UAE: Returning to India or Pakistan? These are the COVID-19 regulations at your destination

Dubai: If you are returning to India or Pakistan from the UAE during the special flights, you may be wondering if you need to get a COVID-19 test and what the quarantine requirements are.

India

Based on your port of landing, the requirements would change, as states in India have specific requirements and regulations, which need to be followed.

Here is a list of all the regulations of each state, according to India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Bengaluru International Airport (BLR)

Karnataka state regulations:

Institutional Quarantine

7 days (to be followed by 14 days home quarantine)

• If you are on a connecting flight from Maharashtra, passengers coming from Maharashtra should be kept in institutional quarantine followed by 14 days home quarantine.

• Business travelers from Maharashtra having a confirmed return ticket within 7 days from arrival are exempted from 7 days of institutional quarantine provided they have a COVID negative certificate issued not more than 2 days before the date of arrival. If not, the passengers will be kept in 2 days of institutional quarantine where they will be tested (charges to be paid by passenger). Upon negative result the passengers will be allowed to proceed.

Home Quarantine

14 days for passengers coming from remaining states.

These categories of passengers are exempted if the COVID-19 test is negative:

a) Pregnant women

b) Children 10 years and below

c) Senior citizens 60 years & above

d) Terminally ill patients (cancer / chronic kidney disease / stroke)

e) Death in family

COVID-19 test

Not applicable

Passenger Obligation

• Passenger needs to have Seva-Sindhu portal pass - https://sevasindhu.karnataka.gov.in/Sevasindhu/English

• Passenger cannot travel without the pass.

• Passenger should fill self-declaration form provided by government of Karnataka at departing/origin station

Airlines obligation

• Mandatory verification at origin that passenger has e-pass and is registered in Seva-Sindhu portal.

Airport/State obligation

Not applicable

Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi

Institutional Quarantine

Seven days for international passengers - you can observe the quarantine at a government facility at no charge. Alternatively, you can observe paid quarantine at designated hotels.

Home Quarantine

Seven days for international passengers (post institutional quarantine of 7 days).

Asymptomatic passengers will be permitted to go with an advice for self-monitoring.

COVID-19 test

Not applicable

Passenger Obligation

• All passengers need to download the Aarogya Setu app.

Airlines Obligation

Not applicable

Airport/State obligation

• Suitable COVID-19 precautionary measure announcements to be made at airport

• Thermal screening of all passengers on arrival

Kochi International Airport; Thiruvananthapuram International Airport

Kerala state quarantine rules

Home Quarantine

14 days (Business travelers with stay of less than a week are exempted)

COVID-19 test

Not applicable

Passenger obligation

• After obtaining the flight tickets, the passenger shouldregister their details on https://covid19jagratha.kerala.nic.in/

• Passengers need to carry an e-pass after registering their details. 

For Kochi airport, passengers need to fill online forms at the port of origin. In case of a miss, passengers can fill a manual form on arrival. However, the health officer will not entertain large numbers.

For Thiruvananthapuram, if the passenger doesn’t have an e-pass they need to undergo institutional quarantine, till they get the clearance and an e-pass. However, passenger will not be sent back.

• On arrival, passengers need to show their e-pass to the health department official at airport and undergo home quarantine for 14 days.

• Passenger should fill self-declaration form provided by government of Kerala at the departing station.

• Passengers must have the entry pass for Kerala plus any other state or Union Territory to which the traveller is finally deciding to go to after alighting from flights.

Airlines Obligation

• Mandatory verification at origin that passenger has e-pass and registered at Kerala portal at place of origin of travel.

• Airlines must ensure that any passenger boarding the flight to any airport in Kerala must have either an entry pass for either Kerala or any other state or Union Territory to which the individual is finally deciding to go after alighting from flights.

Mumbai, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport

Institutional Quarantine

For international passengers they are required to undergo seven days of institutional quarantine, followed by seven days of home quarantine.

COVID-19 test

Not applicable

Passenger obligation

All passengers are required to download the Aarogya Setu app and furnish a self-declaration form on arrival.

Passengers visiting Mumbai for a short duration (less than or equal to seven days) need to share the details of their onward journey.

Airlines Obligation

A detailed list of arriving passengers with arrival flight, time, mobile number and residential address has to be shared with the nodal officer.

• On arrival, passengers need to show their e-pass to the health department official at airport and undergo home quarantine for 14 days.

Airport/State obligation

1. Thermal check at arrivals.

2. Stamping of passengers on their left hand

Chennai

Institutional Quarantine

14 days (Only if home quarantine facility is not available for passengers)

Home Quarantine

14 days

If you are taking a domestic connecting flight, all passengers coming from the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival.

Passenger obligation

• All passengers travelling to Tamil Nadu need to register on the state website - https://tnepass.tnega.org/ - and apply for an e-pass.

Airlines obligation

• Mandatory verification at airport of origin that the passenger has an e-pass and is registered in the portal.

• Once a customer lands, in case he/she does not have pass, they have counters at arrival to support customers.

Airport/State obligation

• If you are on a domestic connecting flight, all passengers coming from the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi will be tested for COVID upon arrival.

• For passengers coming from other states, only symptomatic passengers will be tested for COVID-19.

Rajiv Gandhi Hyderabad International Airport

Andhra Pradesh state requirements

Institutional Quarantine

Seven days. A COVID-19 test will be done if you are taking a connecting flight from Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh.

Home Quarantine

14 days for passengers arriving from remaining locations.

COVID-19 test

Passengers are taken to designated test center for swab test. No test at the airport.

Passenger obligation

• All arriving passengers should enroll on the website - spandana.ap.gov.in - before buying the ticket.

Airlines obligation

• Airlines should allow ticket bookings only when clearance from the Spandana portal is provided.

• Airlines must not allow any passenger to board without the clearance.

Airport/State obligation

• Do a COVID-19 test for passengers coming from Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport

Gujarat state regulations

Home Quarantine

14 days

COVID-19 test

Not applicable

Passenger obligation

• Passengers need to register before landing in Surat.

• For android user there is an app by the Surat Municpal Corporation - https://www.suratmunicipal.gov.in/EServices/Covid19SelfReporting and https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.smc.covidout

Airlines Obligation

NA

Airport/State obligation

Thermal check on arrival by state administration

Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport, Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh state regulations

Institutional Quarantine

Seven days (for International passengers only)

Home Quarantine

14 days

COVID-19 test

Not applicable

Passenger obligation

• Passenger will need to register with the state website before they exit the arrival hall - https://reg.upcovid.in or call 1800-180-5145

• Passengers coming for a short duration (less than seven days) and travelling to some other destination will have to submit their travelling details and will be exempted from quarantine measures.

Airlines Obligation

Not applicable

Airport/State obligation

• Passenger will be allowed to exit after successful registration and showing the confirmed registration message.

As states regularly update their travel regulations, it is advisable to monitor official state websites and stay in touch with your airlines for any updates that you should be aware of before travelling.

Pakistan

Flights to Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore have been operating from the UAE. Pakistan has waived the mandatory quarantine condition for passengers arriving at the airports on special inbound flights from UAE and other countries.

Stranded Pakistanis who are being flown back to the country on special flights will be allowed to go home after they undergo COVID-19 tests at the airports. They will be sent home immediately after the tests are taken without waiting for their tests results.

They will be advised to home quarantine for 14-days instead of keeping them in the dedicated quarantine facilities in Pakistan.