Negative Covid test report must for all international passengers visiting India

The Ministry of Health on Wednesday said that a negative Covid-19 (RT-PCR) test report is mandatory for all international passengers visiting India. The test should be conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey, it said. The government has issued a document, listing all Covid-19 protocols for international travellers and for airlines. It includes the points of entry (airports, seaports and land border) for “risk profiling of passengers". Here are the new guidelines for those planning to travel: 1) i. All travellers should a. Submit self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) before the scheduled travel. b. Upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey. c. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. ii. They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, 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 home quarantine/ self-health monitoring, as warranted. iii. Continuing with the earlier approach, travellers from certain specified Countries (based on epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in those Countries) are identified for additional follow up. These include need for additional measures as detailed in para (xv) below. The listing of such specified Countries is a dynamic exercise based on evolving situation of COVID-19 across the world and will be made available on the websites of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, (mohfw.gov.in) and the link of the same will be available at website of Ministry of External Affairs and Air Suvidha Portal.