Following are some key takeaways from the newly announced guidelines of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare for travelers arriving in India (as of January 25, 2022).
Negative PCR test It is mandatory for all passengers to carry a copy of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours.
Air Suvidha
Passengers should fill out a self-declaration form and upload a copy of their negative PCR test at the Air Suvidha portal.
Guidelines For Passengers From High-Risk Countries
It is mandatory for passengers coming from high-risk countries to submit the samples for testing at the point of arrival (self-paid). Such passengers will have to wait for the results before they can leave the airport. A 7 day home quarantine is mandatory even if the result is negative, and another test should be taken on the 8th day; the result of which must be uploaded to the Air Suvidha portal.
The Air Suvidha portal facilitates pre-booking test online. Make sure to check that out if you are coming from one of the high-risk nations mentioned below (as of January 25, 2022) :
Countries in Europe including The United Kingdom
South Africa
Brazil
Botswana
China
Ghana
Mauritius
New Zealand
Zimbabwe
Tanzania
Hong Kong
Israel
Congo
Ethiopia
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Nigeria
Tunisia
Zambia
Guidelines For Passengers From Low-Risk Countries
2% of the passengers will be randomly selected by the airline to undergo post-arrival testing at the airport. All travelers (including the selected 2%) have to undergo a 7 day home quarantine and must take an RT-PCR test on the 8th day and upload the result to the Air Suvidha Portal.
It is very important to keep in mind that anything mentioned above could change, so make sure to check the MOHFW website before traveling.
Got any questions? Feel free to comment them down.