The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) refreshed its India travel advice on 20 July, incorporating two mobility-relevant changes. First, it recognises India’s new electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) card, clarifying that digital cards are accepted at immigration checkpoints—good news for the 50 lakh OCI holders who no longer need to carry a physical booklet. Second, it alerts travellers to additional Ebola health screening and a mandatory Self-Declaration Form for all international arrivals. The advisory retains strong warnings against travel within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border and to parts of Jammu & Kashmir and Manipur, but the e-OCI acknowledgement removes lingering confusion at UK-India air gateways where some airlines had asked passengers to show the older booklet. For corporates, the update simplifies compliance checks when assigning British staff of Indian origin to Indian projects. Mobility teams should ensure employee profiles in HR systems reflect the switch to e-OCI and remind travellers to download the digital card from the OCI portal or the ‘Su-Swagatam’ app before departure. The added health-screening note reflects India’s tighter port-health controls amid sporadic Ebola outbreaks in parts of Africa. Travellers transiting high-risk regions may face temperature checks and questionnaire screening on arrival; failure to complete the online Self-Declaration Form could trigger fines or quarantine. Action points: (1) Verify that booking tools and TMCs recognise e-OCI as a valid document. (2) Build the Self-Declaration Form into pre-trip checklists alongside Air Suvidha equivalents. (3) For projects near restricted border zones, budget extra time for state permit applications.
Source: GOV.UK – Foreign Travel Advice
