Govt scraps Air Suvidha form requirement for international arrivals

New Delhi: The government on Monday scrapped the requirement to fill out Air Suvidha form for people flying into India from foreign countries amid declining coronavirus cases.

Opposition leaders, on behalf of tourism industry, have been demanding to do away with the redundant rules which are proving to be an additional burden on travellers given that the covid-19 situation has improved.

DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran wrote the government on November 1 .

Have written to the Union Government on difficulties faced by international travellers due to the #AirSuvidha procedure and issues being raised by the tourism industry. Creating a hassle-free experience for visitors is crucial in reviving tourism in the post COVID19 world. pic.twitter.com/58HEPnsrXU

— Dayanidhi Maran தயாநிதி மாறன் (@Dayanidhi_Maran) November 1, 2022

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had tweeted on November 15 seeking the Aviation Ministry's attention on Air Suvidha forms.

AirSuvidha was introduced when Covid was at its peak, aiming to track people landing in Indian airports. With normal life back, why is it still mandatory for flyers to India to submit #AirSuvidha? Urge @JM_Scindia to review this requirement & lift the dead hand of bureaucracy!

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 15, 2022

The revised guidelines for international arrivals will be effective from November 22, according to a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

Earlier, the guidelines had required that passengers arriving in India from overseas should fill up the Air Suvidha form. The form was introduced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, the civil aviation ministry said the use of masks is not compulsory during air travel but passengers should preferably use them.

As per the MoHFW's latest guidelines, air travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against COVID-19 in their country.

On arrival, the passengers should ensure physical distancing and thermal screening of all the arriving international passengers will be done by the health officials present at the point of entry.

"The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated, taken to a designated medical facility as per health protocol," it said.

Further, the ministry said that all travellers should self-monitor their health post arrival. They should report to their "nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/ state helpline number in case they have any symptoms suggestive," it added.

According to the ministry, 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.

During air travel, the ministry said that in-flight announcement about the ongoing pandemic, including precautionary measures to be followed such as preferable use of masks and following physical distances, should be made in flights/ travel at all points of entry.

Any passenger having symptoms of coronavirus during travel should be isolated as per standard protocol, it added.

In the wake of the pandemic, scheduled domestic flight services were suspended for two months starting from March 25, 2020. Scheduled international flight services, which was also suspended from the same day, was restored only from March 27 this year.

India logged 406 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,46,69,421 while the active cases dipped to 6,402, as per official data on Monday.

The active cases comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.80 per cent, according to the MOHFW website.