scan. Once approved, membership is valid for 10 years or until the passport expires.

Also Read: India's Passport Power Rank Drops 7 Places In 2026, How It Impacts Your Travels

There is no physical immigration stamp when travellers use the e-gates. The service is currently available at airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Lucknow, Amritsar, Calicut, Trivandrum, Trichy and Navi Mumbai.

Foreign Travellers Can Fill The Arrival Card Online

Foreign nationals travelling to India can now complete their e-Arrival Card online before their trip. The form should be submitted within 72 hours before the scheduled arrival.

The e-Arrival Card can be completed through the Indian Visa Online e-Arrival Portal or the Su-Swagatam mobile app. OCI cardholders entering India are also required to complete the e-Arrival Card. Indian passport holders do not need to submit it.