Airlines must share details of foreign travelers from 1 April: Customs

Starting 1 April, airlines operating flights to and from India will be required to share details of foreign travelers with Indian customs authorities. Failure to comply with the regulations will potentially attract penalties.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) issued a notification, stating that all airlines must register with the National Customs Targeting Centre-Passenger (NCTC-Pax) by 10 January to comply with the new mandate.

Airlines will need to share information, including mobile numbers, payment methods, and travel itineraries, 24 hours before the departure of international flights.

According to CBIC, airlines that do not follow these rules could face fines between ₹25,000 and ₹50,000 for each violation.

The latest development follows the issue of ‘Passenger Name Record Information Regulations, 2022,’ which the CBIC notified on 8 August 2022.

This regulation required airlines to provide passenger name record (PNR) details of foreign travelers to customs authorities.

The system is designed to help authorities assess risks and stop potential threats.

The NCTC-Pax is developing the system, which will start rolling out in stages in January 2025.