The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its India travel advice on 21 September, highlighting new Indian entry requirements: 1) travellers holding the Electronic Overseas Citizen of India (e-OCI) card must now carry a digital or printed copy for inspection; and 2) all international passengers must complete a mandatory Self-Declaration Form on the Air Suvidha portal before boarding. While the e-OCI card replaces the physical booklet for eligible persons of Indian origin, reports of airlines denying boarding due to missing digital proof have prompted the advisory. The Self-Declaration Form—re-introduced amid global Ebola concerns—collects travel history and health status and must be presented (paper or QR code) to immigration on arrival. Failure to comply can result in denied boarding, quarantine or fines under India’s Epidemic Diseases Act. The Wagah-Attari land border remains closed, and the FCDO continues to advise against travel within 10 km of the India-Pakistan frontier and to most of Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur and parts of the Northeast. Businesses sending staff to India should update pre-trip checklists, ensuring the e-OCI PDF is saved offline and the Self-Declaration submitted within 72 hours of departure. Airlines are updating their systems to verify submission but technical glitches persist, so travellers should keep printed copies. The update underscores the fluid nature of India’s post-pandemic health protocols. Mobility managers should monitor both Indian and foreign government advisories, as inconsistency between origin-country guidance and Indian airport enforcement can create last-minute boarding denials.
Source: UK Government – FCDO
