India is happy to welcome back foreign travellers after a long gap. India will resume regular international flights, which have remained suspended owing to the Covid pandemic, towards the end of the year. The government has been allowing commercial international flights on a case-to-case basis. The nationwide vaccination drive has reached a total of 1,18,44,23,573 with active cases accounting for less than 1% of total cases, the lowest since March 2020.
Here are 10 things you need to know before you travel to India:
- The Indian Government has announced free tourist visa for first 500000 tourists. This scheme is applicable till March 31, 2022, or the first 500000 tourists visas are issued, whichever is earlier. Each tourist can only avail of this scheme once.
- The destination has now resumed quarantine-free entry for foreign travellers from 99 countries. To check the list click here.
- All travellers planning to come to India need to submit a self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) before the scheduled travel. 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey, a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report has to be uploaded on the website as well. Fifteen days must have elapsed since the completion of the COVID-19 vaccination schedule for the traveller to come to India.
- Travellers from certain specified countries (based on epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in those Countries) are identified for additional follow up. At present India has exclude travellers from China, Hong Kong, Macau, UK, and Canada from availing e-Tourist Visa.
- At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travellers will be allowed to board after thermal screening.
- Families travelling with children under five years of age are exempted from both pre-and-post-arrival testing upon arrival in India, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- To ease travel during COVID 19 times, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has introduced IATA Travel Pass. This is a digital solution for travellers who need to show their vaccination, recovery, and test results to authorities whenever they are travelling. IATA Travel Pass is a mobile app that will help travellers in saving and managing all kind of verified COVID-19 certifications.
- All health and safety protocols are subject to change in accordance with relevant guidelines, local regulations.
- Sita team will facilitate required in-country testing for travel between countries and returning to your home destination.
- Don’t forget to mask up; it is still mandatory to wear masks in India.
For more details on India Entry Protocols please click here.
