The Government of India (GoI) has revised guidelines for those arriving in India, stating that the revision had been brought in “in view of increasing vaccination coverage across the globe and the changing nature of the pandemic. Countries which have agreement with India on mutual recognition of vaccination certificates of Nationally recognised or WHO recognised vaccines. Similarly, there are Countries which presently do not have such an agreement with India, but they exempt Indian citizens fully vaccinated with Nationally recognised or WHO recognised vaccines.
All travellers should submit a self-declaration form on Air Suvidha portal before their scheduled trip and upload the negative RT-PCR report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hours before undertaking the journey, according to the guidelines. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration concerning the authenticity of the report and would be liable for criminal prosecution if found otherwise.
Thermal screening would be carried out on all passengers by the health officials present at the airport. The self-declaration form filled online shall be shown to the airport health staff. If a traveller was coming from a country with which India had reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of the World Health Organisation approved COVID-19 vaccines and was fully vaccinated, that person shall be allowed to leave the airport and do self-monitoring for 14 days post arrival(travel).
List of Countries from where travellers would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing (Countries at-risk) as updated as on 20th October 2021 includes —countries in Europe including The United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.
You May Also Like To Read: Nail hygiene – All you need to know!
If partially or not vaccinated, the travel need to undertake measures which include 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 seven days, re-test on the eighth day of arrival in India and if negative, further self-monitor their health for next seven days, the government said.
Planning for Travel
i. All travellers should
a. Submit self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal
(www.newdelhiairport.in) before the scheduled travel
b. Upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report. This test should have been conducted
within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey.
c. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the
report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise
ii. 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.
iii. Continuing with the earlier approach, travellers 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.
iv. There are Countries which have agreement with India on mutual recognition of vaccination
certificates of Nationally recognised or WHO recognised vaccines. Similarly, there are
Countries which presently do not have such an agreement with India, but they exempt Indian
citizens fully vaccinated with Nationally recognised or WHO recognised vaccines. On the basis
of reciprocity, the travellers 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 websites of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (mohfw.gov.in) and
