Mumbai CEO calls India airport entry into trouble, sparks debate on immigration, customs: 'Forget tourism'

Monk Entertainment CEO Viraj Sheth criticized the airport arrivals experience in India, citing different forms, immigration and customs queues and what he described as a frustrating process for passengers entering the country.

Sheth commented in a post on X after arriving in India. The post, published on October 6, has garnered 286,000 views and sparked a debate among users, with some agreeing with his concerns while others saying the entry process at Indian airports has become more efficient.

“We just landed in India. The moment you enter the country, you feel they want to make it as difficult as possible for citizens to enter. Arrival form, self-declaration form, Ebola form, never-ending immigration and customs lines, frustrated people. Forget tourism, it makes the average citizen think twice about entering.”

Passengers are divided over the arrival process at Indian airports

Several users who responded to Sheth’s post questioned the suggestion that Indian immigration and customs procedures necessarily lead to long delays.

One user wrote: “I travel to India at least once a year. I’ve never had a problem. They have so many immigration counters in New Delhi. Never had a delay of more than 10 minutes. In New Delhi since the 1990s, if you have nothing to declare, you just go through customs from the green channel. There are no lines at all. Now you can fill out the immigration online form before you land in India.”

Another user pointed to the availability of digital options and smart gates, writing: “Self declaration forms are in every country. The rest can be done online. Smart gates are in place. Nothing will be served on a plate dear, you have to make an effort to get comfortable.”

The responses highlight a wider divide when it comes to the arrival experience: while some travelers see documentation and checks as routine border procedures, others say queues and the number of steps required can make the whole process difficult.

Airport arrivals and experiences beyond immigration

Some users also expressed concerns about what happens after travelers clear immigration and customs.

One user wrote: “Everything still tolerable, but the scammers right before arrival posing as taxi drivers are a real nuisance. No sense of manners or hygiene, with the sole purpose of robbing people and picking on women. Disgusting people.”

Another commenter described the experience of returning to India as stressful, writing: “Our tension starts the day we think about arriving in India. They treat us as if we have committed some crime in leaving India. India is our home and they ask 100 questions why are we here today?! What the hell! We feel so good when we left India on vacation.”

The comments point to concerns that go beyond formal immigration procedures, including interactions with people offering transportation services and the experience passengers encounter immediately after leaving the airport.

Some travelers say that the process in India compares favorably

Not all responses were critical.

One user said that India’s immigration process compares favorably with that of other countries, writing: “I found Indian immigration to be much better than other countries, except for the customs department at the airport who would want to re-scan too many bags and waste too much time.”