The Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched ‘Air Suvidha 2.0’, a revamped online self-declaration platform that every passenger entering India must complete within 24 hours of the start of travel. The system—activated on 25 June 2026—asks travellers to disclose their 21-day travel history, possible exposure to Ebola-affected areas, and any relevant symptoms. On arrival, passengers simply show the QR code on their phones at immigration or the new International Travel Health Desks; no paper forms are accepted. Air Suvidha was originally introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, then mothballed in 2024. The re-activation comes after the World Health Organization declared the Bundibugyo-strain Ebola outbreak in central Africa a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 May 2026. India’s Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) says the digital system enables real-time data-sharing between airports, immigration and state disease-surveillance units, speeding up contact-tracing while keeping queues short. Airlines have been instructed to deny boarding to passengers who have not uploaded the form.
To streamline these additional formalities, travelers can leverage VisaHQ. Through its dedicated India resource centre (https://www.visahq.com/india/), the platform aggregates visa rules, health declarations like Air Suvidha, and real-time alerts, allowing both corporate mobility managers and individual passengers to submit required documents in one place and avoid last-minute surprises.
Carriers are also required to share their Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) manifests with DGHS four hours before departure so that high-risk passengers can be flagged. Industry groups such as the Board of Airline Representatives in India (BAR-I) support the measure but warn that last-minute travellers must be educated quickly to avoid missed flights. For businesses moving staff across borders, the new requirement adds an administrative step but no quarantine as of now. Mobility teams should: (1) integrate the Air Suvidha link into travel approval workflows, (2) brief travellers that a truthful declaration is mandatory, and (3) monitor DGHS advisories in case pre-departure testing becomes compulsory for those transiting Ebola-affected regions. Failure to submit accurate information carries penalties under the Aircraft (Public Health) Rules, including fines up to INR 50,000 and potential denial of entry. The portal is accessible worldwide and currently supports 11 languages; Arabic and French interfaces will be added next month to assist Gulf and African travellers.
To streamline these additional formalities, travelers can leverage VisaHQ. Through its dedicated India resource centre (https://www.visahq.com/india/), the platform aggregates visa rules, health declarations like Air Suvidha, and real-time alerts, allowing both corporate mobility managers and individual passengers to submit required documents in one place and avoid last-minute surprises.
Carriers are also required to share their Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) manifests with DGHS four hours before departure so that high-risk passengers can be flagged. Industry groups such as the Board of Airline Representatives in India (BAR-I) support the measure but warn that last-minute travellers must be educated quickly to avoid missed flights. For businesses moving staff across borders, the new requirement adds an administrative step but no quarantine as of now. Mobility teams should: (1) integrate the Air Suvidha link into travel approval workflows, (2) brief travellers that a truthful declaration is mandatory, and (3) monitor DGHS advisories in case pre-departure testing becomes compulsory for those transiting Ebola-affected regions. Failure to submit accurate information carries penalties under the Aircraft (Public Health) Rules, including fines up to INR 50,000 and potential denial of entry. The portal is accessible worldwide and currently supports 11 languages; Arabic and French interfaces will be added next month to assist Gulf and African travellers.
