India lifts quarantine requirements from today – Details

Govt. of India’s revised international travel guidelines which allow fully vaccinated passengers to leave the airport and avoid home quarantine have come into force today.

India’s guidelines have been valid for passengers who arrive from the countries that have mutually agreed to accept World Health Organization approved vaccines.

The government in a statement said, “In view of increasing vaccination coverage across the globe and the changing nature of the pandemic, the existing guidelines for international arrivals in India have been reviewed”.

However, according to the latest guidelines, a negative RT-PCR test is mandatory for all international travelers flying into India. The passengers also have to submit Covid test reports before boarding the flight.

There are some additional measures for those traveling from countries at risk like South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.

Some of the new travel guidelines for foreign travelers coming to India:

1. If partially or not vaccinated, the travelers 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 the next seven days.

2. The new guidelines provide 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.

3. This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) shall be valid from Monday till further orders. Based on the risk assessment, this document shall be reviewed from time to time, the ministry said.

4. According to the guidelines, while planning for travel, all travelers should submit a self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal before the scheduled travel and upload a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey.

5. All passengers shall also submit a declaration with respect to the authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution if found otherwise.

6. “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,” the guidelines stated.

7. If the travelers who are under home quarantine or self-health monitoring 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 the national helpline number (1075) or state helpline number.