News Analysis India

Tag: international travellers

  • India eases COVID-19 ear rules for international flyers, RT-PCR tests dropped

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: With the world returning to a new normal following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian government on Wednesday announced the easing of its guidelines for international travellers.

    The Union Health Ministry said that the two per cent random testing of international flyers will be dropped from July 20th on account of India’s improving conditions following the pandemic. The Centre had earlier come out with guidelines for international travellers when the pandemic was raging in India and globally.

    “Taking note of the prevalent COVID-19 situation and the significant achievements made in COVID-19 vaccination coverage across the globe, the Union Health Ministry has further eased guidelines for international travellers in the context of Covid-19,” a statement issued by the ministry said.

    The new guidelines will be applicable at all points of entry including airports, seaports, and land borders. “However, the earlier advice for precautionary measures to be followed in the context of COVID-19 by airlines as well as international travellers shall continue to apply,” the statement said.

    On May 6, the WHO had announced that it is ending its highest level of alert for Covid-19 – three years after its original declaration, saying that countries should now manage the virus along with other infectious diseases.  However, the global health body also said the decision did not mean the danger was over and cautioned that emergency status could be reinstated if the situation changed.

    The health ministry said the dropping of the random testing doesn’t mean that India has stopped following the Covid-19 situation. “The ministry continues to follow the Covid-19 scenario closely,” the statement added. However, some measures are expected to continue.

    The ministry said that all travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against Covid-19 in their country. 

    During travel, the ministry said, “In-flight announcements about the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic including precautionary measures to be followed, preferable use of masks and following physical distancing shall be made in flights/travel and at all points of entry.”

    “Any passenger having symptoms of Covid during travel shall be isolated as per standard protocol and the said passenger should be wearing a mask, isolated and segregated from other passengers in flight/travel and shifted to an isolation facility subsequently for follow-up treatment.”

    On arrival, the “de-boarding should be done ensuring physical distancing,” said the new guidelines.

    The guidelines said that all travellers should self-monitor their health post-arrival and shall report to their nearest health facility or call the national helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number in case they have any symptoms suggestive of COVID-19. It also said that thermal screening should be done on all passengers by the health officials present at the point of entry. The updated guidelines are available on the official website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

    NEW DELHI: With the world returning to a new normal following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian government on Wednesday announced the easing of its guidelines for international travellers.

    The Union Health Ministry said that the two per cent random testing of international flyers will be dropped from July 20th on account of India’s improving conditions following the pandemic. The Centre had earlier come out with guidelines for international travellers when the pandemic was raging in India and globally.

    “Taking note of the prevalent COVID-19 situation and the significant achievements made in COVID-19 vaccination coverage across the globe, the Union Health Ministry has further eased guidelines for international travellers in the context of Covid-19,” a statement issued by the ministry said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The new guidelines will be applicable at all points of entry including airports, seaports, and land borders. “However, the earlier advice for precautionary measures to be followed in the context of COVID-19 by airlines as well as international travellers shall continue to apply,” the statement said.

    On May 6, the WHO had announced that it is ending its highest level of alert for Covid-19 – three years after its original declaration, saying that countries should now manage the virus along with other infectious diseases.  However, the global health body also said the decision did not mean the danger was over and cautioned that emergency status could be reinstated if the situation changed.

    The health ministry said the dropping of the random testing doesn’t mean that India has stopped following the Covid-19 situation. “The ministry continues to follow the Covid-19 scenario closely,” the statement added. However, some measures are expected to continue.

    The ministry said that all travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against Covid-19 in their country. 

    During travel, the ministry said, “In-flight announcements about the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic including precautionary measures to be followed, preferable use of masks and following physical distancing shall be made in flights/travel and at all points of entry.”

    “Any passenger having symptoms of Covid during travel shall be isolated as per standard protocol and the said passenger should be wearing a mask, isolated and segregated from other passengers in flight/travel and shifted to an isolation facility subsequently for follow-up treatment.”

    On arrival, the “de-boarding should be done ensuring physical distancing,” said the new guidelines.

    The guidelines said that all travellers should self-monitor their health post-arrival and shall report to their nearest health facility or call the national helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number in case they have any symptoms suggestive of COVID-19. It also said that thermal screening should be done on all passengers by the health officials present at the point of entry. The updated guidelines are available on the official website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

  • Give health details in self-declaration form: Centre brings new rules for international travellers

    By Express News Service

    BENGALURU: The Union Health Ministry has issued fresh guidelines for international passengers to be in force from January 22. As per the guidelines, all international air travellers should submit in self-declaration form factual details of their health before travel on the Air Suvidha portal, including the last 14 days’ travel history.

