It’s Official: Lead Time Reduced for India Flight Permits

1. Basic lead time changes

Please note that there are several varying requirements depending primarily on points of origin/destination, as well as some other new specifics. It is important that you review and become familiar with these requirements. We are expecting additional information to supplement and clarify the new CAR within the near future.

The following is a summary of the primary changes:

Landing clearances (for traffic purposes; i.e., business) – require a minimum of three working days
Technical stops – require a minimum of one working day advance notice
Overflight clearances – require a minimum notice of one working day

Note: No overflight clearance is required when the route isn’t overflying Indian landmass. These are primarily airways routing to the south of the Indian subcontinent.

2. Special considerations for Prior Reference Countries (PRCs)

Aircraft operating to or from a PRC (defined currently as Pakistan, China, North Korea, Nigeria, Somalia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Iran or Iraq) have special lead time requirements as follows:

Landing clearances – require seven days’ advance notice
Technical stops (non-business) – require three working days’ notice
Overflight clearances – require three working days’ notice

3. Clearance requirements to defense airfields remain the same

The lead times and requirements for defense airfields haven’t changed. The following is a synopsis of the lead times needed:

Air Force Bases (e.g., Agra, Pune) – still require 30 days’ advance notice
Navy Bases (e.g., Goa) – still require 20 days’ advance notice

4. Restrictions on transporting passengers and cargo intra-India

Paragraph 3.1.3 in the CAR states that foreign-registered non-scheduled flights are not permitted to pick up passengers/cargo at any place in India for disembarkation at any other place in India. This policy in the updated CAR refers to scheduled commercial operations and it’s not applicable to private non-revenue business flights. Hence, passengers and associates on a private non-scheduled flight can transport their associates within the country, but cargo (non-baggage) is discouraged.

5. Information needed for India landing and overflight permits

For India landing and overflight permit requests, you still need to provide information, such as the full schedule, operator and aircraft information. In addition to those items, you must provide names, nationalities, passport numbers with expiration dates and visas for all crew members and passengers. The same goes for passengers that are transported internally within India. It’s important to note that there have been some reports of issues with obtaining crew visas. For this reason, it’s best to speak to your 3rd-party provider for the latest information.

Note: At this time DGCA will accept permit applications that don’t have the visa information. However, we expect to receive an update from DGCA very soon, so it’s best to start preparing now for that requirement.

For the latest information on crew visa requirements, please see our article titled "Obtaining Crew Visas and Temporary Landing Permits for India – Process Has Been Streamlined."

6. Maximum time permitted on the ground

Maximum length of stay for a non-Indian-registered aircraft is 15 days; however, special permission can be obtained for extended stays. See Sections 3.4 and 8 of the regulation for more information. Note that there are considerations for airshows and demonstrations to prospective aircraft buyers.

Conclusion

Indian authorities are currently considering if there will be a fee to issue clearances. We expect to hear their decision within the near future. It’s recommended that you contact your 3rd-party provider to obtain more information on the reduced lead times and new requirements needed for obtaining Indian clearances.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this article or need assistance in planning your next trip to India, please contact me at lexdenherder@univ-wea.com.