India is putting Air Suvidha back at the center of its arrival formalities.
India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) have announced the launch of AIR SUVIDHA 2.0, a digital health declaration portal for international travelers arriving in India.
Already familiar to many passengers from the Covid-19 pandemic, Air Suvidha is returning in an updated version that is fully digital, contactless and eliminates the need to complete paper forms upon arrival.
A mandatory health declaration before immigration
Air Suvidha 2.0 allows international passengers to submit a Health Self-Declaration before going through immigration in India.
According to Indian authorities, the declaration is mandatory for international arrivals. It is intended to collect information on the traveler’s recent travel history, possible risk exposure and any symptoms they may have.
The system was developed in collaboration with the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), which operates under India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The stated goal is to strengthen health surveillance at the country’s points of entry while making the arrival process smoother for travelers.
Relaunched in the context of the Ebola/Bundibugyo outbreak
The relaunch of Air Suvidha comes in a specific public health context. Indian authorities say the Air Suvidha 2.0 portal was introduced in response to the Ebola/Bundibugyo outbreak reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
The Indian government’s statement notes that the World Health Organization designated the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17, 2026, under the International Health Regulations.
With Air Suvidha 2.0, traveler-submitted data can be shared in real time with several Indian agencies, including the Airport Health Officer, the Bureau of Immigration, the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and State Surveillance Officers.
This coordination is intended to help identify at-risk travelers more quickly and, where necessary, direct them to a health assessment upon arrival.
How to complete the Air Suvidha 2.0 declaration
The Air Suvidha 2.0 declaration is completed online through the official portal set up by Indian authorities: airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in.
The Self Declaration Form (SDF) can be completed up to 24 hours before arrival in India. Passengers are encouraged to fill out the form before boarding, particularly during online check-in, to help streamline checks upon arrival.
Before starting the form, travelers should have their passport information, flight details, address of stay or contact address, as well as a valid email address and phone number.
The form asks for information including the passenger’s identity, nationality, flight details, first airport of entry in India, any transit countries and travel history over the previous 21 days. Travelers must also declare any possible risk exposure and symptoms they may be experiencing.
According to information available on the portal, the declaration includes several steps: entering personal and travel details, adding and verifying contact information, completing the health declaration, then reviewing and confirming the information submitted. An OTP verification may be required to confirm the traveler’s contact details.
Once the declaration has been submitted, the passenger receives an acknowledgement or registration number. They must download their SDF and keep it with them during the trip, either digitally or in printed form. Upon arrival in India, the document may be presented at the International Travel Health Desk or at the immigration counter, if requested by the authorities.
In case of symptoms or risk exposure
Passengers suspected or confirmed to present an Ebola-related risk must report to the Airport Health Officer or Health Desk before proceeding through immigration.
Travelers who develop symptoms compatible with Ebola within 21 days of arrival are advised to seek medical care promptly and inform health authorities of their travel history.
Passenger guidance also mentions India’s national helpline number, 1075, and the email address idsp-alert@nic.in for further information.
Air Suvidha returns in a new form
Air Suvidha was widely used during the Covid-19 pandemic to allow travelers bound for India to submit health information before arrival.
Version 2.0 follows the same principle of a pre-arrival online declaration, but in a different framework. It is now part of health surveillance related to the Ebola/Bundibugyo outbreak and the coordination between health, immigration and epidemiological surveillance services.
Air Suvidha 2.0 should also be distinguished from the e-Arrival Card, the electronic arrival card already required of foreign travelers before entering India. The e-Arrival Card falls under immigration formalities and can be completed within 72 hours before arrival, while Air Suvidha 2.0 is a health declaration that can be submitted up to 24 hours before arrival.
The two procedures are therefore complementary. They do not replace an Indian visa, e-Visa or any other entry requirement that may apply depending on the traveler’s nationality. They are separate formalities that should be completed before traveling to India.
VisasNews Take
The return of Air Suvidha is not simply a reactivation of the Covid-era system many travelers remember from a few years ago. India is bringing back a digital health declaration, this time as part of targeted surveillance in response to an identified public health risk.
For passengers traveling to India, the form remains fairly straightforward but should be completed ahead of time. With both the e-Arrival Card and Air Suvidha 2.0, arrival in India is becoming more digital, with two separate procedures that should not be confused: one for arrival information, the other for health declaration purposes.