    Uploading a negative RT-PCR report not older than 72 hours of their travel is mandatory. Air travellers are also directed to give an undertaking on the portal or to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, before their journey. Those who need test on arrival, should preferably pre-book it on the Air Suvidha portal.

    Passengers arriving from high-risk countries should submit their samples on arrival and await the report at the airport before taking any connecting flights. Those who test negative must follow a strict seven-day home quarantine and undertake RT-PCR test on the eighth day.

    Information regarding their health condition must be uploaded on the Air Suvidha portal along with the test report of the eighth day. For the next seven days, they must monitor their health and if found positive, their samples must be sent for genome sequencing.

    The guidelines also stated that two percent of the total flight passengers should undergo post-arrival testing randomly on arrival at the airport. The passengers of each flight shall be identified by the airlines concerned and the same quarantine rules as those arriving from high-risk countries will apply. International air travellers arriving from sea and land ports will also have to follow the same procedure for testing and quarantine.

  • Restrictions lifted, fully vaccinated passengers from India to travel USA

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI:  Aditya Garg headed to San Francisco in the early hours of Monday, relieved that he could finally get back to work with the US government lifting restrictions for international travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid.

    The young man from Jaipur, who works for a California-based electric vehicle company, was among the several people at the Delhi airport on Monday morning anxious to get to the US and boarding the first flight out they could.

    The coronavirus pandemic had prompted the US to close its borders to international travellers from many countries, including India, last year.

    Later, only passengers holding visas belonging to certain categories were permitted to travel.

    Starting today, November 8, the US has lifted all restrictions for fully vaccinated international travellers, including from India, but they will have to show proof of a negative coronavirus test before boarding a flight to the country.

    Garg, who took a United Airlines flight scheduled to depart at 4:30 am, said he had last travelled to the US before the pandemic induced lockdown in March last year.

    “I work and stay in Bay Area. It’s a relief that after such a long time I am able to fly to the US as American authorities have eased restrictions for fully vaccinated passengers. Of course, we still have to take all precautions,” he told PTI before entering the international departure lounge.

    Pritam Deshwal is also a US-based professional but was unable to travel from India due to restrictions.

    The airport designer, who took an Air India flight to the US, said, “I am based in New York, and the further lifting of restrictions on travellers will certainly help in getting reconnected to our offices and places, literally.”

    Since the outbreak of the pandemic last year, most companies and institutions had allowed employees to work from home with digital technology playing a big role in helping colleagues stay connected in a ‘new normal’ scenario.

    Many US-bound passengers, including women, said their vaccination status had boosted their confidence.

    “I am taking my first international flight after the outbreak of the pandemic. I am feeling fine,” said a woman passenger who did not wish to be named. Among those who took flights out to the US were the Vij brothers, who are based in Miami.

    “I am a US citizen, so, there was no restriction for me as such, but I am glad more people can fly now to the US,” said Siddhant Vij, who took a Qatar Airways flight with his brother Shivek.

    American business executive Brad Nuss, who lives in Minnesota, flew to his home country on Monday and hoped that a sense of normalcy in international travel will return soon.

    “The pandemic has changed our world and the way we see it and interact with others. And, with vaccination picking up in India and elsewhere, and US further lifting travel restrictions, I feel it’s a sign of things slowly getting back to normal in a way,” Nuss told PTI before boarding a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight.

    At the airport, as family members bid goodbye to each other, many were overcome by emotion as they hugged, some taking the mandatory selfie to mark the occasion.

    The White House late last month said the US will lift all travel restrictions for incoming non-citizens and non-immigrant travellers from November 8, with only limited exceptions.

    They will be required to be fully vaccinated and produce proof of their COVID-19 vaccination prior to boarding a flight to the country.

    Passengers will need to show their vaccination status, and the airlines will need to match the name and date of birth to confirm the passenger is the same person reflected on the proof of vaccination, according to an official statement issued earlier.

    Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    But special international flights have been operating under bilateral “air bubble” arrangements with approximately 28 countries since July 2020.

    Under an air bubble pact between two countries, limited special international flights can be operated by their airlines between their territories with certain restrictions.

