arrival/departure forms
 

On my trip to India last week, I was surprised to discover that the arrival form for immigration has been greatly simplified and shortened, and there is now no form to fill out at departure if you are a foreigner.

Who says India can't change, given a few decades to do so?

The rubber stamping and rubber stamp checking of hand luggage tags remains unchanged.

There is a form on departure to fill for locals but not for foreigners! Seems strange, like the works of a politically repressive country.

But good to know the arrival form has been shortened.

Also separated foreigner/Indian lines for departure formalities at BLR airport (at least).

As a resident foreigner, the departure formalities were a big pain. Passport, boarding pass, previous passport with the visa sticker (rather than the stamp) in it, residence permit (must be the original, God forbid you lose it), please go to the other counter for document checking, etc. etc.

now this is what really needs to change....

Was boarding a flight ex-BLR; German gentleman ahead of me was wearing a waist pack that hadn't received a stamped tag. Upon being asked "was that inside your other bag?" he gave the wrong answer i.e. "no" and was dragged back to X-ray security. Obviously he had not been in India for long.

Yes, it's just like North Korea and Saudi Arabia.

Or maybe since their computers know when the foreigner has entered, no exit form is needed, whereas they need to record when a citizen leaves, hence the form. Indeed, citizens don't have to fill out an immigration form on return (arrival)

I was so pleased about this that I also came here to post about it! The airport (in BLR) has also massively improved recently and now has a proper lounge. They have also completed the elevated freeway from the city to the airport. Compared to last time I left India (6 months ago) it was a delightful experience!

That was abolished this year: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...arry-tags.html

The Customs Forms that one handed to the lone officer right before exit are eliminated as well. ^^

those were eliminated a while back....

My first experience with no forms at all was in February. In the interim period between handing the stub to the uniformed guy to complete elimination was that period when they made visitors fill the customs form and then drop them in a large container at the exit.

Hopefully, the x-ray for arriving luggage at customs at BOM will be the next to go.

i agree....that is pretty irritating....