UAE to India travel guide: Air Suvidha, e-arrival forms and new gold rules, explained
Key digital forms and gold rules UAE travellers must follow when flying to India
Dubai: For many UAE-based Indians, travelling home is a routine affair. However, before boarding a flight, passengers now need to be aware of updated digital arrival procedures and customs regulations that can affect what they carry into India. Some of these new rules primarily apply to Indian expats in the UAE, but they also extend to foreign travellers visiting India.
Based on the latest rules and updates, here are the key checks UAE-based travellers should know before flying to India.
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Air Suvidha: What UAE travellers need to know
Air Suvidha is a mandatory online health declaration form that must be completed before you board your flight.
The Indian government has relaunched the Air Suvidha portal, upgrading it to Version 2.0. This update requires all international arriving passengers to submit a digital health form ahead of their travel.
Why the change? This measure is a direct response to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) declaration of the Ebola/Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Key requirements:
The form: You must fill out the Self-Declaration Form (SDF).
Timeline: The SDF can be completed up to 24 hours before your arrival in India.
Official portal: Complete the form at airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in.
On arrival: Simply show the downloaded digital form at the International Travel Health Desk or immigration counter. There is no physical paperwork to fill out upon landing.
2. India’s e-OCI card for overseas citizens of India
The Indian government has introduced the e-OCI (Electronic Overseas Citizen of India) card to streamline airport procedures.
The e-OCI system allows you to store a digital version of your OCI card on your smartphone, enabling quicker and easier verification at airport immigration counters.
Is the physical booklet still valid? Yes, the physical OCI booklet remains fully valid. However, the digital version offers faster processing, added convenience, and real-time access to identity details.
How to get it: Log in to the official OCI portal, navigate to the e-OCI section, and download your generated digital card directly to your mobile device.
3. Mandatory e-arrival card for foreign nationals
The traditional paper disembarkation/arrival cards have been phased out. Foreign nationals travelling to India must now complete an e-Arrival Card online before departure.
Implementation: The digital e-Arrival Card became strictly mandatory in April 2026.
Who does it apply to? All foreign nationals, including tourists, business travellers, and OCI cardholders, travelling to India.
Timeline: The form must be submitted within 72 hours before arrival in India.
Official portal: You can complete this form online via the official Indian immigration portal at indianvisaonline.gov.in.
4. New 2026 rules for carrying gold into India
Buying gold in the UAE is highly popular for Indian expats due to lower prices and its cultural value as savings, gifts, or wedding jewellery. To avoid legal issues or penalties, it is vital to understand the latest customs regulations.
Under the new Custom Baggage Rules, 2026, carrying gold to India from the UAE has been eased for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) by removing previous financial value caps.
Duty-free gold jewellery limits (by weight):
Female passengers: Allowed duty-free clearance of jewellery up to 40 grams.
Male passengers: Allowed duty-free clearance of jewellery up to 20 grams.
What has changed?
Previously, the 40-gram and 20-gram allowances were restricted by strict value caps of ₹100,000 and ₹50,000 respectively. The value caps have now been entirely removed, leaving only the weight limits in place.
An Indian expat who has resided outside India for over a year can now carry their weight allowance of gold ornaments duty-free, irrespective of the current market rate of gold.
Crucial conditions:
Length of stay: This specific jewellery concession applies exclusively to Indian residents or tourists of Indian origin who have resided abroad for more than one year. Passengers returning after shorter stays are not entitled to this duty-free concession.
Mode of travel: The concession applies to passengers arriving through any mode other than land (e.g., air travel).
Excess gold: For any gold carried above the 40-gram (female) or 20-gram (male) limits, customs duty is fully applicable. You must carry the original purchase invoices, declare the excess gold at the Red Channel, and pay the relevant duty to avoid penalties.
