NRI Affairs, a portal focused on the Indian diaspora, published detailed guidance on 8 October explaining the interplay between India’s electronic Arrival Card (for immigration) and the relaunched Air Suvidha 2.0 health declaration. The article warns that many UAE-based families bound for India this festive season mistakenly believe one form substitutes for the other. Under current instructions, foreign nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) holders must submit the e-Arrival Card within 72 hours of landing, while all passengers—including Indian passport holders—must file the health self-declaration up to 24 hours before arrival. Airlines have begun enforcing the dual requirement at web check-in, leading to last-minute scrambles at Dubai and Abu Dhabi terminals. The piece highlights conflicting legacy notices: some Indian missions still quote a 2025 exemption for OCI travellers, whereas the central OCI FAQ now lists them as covered by the e-Arrival mandate. Mobility advisers are urged to rely on the central visa portal and the 25 June 2026 Ministry of Health circular that re-introduced Air Suvidha in response to Ebola outbreaks. From an operational standpoint, travel-management companies should embed automated reminders and link both portals in traveller itineraries. Failure to comply can result in denied boarding or prolonged secondary screening on arrival—particularly problematic for large corporate groups and MICE movements. The clarification arrives just ahead of peak October–November traffic, when Indian airports process over 300,000 daily arrivals. Consistency in messaging will be critical to avoid bottlenecks at immigration counters and to maintain India’s reputation for streamlined e-visa processing.
Source: NRI Affairs
