India lifts pre-travel Covid Air Suvidha form rule

The self-declaration form legally required by the authorities to be filled out on the Air Suvidha portal by international travellers arriving in India has been discontinued from November 22 following a notification released by the country’s Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The Ministry's decision to discontinue the form filling on the Air Suvidha portal came in the wake of a decline in Covid-19 cases across the country. A notice issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry reads: "In the light of sustained declining Covid-19 trajectory and significant advances being made in Covid-19 vaccination coverage both globally as well as in India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has issued revised 'Guidelines for International Arrivals' dated 21.11.2022 in context of Covid-19 pandemic, which are annexed. "In view of the aforementioned MoHFW revised guidelines, the extant guidelines of MoHFW on submission of self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal stand discontinued." The government has also removed the mandatory negative RT-PCR report for international passengers upon arrival in the country.

The notification, however, mentioned a statutory warning that the rule could be reviewed, if needed in view of the Covid-19 situation.

(ANI)