India Issues Revised Guidelines For Passengers Transiting From High-Risk Countries

On Monday, January 2, the Ministry of Health, Government of India issued revised guidelines for passengers transiting from high-risk countries. The previous guidelines made no mention of transit passengers, which caused confusion among travellers because different airports in India had different views on the matter.

The Delhi Airport initially stated that transiting passengers from high-risk countries were not required to present a negative RT-PCR test or fill out a self-declaration form on the Air Suvidha Portal. They later reversed this decision, stating that these passengers would be required to present an RT-PCR test and submit a self-declaration form.

Revised Guidelines for Transit Passengers

The Health Ministry has now clarified that, According to the revised guidelines, passengers on all international flights from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, and Japan. must undergo pre-departure RT-PCR testing (which must be completed within 72 hours of departure).

This will also apply to transiting passengers through these countries irrespective of their originating countries before coming to any Indian Airport.

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The guidelines further read, the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Air Suvidha Portal has to be made available to passengers on all international flights departing from these countries. with the option for international visitors arriving in India to submit negative RT-PCR test results as well as a self-declaration form via this portal.

It should be noted that Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong are common transit points for a lot of international travellers travelling between India and the Far East, Indonesia, Australia, and the west coast of North America.

This new requirement for transit passengers to have a negative RT-PCR report may end up forcing some to take non-stop flight instead.

It is worth noting that the existing practice of post-arrival random testing of 2% of international travellers (irrespective of the port of departure) shall continue in force.