Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has refreshed its Smartraveller advice for India, retaining the overall “Exercise a high degree of caution” level but highlighting two new paperwork requirements that take effect immediately. Travellers must now: 1) submit the online Air Suvidha 2.0 health self-declaration within 24 hours of departure, and 2) complete an e-Arrival Card no earlier than 72 hours before travel. The measures are part of India’s response to the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in Central Africa and apply to all international arrivals, including e-visa holders and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card-holders. DFAT notes that failure to complete the forms in advance will trigger extra screening at immigration counters and could lead to quarantine if symptoms emerge. The advisory, current as of 10 October, reminds Australians that Air Suvidha asks for a 21-day travel history and proof of yellow fever vaccination if transiting through affected regions. Airlines are under instructions from India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation to deny boarding to passengers without a confirmation PDF. For corporate mobility teams, the update means pre-trip checklists for India must now include: confirming health-declaration submission, printing both bar-coded forms, and scheduling time for additional document checks at Australian departure airports. Employers should also review travel-insurance coverage for epidemic-related delays and isolation costs; most standard policies exclude such events unless specifically endorsed. The advisory reiterates that visas must be obtained before arrival and that dual-citizen Australians entering on an OCI card must carry both passports. It also flags new penalties for carrying satellite phones and the nationwide ban on e-cigarettes—rules that have caught out several business travellers in recent months. Although the underlying Ebola guidance was introduced in late August, DFAT’s 9–10 October refresh is significant because it reflects India’s decision last week to make Air Suvidha 2.0 permanent rather than a temporary epidemic measure. Multinationals with large India footprints should circulate the advisory and update travel-booking platforms accordingly.
Source: Smartraveller (DFAT)
