Guidelines for International Arrivals
May please note that these guidelines may change from time to time subject the COVID situation in India and other countries of origin/transit. You are suggested to check with the Airlines directly before you plan your travel.
Government of India
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Dated 10 February 2022
Guidelines for International Arrivals
(in supersession of all guidelines issued on the subject on and after January 20 2022)
Introduction
The global and Indian growth trajectory of COVID-19 pandemic continues with regional variations. The need to monitor the continuously changing nature of virus and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) thus, must still remain in focus. The extant guidelines for international arrivals in India continue being formulated taking a risk-based approach. While monitoring the nature and spread of infection in the country and across the globe, cognizance is also given to the fact that economic activities need to be taken up in an unhindered manner.
Scope
This document provides protocols to be complied by international travellers as well as those to be followed by airlines and all points of entry (airports, seaports and land border).
This Standard Operating Procedure shall be valid w.e.f. 14th February 2022 (00.01 Hrs IST) till further orders. Based on the risk assessment, this document shall be reviewed from time to time.
A.1. Planning for Travel
i. All travellers should
a. Submit complete and factual information in self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal (https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration)
before the scheduled travel, including last 14 days travel details.
b. Upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report* (The test should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey)
or
Certificate of completing full primary vaccination schedule of COVID-19 vaccination**.
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 any post arrival requirement to undergo home/institutional quarantine/ self-health monitoring, as warranted.
A.2. Before Boarding
iii. Do’s and Don'ts shall be provided along with ticket to the travellers by the airlines/agencies concerned.
iv. Airlines to allow boarding by only those passengers who have filled in all the information in the Self Declaration Form on the Air Suvidha portal and uploaded the negative RT-PCR test report or Covid -19 vaccination certificate of having completed the primary vaccination schedule**.
v. At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after thermal screening.
vi. All passengers shall be advised to download Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices.
A.3. During Travel
vii. In-flight announcement about COVID-19 including precautionary measures to be followed shall be made at airports and in flights and during transit.
viii. During in-flight crew shall ensure that COVID appropriate behaviour is followed at all times.
ix. If any passenger reports symptoms of COVID-19 during flight, he/she shall be isolated as per protocol.
x. Proper in-flight announcements should be made by the airlines regarding the testing requirements and people who need to undergo such testing to avoid any congestion at the arrival airports.
A.4. On arrival
xi. De-boarding should be done ensuring physical distancing.
xii. 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.
xiii. 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#.
xiv. The following protocol post arrival shall also be followed
a. A sub-section (2% of the total passengers in the flight) shall undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival.
b. Such travellers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries). They will submit the samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport.
c. If such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network.
d. They shall be treated/isolated as per laid down standard protocol.
xv. All travellers will self-monitor their health for next 14 days of arrival.
xvi. If travellers under self-health monitoring, develop signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, they will immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number.
International travellers arriving at seaports/land ports
xvii. International travellers 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.
xviii. Such travellers shall submit the self-declaration form to the concerned authorities of
Government of India at seaports/land ports on arrival.
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* 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 period of self-monitoring period, they shall undergo testing and treated as per laid down protocol.
** 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 only such Countries which provide quarantine-free entry to Indians will be allowed for relaxation under Certificate of completing full primary vaccination schedule of COVID-19 vaccination. The listing of such Countries is available on website 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. This is also a dynamic list and will be updated from time to time. The travellers from such countries only are considered for allowing entry based on vaccination certificate & shall upload their fully vaccinate certificate on the Air Suvidha portal.
# 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.
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List of Countries/Regions in respect of which primary vaccination schedule completion certificate is allowed to be uploaded
As on 10 February 2022
1. Albania
2. Andorra
3. Angola
4. Antigua & Barbuda
5. Australia
6. Austria
7. Azerbaijan
8. Bangladesh
9. Bahrain
10. Belarus
11. Botswana
12. Bulgaria
13. Canada
14. Cambodia
15. Chile
16. Colombia
17. Commonwealth of Dominica
18. Costa Rica
19. Croatia
20. Cuba
21. Cyprus
22. Denmark
23. Estonia
24. Finland
25. Georgia
26. Grenada
27. Guatemala
28. Guyana
29. Hong Kong
30. Hungary
31. Iceland
32. Iran
33. Ireland
34. Israel
35. Kazakhstan
36. Kyrgyzstan
37. Latvia
38. Lebanon
39. Liechtenstein
40. Malaysia
41. Maldives
42. Mali
43. Mauritius
44. Mexico
45. Moldova
46. Mongolia
47. Myanmar
48. Namibia
49. Nepal
50. New Zealand
51. Netherlands
52. Nicaragua
53. North Macedonia
54. Oman
55. Paraguay
56. Panama
57. Portugal
58. Philippines
59. Qatar
60. Romania
61. St. Kitts and Nevis
62. San Marino
63. Saudi Arabia
64. Serbia
65. Sierra Leone
66. Singapore
67. Slovak Republic
68. Slovenia
69. Spain
70. Sri Lanka
71. State of Palestine
72. Sweden
73. Switzerland
74. Thailand
75. The United Kingdom
76. Trinidad & Tobago
77. Turkey
78. Ukraine
79. United States of America
80. Venezuela
81. Vietnam
82. Zimbabwe
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https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/GuidelinesforInternationalarrivalsupdatedon10thFebruary2022.pdf
For more information/latest update, you are suggested to please visit https://www.mohfw.gov.in/ (Ministry of Health and family welfare, Govt. of India)
