Facilitation

What does facilitation cover?

The big picture

Four areas, from the words used to India's own rules. Tap a box with + to open it.

• Facilitation (Annex 9) less delay, less paperwork Annex 9 cuts paperwork and delay in clearing aircraft, people and cargo through customs, immigration, public health and agriculture formalities.
  • Words to know defined terms Terms that Annex 9 defines, each with a catch worth remembering.
    • Cargo not mail, stores or baggage Anything carried on the aircraft except mail, stores and baggage (whether travelling with its owner or misrouted).
    • Deportee entered legally or illegally Formally ordered by the authorities to leave the State.
    • Direct transit area stay without entering the State A supervised area in an international airport for passengers in transit or transfer.
    • Commencement of journey direct transit stops don't count Where the person began the journey, ignoring airports where they stayed in the direct transit area.
    • Embarkation, disembarkation boarding, leaving after landing Neither one includes crew or passengers who stay on board for the next leg of the same through-flight.
  • Papers for the aircraft kept to a minimum States may ask only for the documents Annex 9 provides for, mainly the General Declaration and Cargo Manifest, with no visa or fee attached.
    • General Declaration When a State requires it, the information is limited to the Annex 9 elements and accepted in electronic or paper form.
    • Cargo Manifest If a State requires it on paper, it must accept the Annex 9 form.
    • At most 3 copies When arriving or leaving, the operator never has to give the authorities more than 3 copies of each of these documents.
    • No visa or fee for documents Electronic or paper documents are accepted. Entry and departure without unnecessary delay, respecting security and narcotics control.
  • People at the border crew, passengers, checks Measures to speed up checks on crew and passengers: crew certificates, machine-readable passports, automated gates, and customs channels.
    • Crew Member Certificate identifies the crew member Licences still prove professional qualifications.
    • CMC visa waiver SHALL or SHOULD, see lesson 4 States shall waive the visa for CMC holders arriving on duty on an international flight, and should waive it for those arriving another way to join their flight.
    • Biometric passport chip (eMRTD) States should put biometric data on a contactless chip in their machine readable travel documents, as Doc 9303 specifies.
    • Automated border control ABC gates States should consider ABC systems to speed clearance. They validate eMRTDs, match biometrics, and check lost and stolen document records.
    • Green and red channels customs for arriving passengers Arriving passengers with no dutiable goods use the Green Channel; those with dutiable goods use the Red Channel.
  • India's rules AIP India International flights into, from or over India follow Indian regulations on immigration, customs, passports and health.
    • First and last stop an international aerodrome An international airport has customs, immigration, public health and quarantine formalities.
    • 6 months duty-free foreign-registered aircraft No customs duty on a foreign-registered aircraft flying to or across India if it will leave within six months and a written declaration is made on arrival.
    • Export cargo 4 working hours before departure Goods for export, including unaccompanied baggage, go to Customs for examination, as a rule at least four working hours before scheduled departure.

Takeaway: Know the defined terms, the short list of aircraft papers, how crew and passengers clear the border, and India's own rules.

Why Annex 9, and what do its words mean?

Why Annex 9

Background first, then the defined terms. Tap + to open each.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

Which papers, which visas, how long duty-free?

Clearing the border

Three views: aircraft papers, crew visas and the six-month duty-free stay.

Annex 9 (Facilitation) cuts paperwork and delay at the border for aircraft, crew, passengers and cargo.

• Annex 9 (Facilitation) cuts paperwork and delay at the border for aircraft, crew, passengers and cargo.
• Papers
• Which papers can a State demand?
• Only two papers may be demanded, and no more than 3 copies of any document. Tap a row.
• General Declaration
• General Declaration · yes, if the state says so
• A State may require it, but only with the Annex 9 information, in electronic or paper form. Annex 9 items only.
• GEN DEC
• Cargo Manifest
• Cargo Manifest · yes, if the state says so
• A State may require it; on paper, the Annex 9 form must be accepted. Annex 9 paper format must be accepted.
• CARGO
• Passenger manifest
• Passenger manifest · not normally
• Can a State require it? Not normally.
• PAX
• Stores declaration
• Stores declaration · no
• Can a State require it? No.
• STORES
• Baggage list
• Baggage list · no
• Can a State require it? No. Accompanied or mishandled baggage.
• BAGGAGE
• Mail declaration
• Mail declaration · no
• Can a State require it? No. Beyond the postal union forms.
• MAIL
• Visa
• Does a crew member need a visa?
• A crew member holding a Crew Member Certificate (CMC). Slide from the firmest rule to none.
• Must waive
• No waiver
• SHALL waive
• arriving on duty on an international flight
• Seeking temporary entry until the next assigned flight. A firm obligation: duty status on the flight is what counts.
• SHOULD waive
• arriving another way, to join a flight
• Seeking temporary entry to join an assigned flight. A recommendation, not an obligation.
• No waiver stated
• any other case
• No automatic visa waiver is given in other cases. The CMC is for identification, together with a valid passport.
• Duty-free
• How long may a foreign aircraft stay duty-free?
• A foreign-registered aircraft flies to India. Drag to how many months before it leaves.
• arrival
• longer
• No customs duty
• leaves within 6 months
• No customs duty on a foreign-registered aircraft flying to or across India if it will leave within six months and a written declaration is made on arrival.
• Duty-free stay over
• more than 6 months
• The customs duty exemption covers only an aircraft that leaves India within six months of arrival.

Takeaway: Only the General Declaration and Cargo Manifest may be demanded. On-duty crew with a CMC SHALL get a visa waiver. Foreign aircraft: 6 months duty-free.

What may a State ask of aircraft papers?

Paper rules

Forms, copies, fees and contents. Tap + to open each.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

What is on a General Declaration?

General Declaration

The form in outline. Each colour is one block of information.

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What must a foreign aircraft do in India?

India rules

Fly the route from first landing to last departure.

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Does a crew member need a visa?

Crew visa

Read each case and press the stamp that applies.

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How should a State run Crew Member Certificates?

Running the CMC

Purpose, issue, records and fraud controls. Tap + to open each.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

How do people and cargo pass through?

Through customs

Follow the dashed line from the aircraft. Transit passengers branch off below; cargo runs along the bottom.

This lesson is part of the Core plan. See plans

What happens to passengers leaving and crew arriving?

Through the terminal

A departures hall with a crew lane. Tap each number.

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Numbers to know

Numbers

Only a few figures in this chapter, but each one is tested.

This lesson is part of the Core plan. See plans

Pairs that catch students out

Don't mix up

Each pair looks alike. The rule underneath tells them apart.

This lesson is part of the Core plan. See plans

Test yourself

Ten questions from this chapter.

This lesson is part of the Core plan. See plans