Dubai: Planning to travel from the UAE to India anytime soon? The Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) as well as state-wise municipal authorities have updated several guidelines for international passengers, and it is important to be aware of the federal guidelines as well as any specific state-wise quarantine and testing rules that you may need to abide by. Here is a roundup of all the updates announced by Indian authorities so far and how they would affect your travel plans.
India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation announces guidelines for international arrivals
On January 20, 2022, MOHFW announced new guidelines, which would be effective from January 22, 2022.
These are the guidelines for passengers travelling from the UAE to India:
1. PCR test within 72 hours – Have a negative PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test result, with the test taken within 72 hours of your flight’s departure time.
2. Air Suvidha – Fill out the Self-Declaration Form (SDF) and upload the negative PCR test result on the Air Suvidha portal - https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration
Keep a print out of the form, the PCR test results as well as your vaccination certificate with you.
3. Download the Arogya Setu app – This is the app for COVID–19 contact-tracing and self-assessment.
4. Thermal screening on arrival – Undergo thermal screening (this is for all passengers) on arrival at the airport. The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol. If tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and managed as per laid down protocol.
5. 2% of passengers to undergo testing – Two per cent of all passengers coming from countries not on the at-risk list, shall undergo post-arrival testing at random at the airport. Details of the cost of PCR tests at each airport have been mentioned below.
6. Seven day home quarantine, re-test on Day 8 – All travellers (including the two per cent who were selected for random testing on arrival and were found negative) will undergo home quarantine for seven days and shall undertake RT-PCR test on the eighth day of arrival in India. (Important note: This is not required for passengers arriving in Mumbai, following a fresh circular issued by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai on January 16, 2022. Details are mentioned below.)
The results of the re-test on Day 8 also needs to be uploaded on the Air Suvidha portal.
However, if such travellers test positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at one of the laboratories in the INSACOG network. They shall be treated/isolated as per laid down standard protocol.
7. Continue to monitor health for another seven days – If the Day 8 test result is negative, passengers would need to continue to self-monitor their health for another seven days.
PCR testing for children: Children under five years of age are exempt from both pre- and post-arrival testing. However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during home quarantine period, they shall undergo testing and be treated as per protocol.
Delhi
The cost of PCR tests at Delhi Airport are as follows:
RT PCR test - Rs500 (approximately Dh25)
RAPID PCR test - Rs2,900 (approximately Dh143)
Mumbai
On January 16, 2022, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai issued fresh guidelines for international passengers arriving from the UAE.
As per the circular, from January 17, 2022, passengers arriving from the UAE will not be required to undergo a seven-day mandatory home quarantine.
However, travellers may be subject to further testing on arrival, with authorities saying two per cent of all arriving passengers will be randomly selected for a PCR test at the airport.
The cost of PCR tests at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport are as follows:
RT PCR test - Rs500 (approximately Dh25)
RAPID PCR test - Rs1,975 (approximately Dh97)
Bengaluru
All passengers travelling to Bengaluru must download the Aarogya setu app, Quarantine Watch app and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airportapp on their mobile devices.
As per the the airport’s website, passengers coming from countries (of origin of flight) other than the countries at risk, will be allowed to leave the airport. Two per cent of the passengers shall undergo random testing at the airport on arrival. Such travellers shall be escorted by the concerned airlines to the testing area on arrival. The cost of testing of such travellers will be borne by Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru .
The website also adds that, effective January 11, 2022, all passengers shall undergo home quarantine for seven days and will undertake RT-PCR test on the eighth day of arrival.
Kolkata
As per the website of Emirates airlines, all passengers shall mandatorily undergo COVID 19 Test on arrival in West Bengal, irrespective of origin or vaccination status. Children below five years of age are exempted from on-arrival testing.
Cost of PCR test at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport:
RT PCR test - Rs600 (approximately Dh29)
RAPID PCR test - Rs2,900 (approximately Dh143)
All international passengers must undergo a home quarantine for seven days upon arrival in Kolkata.
