Traveling To India? Must Check The Revised Travel Guidelines For International Arrivals

In view of increasing vaccination coverage across the globe and the changing nature of the pandemic, India has reviewed its existing guidelines for international arrivals and issued revised guidelines last week.

The latest guidelines issued by India stated protocols to be complied with international travelers as well those to be followed by airlines, points of entry (airports, seaports, and land border) for risk profiling of passengers.

The new guidelines have come into effect starting 12^th November 2021 (00.00 Hrs IST) and will be valid till further notice.

India – Revised Guidelines for International Arrivals

• Planning for Travel
• Before Boarding
• During Travel
• On Arrival
• International Travelers Arriving At Seaports/Land Ports

Planning for Travel

• All Travelers Should
  • Submit self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha Portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) before the scheduled travel.
  • Upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report*. This test should have been conducted within 72 hrs. prior to undertaking the journey.
  • Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise.

• They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority to undergo home quarantine/ self-health monitoring, as warranted.

• Continuing with the earlier approach, travelers from certain specified Countries (based on epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in those Countries) are identified for additional follow up. These include need for additional measures as detailed in para (xv) below. The listing of such specified Countries is a dynamic exercise based on evolving situation of COVID-19 across the world and will be made available on the websites of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, (mohfw.gov.in) and the link of the same will be available at website of Ministry of External Affairs and Air Suvidha Portal.

• There are Countries which have agreement with India on mutual recognition of vaccination certificates of Nationally recognized or WHO recognized vaccines. Similarly, there are Countries which presently do not have such an agreement with India, but they exempt Indian citizens fully vaccinated with Nationally recognized or WHO recognized vaccines. On the basis of reciprocity, the travelers from all such Countries which provide quarantine-free entry to Indians are allowed certain relaxations on arrival (Category A Countries).

The listing of such countries is available on the websites of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (mohfw.gov.in) and the link of the same will be available at the website of the Ministry of External Affairs and Air Suvidha Portal. This is also a dynamic list and will be updated from time to time. The travelers from Category A Countries shall upload their fully vaccinated** certificate on the Air Suvidha portal.

Also Read: India Allowed Quarantine Free Entry For Travelers From 99 Countries

Before Boarding

1. Do’s and Don’ts shall be provided along with ticket to the travelers by the airlines/agencies concerned.
2. Airlines to allow boarding by only those passengers who have filled in the Self Declaration Form on the Air Suvidha portal, uploaded the negative RT-PCR test report.
3. At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travelers will be allowed to board after thermal screening.
4. All passengers shall be advised to download Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices.

During Travel

1. In-flight announcement about COVID-19 including precautionary measures to be followed shall be made at airports and in flights and during transit.
2. During in-flight crew shall ensure that COVID appropriate behavior is followed at all times.
3. If any passenger reports symptoms of COVID-19 during flight, he/she shall be isolated as per protocol.

On Arrival

• De-boarding should be done ensuring physical distancing.

• Thermal screening would be carried out in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the airport. The self-declaration form filled online shall be shown to the airport health staff.

• The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol. If tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per laid down protocol^#.

• Travelers from specified Countries at risk [as mentioned in para (iii) above] will follow the protocol as detailed below:
  • If traveler is coming from a Country with which India has reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of WHO approved COVID-19 vaccines (Category A):
    • If fully vaccinated**: They shall be allowed to leave the airport and shall self- monitor their health for 14 days’ post arrival.
    • If partially/not vaccinated: The travelers need to undertake the following measures:
      • Submission of sample for post-arrival COVID-19 test* at the point of arrival after which they will be allowed to leave the airport,
      • Home quarantine for 7 days,
      • Re-test on the 8th day of arrival in India* and if negative, further self- monitor of their health for next 7 days.
  • If traveler is coming from a Country excluding those covered under Category A, they would be required to undergo the measures as mentioned in para a (ii) above, irrespective of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

• Travelers from Countries excluding those Countries at risk, will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days’ post arrival. This is applicable to travelers from

• All Countries including Countries with which reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of WHO approved COVID-19 vaccines also exist.

• Travellers under home quarantine or self-health monitoring, if develop signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 or test positive for COVID-19 on re-testing, they will immediately self- isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number.

You may also like: India Working Towards Resumption of Scheduled International Flights, Says External Affairs Minister

International Travelers Arriving At Seaports/Land Ports

1. International travelers arriving through seaports/land ports will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, except that facility for online registration is not available for such passengers currently.
2. Such travelers shall submit the self-declaration form to the concerned authorities of Government of India at seaports/land ports on arrival.

* Children under 5 years of age are exempted from both pre-and post-arrival testing. However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during the home quarantine period, they shall undergo testing and be treated as per laid down protocol.

** 15 days must have elapsed since the completion of the COVID-19 vaccination schedule.

#Contacts of the suspect case are the co-passengers seated in the same row, 3 rows in front and 3 rows behind along with identified Cabin Crew.

Also, all the community contacts of those travelers who have tested positive (during the home quarantine period) would be subjected to quarantine for 14 days and tested as per ICMR protocol.

Also Read: Vaccinated Travel Lanes: Commercial Flights Between India And Singapore May Resume Soon