The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has refreshed its India travel advice, dated 17 July 2026, adding two mobility-critical updates. First, all international passengers arriving in India must complete a Health Self-Declaration on the Air Suvidha 2.0 portal within 24 hours of departure, a measure introduced after the World Health Organization classified the latest Ebola outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Travellers without the barcode may face secondary screening or denied boarding overseas. Second, the advisory formally recognises India’s newly launched electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) card as equivalent to the physical booklet, clarifying that British nationals of Indian origin may continue to enter on either format as long as passport details are up to date. The move reduces confusion after anecdotal reports of airlines unsure about accepting digital OCI QR codes. The FCDO continues to advise against all travel within 10 km of the India–Pakistan border, large parts of Jammu & Kashmir, and non-essential travel to Manipur, but has not changed its terrorism risk level for mainstream business hubs. UK corporates sending staff to India should update pre-departure checklists to include the Ebola declaration and ensure HR systems recognise e-OCI numbers for assignment tracking. The update also instructs travellers affected by Middle East airspace disruptions to check re-routing options via Central Asia or Southeast Asia.
Source: GOV.UK
