Contents
UPDATE ON COVID-19 TRAVEL
The risk-based approach was used to examine and establish the recommendations for international travelers arriving in India. The Indian government has made the following changes to the protocols for overseas travelers:
- On the Air Suvidha portal, fill out the self-declaration form.
- Upload a COVID-19 RT-PCR data that was negative within 72 hours of embarking on the voyage OR
- Upload a certificate indicating that you have completed the COVID-19 immunization regimen in its entirety.
- Upon arriving in India, exit the airport or take connecting flights.
- For the following 14 days after their arrival, self-monitor their health.
Upon arrival, 2% of passengers every aircraft will be randomly examined. If such travelers become sick or test positive, they will be treated according to the normal protocol.
Guidelines for International Arrivals
The COVID-19 pandemic’s worldwide and Indian development trend is continuing, with regional variations. The necessity to keep track of the virus’s ever-changing nature and the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) must thus continue to be a priority. The current international arrivals guidelines in India continue to be designed in a risk-based manner While keeping an eye on the nature and spread of But throughout the country and across the world, attention is also paid to the fact that economic factors have a role. Activities must be pursued without interruption.
Scope
This paper outlines the procedures that must be followed by foreign travelers as well as those that must be followed by domestic travelers. Airlines and all places of entrance are next, 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.
Making Travel Plans
i. All travellers should a. Submit complete and accurate information in a self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal (https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration) at least 14 days prior to their booked flight, including travel data from the previous 14 days.
b. Upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report* (the test should have been performed within 72 hours after the travel) or a Certificate of Completion of the COVID-19 Primary Vaccination Schedule**.
c. Each passenger must also sign a statement attesting to the report’s veracity, and if discovered to be false, will face criminal charges.
ii. They should also give an undertaking to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, through concerned airlines, before they are allowed to embark on the journey, that they will abide by any post-arrival requirement to undergo home/institutional quarantine/self-health monitoring, as warranted, by the appropriate government authority.
A.2 Prior to Boarding
iii. The airlines/agencies responsible must offer travelers with Do’s and Don’ts along with their tickets.
iv. Airlines will only allow passengers to board if they have filled out the whole Self Declaration Form on the Air Suvidha portal and submitted a negative RT-PCR test report or a Covid -19 vaccination certificate indicating that they have completed the primary immunization schedule**.
v. Only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the airplane after undergoing thermal screening.
vi. All passengers are encouraged to download the Aarogya Setu app to their smartphones.
A.3 While Traveling
vii. At airports, on flights, and during transit, an in-flight notice concerning COVID-19, including precautionary steps to be followed, should be made.
viii. During the flight, the crew must ensure that COVID guidelines are observed at all times.
ix. If a passenger exhibits COVID-19 symptoms during the flight, he or she will be quarantined according to policy.
x. Airlines should make proper in-flight notifications about testing requirements and those who must undertake such testing to minimise any congestion at the arrival airports.
A.4. Upon arrival
xi. De-boarding should be completed with physical separation in mind.
xii. All passengers will be subjected to a thermal screening by health inspectors stationed at the airport. The online self-declaration form must be provided to the airport health officials.
xiii. Passengers who exhibit symptoms during screening will be immediately segregated and sent to a medical institution in accordance with health procedure. If they are found to be positive, their contacts will be identified and managed according to procedure#.
xiv. The following post-arrival process must also be followed.
a. Upon arrival at the airport, a subset of passengers (2 percent of the total passengers on the trip) will be subjected to random post-arrival testing.
b. The airlines responsible for each aircraft must identify such passengers (ideally from separate countries). They will submit the samples and be released from the airport.
c. If such travelers test positive, their samples should be forwarded to the INSACOG laboratory network for genetic testing.
d. They must be treated/isolated in accordance with the standard methodology.
xv. For the next 14 days following their arrival, all travelers will self-monitor their health.
xvi. If travelers who are self-monitoring acquire signs and symptoms that are consistent with COVID19, they should immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health institution or call the National Helpline Number (1075)/ State Helpline Number.
