India relaxes COVID-19 entry requirements

India entry requirements COVID-19 have been relaxed since 14th February, to fully vaccinated travellers from 87 countries. In practical terms, this means no quarantine or PCR Test on Arrival.

Apart from Australia and New Zealand, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are included in the list. Laos is the only ASEAN country not included.
Hong Kong is also on the list, but not wider China or Taiwan.
Neither North nor South Korea has been included and Japan is also not on the list.

The current list ** can be found HERE. 

Government of India Entry Requirements

The full text of the MEA Guidelines for International Arrivals is available HERE (including the full list origin countries from which the primary vaccination schedule completion certificate can be uploaded) is summarised below. Other information is also updated HERE.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Guidelines for International Arrivals

This supersedes all guidelines issued on the subject on and after 20th January 2022

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). Based on the risk assessment, this document shall be reviewed periodically.

Before you travel

• Submit complete and factual information in self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal before the scheduled travel, including last 14 days travel details.
• Upload
  • a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report* (conducted within 72 hrs prior to departure)
    or
  • Certificate of completing full primary vaccination schedule of COVID-19
    vaccination**.
• Submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report
  • you will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise

You must also give an undertaking that you will abide any post arrival requirement to undergo home/institutional quarantine/ self-health monitoring, if required.

Before Boarding

• Airlines/agencies are required to provide travellers with a list of ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ along with their ticket.
• Airlines may allow boarding only to those passengers who have
  • completed 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 ** as above.
• Only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after
  thermal screening.
• All passengers shall be advised to download Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices.

During Travel

• In-flight announcement about COVID-19 including precautionary measures shall be made at airports, in flights and during transit.
• During the flight crew shall ensure that COVID appropriate behaviour is followed at all times
• Any passenger reporting symptoms of COVID-19 during the flight, shall be isolated as per protocol.
• Airlines must make in-flight announcements regarding testing requirements and those who need to undergo such testing to avoid congestion at the arrival airport.

On arrival

• Physical distancing must be observed during disembarkation.
• all passengers will undergo thermal screening by health officials at the airport.
  • have your self-declaration form filled online ready to show to the airport health staff.
• 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

Post arrival protocol

• 2% of the total passengers in the flight shall undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival.
  • Selected travellers in each flight shall be identified by the airline (preferably
    from different countries).
  • Those tested will be permitted to leave the airport after submit the samples.
• Samples of travellers who test positive, will be sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network.
  • Affected passengers will be treated/isolated as per standard protocol.
• All travellers must self-monitor their health for 14 days after arrival.
• Travellers under self-health monitoring who develop signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID19, must
  • 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

• International travellers arriving through seaports/land ports must undergo the
  same protocol as above
  • this facility for online registration is not currently available for such passengers.
• Travellers must submit the self-declaration form to authorities at seaports/land ports on arrival.

Additional notes:

• * Children under 5 years of age are exempted from both pre- and post-arrival testing.
  • Travellers found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during the period of self-monitoring period, must undergo testing and treatment as noted above.
• ** Countries which have agreement with India on mutual recognition of vaccination certificates of Nationally recognised or WHO recognised vaccines. There are also Countries which do not currently have such an agreement with India, but they exempt fully vaccinated Indian citizens with Nationally recognised or WHO recognised vaccines.
• On the basis of reciprocity, only travellers from such Countries which provide quarantine-free entry to Indians will be allowed for relaxation. Please see link to list at top of page.The link is also available at the Air Suvidha Portal.
• This is also a dynamic list and will be updated periodically. Travellers from such countries are only considered for entry based on vaccination certificate & shall upload their full vaccinate certificate on the Air Suvidha portal.

# Contacts of suspect cases are the co-passengers seated in the same row, 3 rows in front and 3 rows behind along with identified Cabin Crew.