Covid Travel Guidelines: Airports across the country have issued specialised protocols for international travellers planning to visit the country amid the pandemic. We take a look at some of these guidelines.
With the steady decrease of Corona virus (COVID-19) cases and the gradual easing of restrictions in India, international travel could potentially pick up over the next few months. While the Indian government has extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till February 28, 2021, Non scheduled/ Private flight are allowed with prior approval from Civil Air Office.
Airports across the country have issued specialised guidelines for international travellers planning to visit the country amid the pandemic.
VIDP airport, Delhi quarantine and arrival rules
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport is permitting international travellers arriving in the country to forego mandatory quarantine as long as they present a negative certificate of a RT-PCR test conducted within 72 hours of departure or on arrival at the airport. Passengers without test results will have to undergo mandatory 7 days of institutional quarantine at their own cost as well as another 7 days of home quarantine. Passengers also have the option of pre-booking a test at the airport.
However, passengers travelling from the UK will have to undergo a mandatory Covid test both in the UK as well as in India. The cost of the RT PCR test in India will be incurred by the passengers themselves. All international travellers are required to fill a ‘self-reporting’ and “exemption” form with their health status on the Air Suvidha online portal at https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration.
VABB Airport, Mumbai quarantine and arrival rules
Travellers arriving in Mumbai from the UK, Middle East, South Africa and Europe will have to undergo mandatory institutional quarantine of up to 14 days. Passengers arriving from other countries will be able to self isolate at home for 14 days as long as they are able to present a negative RT PCR test.
All travellers are also required to fill in the self-reporting form on the Air Suvidha online portal, at least 72 hours before the scheduled time of travel. To seek exemption from institutional quarantine, passengers will have to apply on the portal and submit a negative RT-PCR test upon arrival. The test should have been conducted within 72 hours of undertaking the journey.
But an exemption will be awarded to travellers from the UK, Middle East, South Africa and Europe only in “exceptional cases”, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport website states.
Passengers also have the option of pre-booking a test at the airport.
VOHS Airport, Hyderabad quarantine and arrival rules
Indian passengers must carry a Covid Negative (RT-PCR) test report on arrival. This test should have been conducted within 72 Hours prior to undertaking the Journey.
All passengers must register online at https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration to fill a self-declaration form and apply for exemption by uploading their Covid Negative test report.
VOBL Airport, Bengaluru quarantine and arrival rules
All international passengers arriving in Karnataka are required to carry a Covid-19 negative certificate, issued within 72 hours from departure. Passengers with a valid negative certificate will also be exempted from home quarantine. Those without negative certificates will have to undergo a mandatory RT-PCR test at the airport and stay in home quarantine until the results are declared..
Upon arrival, international passengers will be asked to present their self-reporting form and their status will be checked on the Arogya setu app, Quarantine watch app and Apthamitra app.
All passengers arriving from the UK must present a negative test result taken within 72 hours of their departure and must also undertake an additional Covid test at the Bengaluru airport. Those who test negative are mandated to follow home quarantine for 14 days.
VOCI airport, Kochi quarantine and arrival rules
All international passengers arriving in Kochi will have to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine. Home quarantine is permitted for asymptomatic passengers. If they test negative for Covid on the seventh day after their arrival, then the remaining seven days of quarantine are not mandatory.
International passengers are advised to register on the Air Suvidha Portal as well as the Kerala government’s Covid-19 Jagratha platform.
If you have any questions about this article or would like assistance planning your next trip to India, contact us ops@vvipflight.com or (OPS)- (+91)-8010686868.
Note: Regulations, watch hours, NOTAM or any other information given in above article are subject to change from time to time, for most latest information please feel free to contact us.