Arrivals of international passengers at seaports and land ports
xvii. International travelers arriving at seaports/land ports will be subjected to the same protocol as described above, with the exception that online registration is not yet possible for such passengers.
xviii. Upon arrival, such travelers must submit a self-declaration form to the competent Government of India officials at seaports/land ports.
* Both pre- and post-arrival testing is waived for children under the age of five. If they are discovered to be symptomatic for COVID-19 upon arrival or during the self-monitoring period, they will be tested and treated according to procedure.
** There are certain countries that have reached an agreement with India on mutual acceptance of immunisation certificates for vaccinations that are either nationally recognised or WHO recognised. Similarly, other countries do not currently have such an agreement with India, but they exempt Indian nationals who have been completely vaccinated with national or WHO-approved vaccinations. Travelers from only those countries that enable quarantine-free entrance to Indians will be eligible for relaxation under the Certificate of completing the entire primary immunisation schedule of COVID-19 vaccine on the basis of reciprocity.
The list of such countries may be found on the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s website (mohfw.gov.in), and a link to it will be available on the Ministry of External Affairs’ website and the Air Suvidha Portal.
This is a dynamic list that will be updated on a regular basis. Only travelers from these countries are accepted for entrance based on vaccination certificates, and they must provide a fully vaccinated certificate to the Air Suvidha portal.
# Co-passengers sat in the same row, 3 rows in front and 3 rows behind, as well as identifiable cabin crew, are contacts in the suspect case.
*Countries that exempt Indian residents who are completely vaccinated with Nationally Recognized or WHO Recognized Vaccines are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination exemption under the Certificate of Completing the Full Primary Vaccination Schedule.
List of countries/regions where you may upload your main vaccination schedule completion certificate
1. Albania
2. Andorra
3. Angola
4. Antigua & Barbuda.
5. Argentina
6. Armenia
7. Australia
8. Austria
9. Azerbaijan
10. Bangladesh
11. Bahrain
12. Belarus
13. Belgium
14. Bhutan
15. Brazil
16. Brunei Darussalam
17. Botswana
18. Bulgaria
19. Canada
20. Cambodia
21. Chad
22. Chile
23. Colombia
24. Commonwealth of Dominica
25. Costa Rica
26. Croatia
27. Cuba
28. Cyprus
29. Denmark
30. Ecuador
31. Egypt.
32. El Salvador
33. Estonia
34. Eswatini
35. Finland
36. Gabon
37. Georgia
38. Germany
39. Grenada
40. Guatemala
41. Guyana
42. Honduras
43. Hong Kong
44. Hungary
45. Iceland
46. Indonesia
47. Iran
48. Iraq
49. Ireland
50. Israel
51. Kazakhstan
52. Kenya
53. Kingdom of Morocco
54. Kuwait
55. Kyrgyzstan
56. Lao PDR
57. Latvia
58. Lebanon
59. Liberia
60. Liechtenstein
61. Lithuania
62. Malaysia
63. Maldives
64. Mali
65. Mauritius
66. Mexico
67. Moldova
68. Mongolia
69. Mozambique
70. Myanmar
71. Namibia
72. Nauru
73. Nepal
74. New Zealand
75. Netherlands
76. Nicaragua
77. Nigeria
78. North Macedonia
79. Oman
80. Paraguay
81. Panama
82. Peru
83. Poland
84. Portugal
85. Philippines
86. Qatar
87. Republic of Fiji
88. Republic of Korea
89. Romania
90. St. Kitts and Nevis
91. San Marino
92. Saudi Arabia
93. Serbia
94. Seychelles
95. Sierra Leone
96. Singapore
97. Slovak Republic
98. Slovenia
99. Spain
100. Sri Lanka
101. State of Palestine
102. Suriname
103. Sweden
104. Switzerland
105. Syria
106. Thailand
107. The United Kingdom
108. Trinidad & Tobago
109. Turkey
110. UAE
111. Uganda
112. Ukraine
113. United States of America
114. Uruguay
115. Venezuela
116. Vietnam
117. Zimbabwe
For more information, please consider visiting the official new Delhi Airport website here
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