The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) refreshed its India travel advisory on 19 July 2026, adding three mobility-relevant changes. First, it highlights India’s new electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) card, which replaces physical booklets for eligible diaspora members and removes the need to carry the hard copy at immigration. Second, the advisory points to enhanced Ebola health screening at Indian airports, aligning with Air Suvidha 2.0 requirements. Third, it confirms that all international passengers—regardless of nationality—must complete an online Self-Declaration Form before arrival. The FCDO continues to warn against travel within 10 km of the India–Pakistan border, the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir (except air travel to Jammu city) and most of Manipur. It also notes intermittent flight disruptions linked to Middle-East airspace closures. For UK companies operating in India, the update serves as official recognition that failure to complete the health declaration could invalidate travel insurance and lead to denied entry. British business travellers using the OCI scheme should download the digital e-OCI card to avoid delays at e-gates. HR teams should circulate the latest FCDO link to employees and verify that travel-management providers have integrated the new health-screening step into booking workflows. Because FCDO advisories are widely referenced by insurers, mobility professionals should review policy wordings to confirm that travel to restricted areas is not inadvertently excluded from cover. The advisory’s emphasis on real-time alerts underscores the need for up-to-date traveller-tracking and rapid communication protocols during regional security incidents.
