What is a General Declaration?
The General Declaration, usually shortened to GENDEC, is the document an aircraft hands to the border authorities on an international flight. Its format is set by ICAO Annex 9 (Facilitation) so that customs, immigration and health officials anywhere in the world see the same boxes in the same place. It tells them who operates the aircraft, where it has come from and is going, how many crew and passengers are on board, whether there is any cargo, and, when they ask for it, whether anyone on board is ill.
By signing it, the pilot in command (or the operator's authorised agent) declares that everything on it, and on any supporting documents such as passenger and crew lists, is complete and true.
How to fill in the General Declaration
- If you have already done your flight plan on this site, press From my flight plan. Otherwise fill in the operator and registration at the top.
- Enter where you depart from and arrive at, with the country. A three letter country code such as ZAF or ZWE is common and fits the box.
- Under Place, list the origin, any en-route stops and the destination, one per line. Blank lines space them out to line up with the passenger rows.
- Enter the number of crew, and their names if you like.
- Fill in the passengers for this stage: how many embark, disembark and stay on board. Crew are not passengers, so a solo flight is 0 and 0.
- Describe any cargo, or write NONE.
- Leave the Declaration of Health blank unless the country you are arriving in asks for it. Leave For official use only blank.
- Tap the signature line to sign on screen, or sign the printed copy by hand.
- Press Download PDF or Print, and take enough copies for customs, immigration and health.
Every box on the GENDEC explained
| Box | What goes in it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Owner / operator | The company or person operating the flight. For a private flight, the owner or you. | SKYHORSE AVIATION |
| Registration | Nationality and registration marks of the aircraft. | ZS-RZW |
| Flight no | Only if the flight has a flight number. Usually blank for private flights. | |
| Depart from | Departure place and country. | FVJN ZWE |
| Arrival at | Arrival place and country, where the declaration is handed in. | FAPP ZAF |
| Place | Origin, each en-route stop and destination, one per line. | FVJN, FAPP |
| Total number of crew | Everyone on board who is crew, with names underneath. | 1 |
| Departure / arrival place | The two ends of this stage of the flight. | BULAWAYO, POLOKWANE |
| Embarking / disembarking | Passengers (not crew) getting on or off at this stage. | 0 |
| Through on same flight | Passengers staying on board through the stop. | |
| Cargo | Description of cargo, or NONE. | NONE |
| Declaration of health | Only when the arrival state requires it. | |
| Signature | Pilot in command or the operator's authorised agent. |
When a GENDEC is needed
As a rule, any flight that crosses an international border needs a General Declaration, including private and training flights. You usually present it when you clear customs and immigration at the airport of entry, and many countries also want it when you clear out on departure. Some countries use their own national form, a combined form, or an online advance notice instead of or as well as the GENDEC, and some have exemptions for particular routes. The rules for each country are in its AIP, in GEN 1.2 (entry, transit and departure of aircraft) and GEN 1.3 (passengers and crew).
Remember that the GENDEC is only one part of crossing a border. You will usually also need a flight plan, to land at a designated airport of entry with customs and immigration, passports for everyone on board, and the aircraft's documents. Some countries want a passenger manifest, a crew list or a cargo manifest as well.
Tips from the ramp
- Carry spare printed copies. Officials often want one each, and printers at small airports of entry are rare.
- Keep the country codes and place names consistent with your flight plan.
- Count crew and passengers separately. The most common mistake is counting the pilot as a passenger.
- Write NONE for cargo rather than leaving it blank, so there is no doubt.
- Check the arrival country's AIP for any extra forms well before the flight.
General Declaration FAQ
What is a General Declaration (GENDEC)?
The General Declaration is the standard document an aircraft operator hands to customs, immigration and health authorities on an international flight. It is defined in ICAO Annex 9 (Facilitation), Appendix 1, and lists the operator, aircraft registration, route, crew, passengers and cargo, with a declaration signed by the pilot in command or the operator's agent.
When do I need a General Declaration?
Generally when a flight crosses an international border, both leaving one country and arriving in the next. Private and general aviation flights are usually included. Some countries only want it on arrival, some ask for it at both ends, and some use their own national form or an online system instead. Check the AIP (GEN 1.2 and GEN 1.3) of each country you are flying to or from.
How many copies of the GENDEC do I need?
It varies by airport and country. Customs, immigration and sometimes health each keep a copy, so it is common to be asked for two or three. Download the PDF and print extra copies, or ask your handling agent before you go.
Does the pilot count as a passenger on the GENDEC?
No. Crew go in the Total Number of Crew column and are not counted as passengers. The passenger boxes are only for people who are not crew. On a solo flight, embarking and disembarking are both 0.
What are through passengers?
Passengers who were already on board from an earlier stop and stay on board through this one. On a simple A to B flight there are none, so leave those boxes blank.
Do I have to fill in the Declaration of Health?
Only when the state you are arriving in requires it. On a normal flight with nobody ill on board, most states do not need anything in that section. If you have to report illness or disinsection details, use the form the authorities give you or attach a separate sheet.
What do I put in the cargo box?
A short description of anything carried as cargo, or NONE. Personal baggage of the crew and passengers is not cargo. If you do carry cargo, most states also want a cargo manifest.
Can I sign the GENDEC on my phone?
Yes. Tap the signature line on the form and draw your signature with your finger. It is placed on the form and in the PDF, but it is never uploaded or saved. You can also leave it blank and sign the printed copy by hand.
Can I add my company logo?
Yes. Tap the empty area at the top left of the form and choose a PNG or JPEG. It is kept in this browser so it is there next time.
Can it fill in from my flight plan?
Yes. If you have filled in the ICAO flight plan form on this site in the same browser, press From my flight plan to copy the registration, operator, departure, destination, pilot name and passenger numbers across. Check the result, because a flight plan does not say how many of the people on board are crew.
Is my information saved or sent anywhere?
No. The form runs entirely in your browser. Your entries (not your signature) are remembered in this browser only so you can reuse them, and Clear removes them.
