Arrival & departure guide
How long to allow, what you may bring, how immigration and customs work — the practical detail, from official sources.
Domestic
Before scheduled departure — the airport's own guidance.
International
Not three. Mumbai's kerbside and immigration queues make this realistic rather than cautious.
Domestic connection
More if the terminal changes.
International connection
And four hours minimum if you must change terminal.
The sequence at CSMIA
Terminal check
Confirm T1 or T2 on your booking. Airline terminal allocations at Mumbai have shifted repeatedly through 2026 — do not go from memory.
Entry to the terminal
You need a printed or digital ticket and photo ID at the door. Non-travellers cannot enter without a visitor pass.
Check in
Online in advance, at a self check-in kiosk, at self baggage drop, or at a counter. T2 has 192 check-in counters across the Level 4 hall.
Security screening
Electronics and personal items go in separate trays. Power banks must be in hand baggage; satellite phones and drones are prohibited in either.
International only: immigration, then customs
Sixty departure immigration counters at T2, followed by the customs declaration counter, then the security hold area with duty free and the food court.
Gate
T2's piers are long. Once boarding is called, allow ten minutes of walking even from the food court.
Cabin baggage rules (BCAS)
- One handbag, maximum 7 kg, not exceeding 55 × 40 × 20 cm
- Plus a laptop bag, a camera and reading material
- Liquids, aerosols and gels: maximum 100 ml per container
- Power banks in hand baggage only — never checked
DigiYatra
India's facial-recognition single-token system. Enrol once and your face becomes your boarding pass at the terminal entry gate, security and the departure gate.
Enrolling
Download the app
Requires Android 8 or later, or iOS 14.2 or later.
Register
With your mobile number, linked to Aadhaar or DigiLocker.
Add your face
Take a selfie for validation against the linked credential.
Add your flight
Scan or upload your boarding pass before you travel.
What actually works at Mumbai today
- Available at Gate 2 of Terminal 2 for departures
- Domestic flights only
- On-site registration is possible if you have not pre-registered
- "Digi Buddies" in reflective jackets assist at the gates
- Biometric data is deleted within 24 hours of departure
From the aircraft door to the kerb
Immigration
Terminal 2 has 76 arrivals immigration counters. Have your passport, visa or e-Visa approval and completed arrival card ready before you reach the hall — it saves several minutes each, and it compounds. Domestic arrivals skip this entirely.
Baggage reclaim
Fourteen carousels at T2. Trolleys are free. Duty free on arrival sits in this area if you want to shop before you leave.
Customs — green or red
Green channel if you have nothing to declare, red if you are carrying dutiable or restricted goods. Declarations can be filed in advance through the ATITHI @ Indian Customs app.
Ground transport
At T2, everything is on Level 1 in the multi-level car park: prepaid taxis and Ola at P4, autos at P5, Uber Black and XL at P6, standard Uber at P7 West, buses and the inter-terminal shuttle also at P4. At T1 it is all on the city side.
Visas and e-Visas
Mumbai is one of 36 designated e-Visa entry airports and one of six that grant a true visa on arrival. The two are not the same thing, and confusing them causes real problems.
e-Visa — apply before you fly
Available to nationals of 174 countries and regions, in eight sub-categories: e-Tourist (30 days, 1 year or 5 years), e-Business, e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant, e-Student, e-Transit, e-Family and e-Miscellaneous.
- Apply a minimum of 4 days before arrival; applications open up to 120 days ahead for most types
- Fees vary by nationality, plus a 3% bank transaction charge
- You receive an Electronic Travel Authorisation by email — print it and present it at immigration
Visa on arrival
Genuine visa on arrival at Mumbai is available only to nationals of Japan, South Korea, and UAE nationals who have previously held an Indian e-Visa or regular visa.
- Up to 60 days, double entry, non-extendable and non-convertible
- Fee ₹2,000 per person, including children
- Granted at six airports: Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata
- Requires six months' passport validity, a return ticket and sufficient funds
UAE nationals of Pakistani origin are not eligible. The application form can be downloaded in advance or collected at the airport or on board.
Allowances, declarations and prohibitions
The Baggage Rules 2026 came into force on 2 February 2026 and raised the general allowances. If a guide quotes ₹50,000 or ₹15,000, it is out of date.
| Passenger | Free allowance |
|---|---|
| Residents, foreigners residing in India, tourists of Indian origin | ₹75,000 |
| Tourists of foreign origin | ₹25,000 |
| Crew members | ₹2,500 |
| Item | Limit |
|---|---|
| Alcoholic liquor or wine | 2 litres |
| Cigarettes / cigars / tobacco | 100 / 25 / 125 g |
| New laptop, age 18+ | 1, duty free |
| Jewellery, resident abroad 1 yr+ | 40 g female / 20 g other |
Currency declaration
Mandatory if foreign currency notes exceed US$5,000, or if total foreign exchange including currency exceeds US$10,000.
Prohibited
Narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, pornographic material and counterfeit currency. No exceptions, no discretion.
Restricted
Firearms, ammunition, live animals and radio transmitters require authorisation, permission or a licence in advance.
Making a connection at Mumbai
Two questions decide everything: is your baggage tagged through, and does your itinerary change terminal?
- If your bag is not tagged to your final destination, you must clear it and check in again — which means clearing immigration too
- If you change terminal, add the free shuttle and 45–60 minutes
- On separate tickets, a missed connection is entirely your risk
Long international-to-international gap, no Indian visa?
Niranta's Terminal 2 Level 4 property is airside — rooms bookable by the hour without clearing immigration. It is the only airside hotel in India and exists precisely for this situation.
Transit hotel