  • Restrictions lifted, fully vaccinated passengers from India can travel to US

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI:  Aditya Garg headed to San Francisco in the early hours of Monday, relieved that he could finally get back to work with the US government lifting restrictions for international travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid.

    The young man from Jaipur, who works for a California-based electric vehicle company, was among the several people at the Delhi airport on Monday morning anxious to get to the US and boarding the first flight out they could.

    The coronavirus pandemic had prompted the US to close its borders to international travellers from many countries, including India, last year.

    Later, only passengers holding visas belonging to certain categories were permitted to travel.

    Starting today, November 8, the US has lifted all restrictions for fully vaccinated international travellers, including from India, but they will have to show proof of a negative coronavirus test before boarding a flight to the country.

    Garg, who took a United Airlines flight scheduled to depart at 4:30 am, said he had last travelled to the US before the pandemic induced lockdown in March last year.

    “I work and stay in Bay Area. It’s a relief that after such a long time I am able to fly to the US as American authorities have eased restrictions for fully vaccinated passengers. Of course, we still have to take all precautions,” he told PTI before entering the international departure lounge.

    Pritam Deshwal is also a US-based professional but was unable to travel from India due to restrictions.

    The airport designer, who took an Air India flight to the US, said, “I am based in New York, and the further lifting of restrictions on travellers will certainly help in getting reconnected to our offices and places, literally.”

    Since the outbreak of the pandemic last year, most companies and institutions had allowed employees to work from home with digital technology playing a big role in helping colleagues stay connected in a ‘new normal’ scenario.

    Many US-bound passengers, including women, said their vaccination status had boosted their confidence.

    “I am taking my first international flight after the outbreak of the pandemic. I am feeling fine,” said a woman passenger who did not wish to be named. Among those who took flights out to the US were the Vij brothers, who are based in Miami.

    “I am a US citizen, so, there was no restriction for me as such, but I am glad more people can fly now to the US,” said Siddhant Vij, who took a Qatar Airways flight with his brother Shivek.

    American business executive Brad Nuss, who lives in Minnesota, flew to his home country on Monday and hoped that a sense of normalcy in international travel will return soon.

    “The pandemic has changed our world and the way we see it and interact with others. And, with vaccination picking up in India and elsewhere, and US further lifting travel restrictions, I feel it’s a sign of things slowly getting back to normal in a way,” Nuss told PTI before boarding a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight.

    At the airport, as family members bid goodbye to each other, many were overcome by emotion as they hugged, some taking the mandatory selfie to mark the occasion.

    The White House late last month said the US will lift all travel restrictions for incoming non-citizens and non-immigrant travellers from November 8, with only limited exceptions.

    They will be required to be fully vaccinated and produce proof of their COVID-19 vaccination prior to boarding a flight to the country.

    Passengers will need to show their vaccination status, and the airlines will need to match the name and date of birth to confirm the passenger is the same person reflected on the proof of vaccination, according to an official statement issued earlier.

    Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    But special international flights have been operating under bilateral “air bubble” arrangements with approximately 28 countries since July 2020.

    Under an air bubble pact between two countries, limited special international flights can be operated by their airlines between their territories with certain restrictions.

  • Ease of access for fliers from 11 countries

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  In fresh guidelines for international arrivals, India eased the screening process for countries with which it has reciprocal recognition of vaccination certificates. The new norms kick in from October 25 and supersede all previous advisories. Fully vaccinated passengers from 11 countries with which India has a mutual recognition deal will not be required to undergo RT-PCR tests on arrival. All others will have to take that test on arrival.

    The 11 nations are France, the UK, Germany, Nepal, Belarus, Lebanon, Armenia, Ukraine, Belgium, Hungary and Serbia. Travellers from these countries, if fully vaccinated (at least 15 days before the day of travel), will be allowed to leave the airport and self-monitor their health for 14 days after arrival. However, before boarding, they will need to upload a negative RT-PCR test report and vaccination certificates on Air Suvidha portal.

    Each of them will also have to submit a declaration on the authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. Those partially or not vaccinated from the 11 countries will need to submit themselves for Covid test at the port of arrival and undergo home quarantine for seven days.

    They need to take a re-test on the eighth day of arrival, and if the result is negative, self-monitor their health for the next seven days. These measures will apply to all passengers coming from the rest of the world irrespective of their vaccination status, as India does not have a reciprocal arrangement with them.