MUSCAT : India has made it mandatory for all international passengers travelling to the country to complete an online Ebola Self-Declaration Form (SDF) before departure, as authorities strengthen health screening measures in response to the global Ebola outbreak.

The requirement follows the launch of Air Suvidha 2.0, an upgraded digital health declaration platform introduced by India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation in collaboration with Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL). The move comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola/Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Under the new protocol, all passengers travelling to India must complete the online Self-Declaration Form through the Air Suvidha portal before their journey. The form requires travellers to provide details of their 21-day travel history, any potential exposure to Ebola, and related symptoms.

Upon arrival at any airport in India, passengers must present the submitted declaration to immigration or the International Travel Health Desk for verification. Authorities have advised travellers to complete the form before boarding or during web check-in to ensure faster immigration clearance.

The upgraded platform enables real-time coordination between health authorities, immigration officials and disease surveillance agencies, allowing quicker identification of travellers who may require additional health screening while maintaining a fully contactless and paperless arrival process.

The mandatory health declaration can be completed through the official Air Suvidha portal.

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