International passengers will have to provide a self-declaration form online on Air Suvidha portal and include travel history for past two weeks
With more countries announcing travel restrictions over the detection of new variant of Covid-19 Omicron, Union Health Ministry of India announced revised guidelines for international arrivals.
- Mandatory 14 days travel details and upload negative Covid (RT-PCR) test result on Air Suvidha portal before the journey. The new rules will come into effect from 1 December till further details. These guidelines will supersede the old guidelines which were issued after 11 November.
- Travelers from ‘countries at-risk‘ will need to take Covid-19 test post-arrival and wait for results at the airport. If tested negative, they’ll have to follow home quarantine for 7 days, and take re-test on 8th day; if negative again then self-monitor for next 7 days.
- Those traveling from countries apart from ‘countries at risk’ list will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days.
- Around 5% of total flight passengers shall undergo post-arrival testing at airport on arrival.
- Manipulated reports will make the passenger liable for criminal prosecution.
- Only asymptomatic travelers will be allowed to board after thermal screening and all passengers are advised to download Aarogya Setu app.
- Travelers from ‘countries at risk’ need to submit sample for post-arrival Covid-19 test, which would be self-paid. Travelers are required to wait for their test results at arrival airport before leaving or taking a connecting flight.
- The countries from where travelers would need to follow additional protocols on arrival in India include: South Africa, UK, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel.
- Children under 5 years of age are exempted from pre- as well as post-arrival testing. If found symptomatic on arrival or during home quarantine period, they shall undergo testing.
- Contacts of the suspect case are co-passengers seated in the same row, three rows in front and three rows behind along with the cabin crew.
- All the community contacts of those travelers who have tested positive during home quarantine period would be subjected to quarantine for 14 days and tested as per ICMR protocol.
- Passengers traveling through seaports/land will also have to undergo same protocol, except that facility for online registration is not available for such travelers currently.
