Union Civil Aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said the Bhogapuram International Airport is likely to be inaugurated in the next month after the Prime Minister confirms a date. He indicated that construction and associated works are almost complete following his participation in the Udaan-2.0 workshop, and that a formal request has been made for the Prime Minister to preside over the opening. The minister framed the timing as contingent on scheduling but presented the facility as ready for handover to civil aviation authorities.

The Union home ministry has accorded a key recognition by bringing the airport within the purview of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, a change recorded in a gazette notification. This formal step places Bhogapuram on the Category-1 airport list and records it at 39th in rank among similar facilities, thereby enabling it to operate as an immigration checkpost. Officials expect that the notification will support the commencement of international operations and the establishment of border control arrangements.

The designation as a Category-1 airport is intended to simplify international travel procedures for passengers and to enable airlines to plan cross border services to and from the region. The airport is described as capable of handling the administrative processes associated with immigration and arrival formalities, which is expected to shorten processing times for inbound travellers and support airline scheduling. Observers noted that clearer immigration status also aids cargo and logistics planning without altering the basic operational readiness that was reported as nearly complete.

Regional authorities in Andhra Pradesh and local stakeholders in Vishakhapatnam have argued that operationalising the airport will boost tourism, support trade links and create employment opportunities during early operations and ongoing services. The minister reiterated that inauguration arrangements hinge on confirmation of the Prime Minister's availability and that, once announced, a formal opening will follow the gazette notification and completion milestones.