India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued an urgent advisory warning international travellers to beware of fraudulent websites impersonating the official Air Suvidha 2.0 portal and attempting to collect payments and personal information.
The ministry said several unauthorised websites have been misleading passengers by posing as the official Air Suvidha 2.0 platform and redirecting users to payment gateways, despite the government service being completely free.
In a public advisory issued on July 25, the ministry stressed that passengers are not required to pay any fee to submit the mandatory Air Suvidha 2.0 Self-Declaration Form.
“Passengers are advised that Air Suvidha 2.0 services are provided free of cost, and no payment is required for submission of the Self-Declaration Form,” the ministry said.
Travellers have been urged to verify the website address carefully before entering personal or travel-related information and to avoid making payments on unauthorised websites claiming to provide Air Suvidha services.
The ministry also advised passengers to rely only on official government communications and use the authorised Air Suvidha 2.0 portal when completing the declaration process.
The warning follows reports of fake websites exploiting travellers by appearing in internet search results and charging so-called “processing” or “service” fees for a service that is provided free by the Government of India.
Air Suvidha 2.0 is the government’s online health self-declaration platform for international passengers arriving in India. The system was introduced by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to strengthen health surveillance at airports in response to the ongoing Ebola disease outbreak.
Under the current travel advisory issued by the Directorate General of Health Services in June, all international passengers travelling to India are required to complete the Self-Declaration Form before departure. Travellers must provide details including their recent 21-day travel history, contact information and any health symptoms.
The ministry said passengers should complete the form only through the official government portal and should not use third-party agencies or intermediaries that claim to offer the service for a fee.
Officials also advised travellers to remain vigilant for common warning signs of fraudulent websites, including requests for payment, suspicious internet addresses that do not end in “.gov.in”, and demands for sensitive financial information such as credit card details, online banking credentials or one-time passwords.
The advisory has been issued in the interest of passenger awareness and public safety, with authorities urging travellers to remain cautious as cybercriminals increasingly exploit online travel requirements to target unsuspecting passengers.
With international travel to India continuing to grow, the ministry said passengers can protect themselves by verifying website addresses carefully and remembering one simple rule: if an Air Suvidha 2.0 website asks for payment, it is not the official government portal.
