Revised Guidelines For UAE-India Flights Announced; Air Suvidha Scrapped

India has discontinued the mandatory rule of submitting Air Suvidha forms for international travelers. The country announced Monday that it would do away with the self-declaration of COVID-19 vaccination through the Air Suvidha portal starting Tuesday midnight.

"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," a statement from the Civil Aviation Ministry read.

A contactless solution by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Air Suvidha was a self-declaration form filled in by international passengers arriving in India. It was facilitated by Delhi Airport for all international travelers and was introduced as a COVID-19 prevention measure meant to make contact tracing easier during the peak of the pandemic.

The Indian mission in Dubai immediately issued a public notice following the announcement of the revised regulation. "The present guidelines are being revised in light of sustained declining COVID-19 trajectory and significant advances being made in COVID-19 vaccination coverage both globally as well as in India."

The notice stated that international passengers "should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against COVID-19 in the country." It also stated that travelers should follow in-flight announcements about the ongoing pandemic, including precautionary measures, during the flight.

"Any passenger having symptoms of COVID-19 during travel shall be isolated as per standard protocol i.e. the said passenger should be wearing a mask, isolated and segregated from other passengers in flight/travel and shifted to an isolation facility subsequently for follow-up treatment."

Based on the new guideline, passengers should still observe proper physical distancing during deboarding. Thermal screening would also continue to be implemented at all points of entry. "The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated, taken to a designated medical facility as per health protocols," the notice added.