The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) refreshed its India travel advice on 1 July, adding new entry-requirement language linked to the re-introduction of India’s Air Suvidha 2.0 health-declaration portal amid an Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. British travellers must now complete an online self-declaration within 24 hours of departure and carry an email confirmation to present at Indian immigration counters. The advisory also reminds visitors that those facing flight cancellations because of Middle-East airspace disruptions should contact the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) if their Indian visa is about to expire—a point relevant to thousands of long-stay business travellers and project engineers. In addition to the health form, the FCDO continues to warn against all travel within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border and to Jammu & Kashmir and Manipur, citing sporadic violence. Insurance providers may treat trips to these areas as uninsurable, making policy checks essential. For corporate travel desks, the main operational takeaway is workflow: UK and EU citizens accustomed to India’s e-Visa must now complete both the visa application and the Air Suvidha form, then upload the barcode into their airline’s Advance Passenger Information (API) portal. Failure to do so has already led to denied boarding cases at Heathrow, according to industry sources. While the advisory is UK-specific, most European airlines are mirroring the requirement, suggesting that the Air Suvidha 2.0 portal is rapidly becoming a de facto global pre-clearance tool for inbound India traffic.
Source: UK GOV FCDO
