India To Soon Issue New Travel Guidelines For UK Nationals: Sources

As per a report of ANI, the Ministry of Health, Govt of India will soon issue new guidelines for foreign nationals arriving from the United Kingdom (UK).

This comes after the country was ordered to remove mandatory testing and quarantine requirements for those vaccinated with Covishield traveling from India to the UK.

Foreign Ministers Agreed To Facilitate Travel

External affairs minister S. Jaishankar spoke to his British counterpart Liz Truss just hours after Britain decided to allow Indians vaccinated with Covishield to visit the UK without quarantine from October 11.

The two foreign ministers agreed to facilitate travel between the two countries, in a sign that bilateral ties are once again on the upswing following the removal of the irritant.

Just days after the imposition of reciprocal measures by India from October 4, Britain had on Thursday night decided to recognize India’s vaccination certification system after prolonged consultations between the two nations.

“Good to talk to UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Agreed to facilitate travel between our two countries. This will help to implement the Roadmap 2030,” the external affairs minister tweeted. (sic)

Good to talk to UK Foreign Secretary @trussliz.

Agreed to facilitate travel between our two countries.

This will help to implement the Roadmap 2030.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 8, 2021

UK Ends Mandatory Quarantine, Testing

It must be noted that the United Kingdom, on Thursday, announced that it will scrap Covid-19 quarantine travel rules for 47 destinations, including India starting from October 11.

“From Monday, 11th October, travelers from India to the UK, double jabbed by Covishield or any other vaccine recognized by the UK regulator does not have to quarantine. So it will be easier and cheaper to enter the UK,” said Alex Ellis, British high commissioner to India.

New Travel Guidelines

According to the latest restrictions, the UK would recognize the vaccine status of arrivals from more countries. The Indians, who are fully vaccinated with locally produced Covishield Covid-19 vaccine, will not be required to get 10-day quarantine.

“Eligible fully-vaccinated passengers and eligible under 18 years returning from countries and territories, not on the red list, can do with just a day 2 test,” said the statement released by the UK government.

The new eased restriction will be followed from 4 AM (UTC), October 11. Eligible travelers vaccinated in over 47 new countries and territories including Brazil, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, South Africa, and Turkey will also be treated the same as returning fully vaccinated UK residents, so long as they have not visited a red list country or territory in the duration of 10 days before arriving in England, according to the statement.

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