NEW DELHI, 25 November 2020: India has recently introduced a graded relaxation of its visa and travel restrictions for more categories of foreign nationals and Indian nationals.
The easing of entry rules applies to OCI (Oversea Citizen of India) and PIO (Person of Indian Origin) cardholders and all other foreign nationals intending to visit India for purposes other than travel on a tourist visa. They can enter at both air and seaports, but not overland checkpoints.
Under the graded relaxation or entry rules, the Government of India has restored all existing visas for business, conference, employment, studies, employment, research, and medical purposes.
The exceptions are electronic visa, tourist visa and medical visa. Travellers have to strictly adhere to MOHFW guidelines regarding quarantine once they arrive.
Requirements for entry, issued by the Government of India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 5 November.
- A self-declaration form must be filled out at least 72 hours prior to departure.
- Arrivals are subject to medical screening.
- Fourteen days quarantine is mandatory; seven days paid institutional quarantine at your own cost, followed by seven days of isolation at home.
- All travellers should submit self-declaration form on the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel or physically after arrival at the respective health counters.
- They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to Ministry of Civil Aviation, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority to undergo facility/home quarantine/ self-monitoring of their health for 14 days, or as warranted.
- Only for compelling reasons/ cases of human distress such as pregnancy, death in the family, serious illness and parent(s) with children of the age of 10 years or below, home quarantine may be permitted for 14 days. iv.
- If they wish to seek such exemption, they should apply to the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before boarding. The decision taken by the government as communicated on the online portal will be final.
- Travellers may also seek exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative RT-PCR test report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey. The test report should be uploaded on the portal for consideration. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to the authenticity of the report and could face criminal prosecution if found otherwise. The test report could also be produced upon arrival at the point of entry airport in India. vi. International passengers arriving without an RT-PCR negative certificate and wishing to seek exemption from institutional quarantine may also avail the facility available at the airports to undergo RT-PCR testing (where such provisions exist).
- All passengers opting for exemption from institutional quarantine shall undertake self-monitoring of their health and will be exempted from quarantine.
- International passengers arriving without RT-PCR negative certificate and not opting for RT PCR test at the airport (if the facility is available) /arriving at an airport where testing facility is not available will have to undergo mandatory seven days’ institutional quarantine and seven days’ home quarantine.
