India layers a separate online form on top of whatever visa or e-visa you already hold, and that form runs on its own deadline. The Bureau of Immigration’s general guidelines page covers this and several other requirements that sit outside the visa application itself.
The e-Arrival card has a 72-hour window
“Foreigner must complete and submit the e-Arrival card online within 72 hours before their arrival in India at https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/earrival or via official Indian Visa Su-Swagatam mobile app.” This is a separate step from getting your visa, and it is worth building into your pre-departure checklist rather than assuming your visa alone covers it.
Holding a visa does not guarantee you are let in
The Bureau states this without softening it: “Grant of an Indian Visa/Visa Free Regime does not confer the right of entry which is subjected to the discretion of Immigration Authorities.” A valid visa gets you to the immigration counter. It does not decide what happens there.
Clearance applies coming and going, and it is not only for foreigners
It is easy to assume immigration clearance is a foreigner-only step. The source corrects that directly: “The Citizens of India as well as foreigners are required to obtain Immigration clearance both at the time of arrival as well as departure to/from India.”
Foreigners need a valid passport and visa, with exceptions the source does not name here
“Foreigners except certain categories who are travelling to India are required to hold a valid passport and valid visa.” The Bureau of Immigration’s guidelines page does not spell out who these excepted categories are. If you think you might qualify for an exception, that is a question for the Bureau of Immigration or your visa-issuing post directly, not something to assume from this line.
A specific routing rule for Pakistani nationals
“Pakistani nationals can arrive by Air only at Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai ICPs.” No other mode of entry or airport is named as an option in this guidance.
Your passport should carry both stamps, and checking is your responsibility
“It is one’s responsibility to make sure that the Arrival/Departure seals get affixed on their passports.” If you leave the counter without one, the fix is not to ignore it: “please get in touch with the nearest FRRO or Immigration Post to make sure the seal gets affixed and enjoy a hassle-free travel.”
The yellow fever rule that catches long-haul travelers off guard
“Persons from Yellow Fever (YF) endemic countries (or if he/she has visited any Yellow Fever (YF) endemic country during past 6 days) will be required to possess a valid certificate of Yellow Fever vaccination from an authorized vaccination centre.” This is based on where you have been in the six days before arrival, not your nationality, which is what makes it easy to miss on a multi-stop itinerary.
A note for Indian citizens arriving from Nepal by air
“Indians traveling from Nepal by Air are required to carry either a valid Indian passport or Original Indian Voter ID card with photograph issued by the Election Commission of India.”
The exempt categories and endemic countries are unnamed
It refers to “certain categories” of foreigners exempted from the passport-and-visa requirement without naming them, and it does not list which specific countries count as Yellow Fever endemic for the purposes of that certificate rule. It also does not cover visa types, fees, or application procedures, since this page is about arrival guidelines rather than the visa process itself. For those, the visa-issuing authority’s own application pages are the place to look.