India has become an epicentre of a new wave of worldwide COVID-19 cases and as such many countries have banned flights and issued guidelines for passengers travelling from India.
Quarantine rules in India for international travellers
- All passengers must submit an undertaking form on the online portal agreeing to undergo mandatory 7 days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by 7 days isolation at home with self‑monitoring of health.
COVID‑19 RT PCR test will be conducted during the 5th to 7th day at the hotel and all related costs are to be borne by the passenger.
- All passengers travelling from the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa are advised to quarantine at home for 7 days. Passengers must take a COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test on the 7th day of arrival.
If they test negative, they can be released from quarantine and continue to monitor their health for 7 days.
- All other passengers will be allowed to leave the airport/take transit flights and will be required to undertake self‑monitoring of their health for 14 days.
Passengers under the following exceptional circumstances would be considered for exemption from the 7‑day mandatory institutional quarantine. The exemption will be decided upon arrival and verification of supporting documents.
- Elderly passengers over 65 years old
- Pregnant women in advanced stages of pregnancy
- Both parents accompanying children below 5 years old
- Passengers with supporting documents for a serious illness and who require medical attention or medical conditions that require immediate admission to a medical institution
- Extreme family distress, severe injury or death of immediate family member
- Passengers who have been fully vaccinated for COVID‑19 and can provide a vaccination certificate and complete a self‑declaration form.
- Unvaccinated children travelling with vaccinated parents must undergo institutional quarantine with one accompanying adult passenger. Exemption from institutional quarantine for accompanying children can be requested under the Air Suvidha section on the online portal, subject to approval from authorities.
- Medical professionals with proof from medical institutions that they are travelling to perform life‑saving surgeries or attending critical patients
Air India covid-19 test requirements
Travel to India is restricted to specified categories of passengers and tourists are not yet permitted. Flights to India will be restricted only to the following passengers:
- Indian Nationals or nationals of Nepal or Bhutan stranded in UAE or in any country in South America or Africa;
- All overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders and person of Indian origin (PIO) cardholders holding passports of any country;
- UAE nationals and foreign nationals (from any country in South America or Africa only) intending to visit India for any purpose (including their dependents on appropriate category of dependent visa) except those on Tourist visa.
- All passengers must carry a hard copy of a negative COVID 19 RT‑PCR certificate test at the time of departure. Digital copies will not be allowed. The certificate should be in English, specifying the name of the passenger and the outcome of the test.
- All passengers, including children and infants, must upload their COVID‑19 RT‑PCR results on the Air Suvidha online portal for a test taken within 72 hours prior to the start of their journey.
Arrival in India without a negative COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test report will only be allowed in cases of exigency of death in the family. Passengers can apply for such an exemption on the online portal at least 72 hours before boarding. The decision taken by the government as communicated on the online portal will be final.
- All passengers, including infants and children, without any exception, are to undergo self‑paid molecular tests upon arrival at the Indian airports (port of entry). Passengers must carry adequate funds for the same.
- All passengers can leave their entry point in India after taking the on‑arrival molecular tests except for the following:
- Passengers travelling from the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa and arriving at Bangalore airport must wait for their results before leaving the airport or connecting to another flight.
- Connecting passengers travelling from the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa and transiting at Indian airports must wait 8‑10 hours at the entry airport in India before taking their connecting flights.
- All passengers who test positive for COVID‑19 during the on‑arrival molecular tests will undergo treatment per standard health protocol.
If they’re travelling from the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa they will be isolated in an institutional isolation facility coordinated by the respective state health authorities.
Travel to USA from India during Covid-19
- Passengers who have been physically present in India 14 days preceding their trip are not permitted to travel to the USA.
Exemptions are granted to
- any lawful permanent resident of the United States;
- any noncitizen national of the United States;
- any noncitizen who is the spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident;
- any noncitizen who is the parent or legal guardian of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident is unmarried and under the age of 21;
- any noncitizen who is the sibling of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident provided that both are unmarried and under the age of 21;
- any noncitizen who is the child, foster child, or ward of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, or who is a prospective adoptee seeking to enter the United States pursuant to the IR-4 or IH-4 visa classifications
- any noncitizen travelling at the invitation of the United States Government for a purpose related to containment or mitigation of the virus
Still have some travel questions? Ask in our Travel WhatsApp Group.
