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TRAVEL GUIDELINES

Alert for international passengers:

Below listed guidelines are applicable to all international passengers arriving into India:

All passengers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against Covid-19 in their country.

Passengers must follow the in-flight announcement about the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic including precautionary measures to be followed (i.e., preferable use of masks and following physical distancing etc.).

Any passenger with Covid-19 symptoms during their travel shall be isolated as per the standard protocol i.e. the said passenger should be wearing mask, isolated and segregated from other passengers in the flight and moved to an isolation facility subsequently for the follow up treatment.

Up on arrival, passengers will be subject to thermal screening if a passenger is found symptomatic for Covid-19 on arrival, they shall be isolated and taken to a designated medical facility as per the health protocol.

All passengers should self-monitor their health post arrival into India; they shall report to their nearest health facility or call the National Helpline Number (1075)/ State Helpline Number in case they have any suggestive symptoms.

Click here to read the detailed guidelines.

State-wise guidelines

Domestic Passengers:

It is mandatory for all tourists/visitors arriving at Andaman to download the Aarogya Setu App on their mobile phones.

All asymptomatic passengers who are fully vaccinated are exempted to carry a pre-departure RT-PCR test report. However, their vaccination status will be verified at departure as well as arrival airport.

All asymptomatic children under the age of 12 years are exempted from pre-departure as well as post arrival RT-PCR test requirements.

All unvaccinated and partially vaccinated passengers arriving at Andaman and Nicobar Islands must carry their negative RT-PCR test report issued from an ICMR approved laboratory. Test for these report should have been taken within 48 hrs prior to starting the journey. These passengers will also undergo an RT-PCR test on arrival and shall strictly isolate themselves till the negative test reports are received.

Passengers must report to the check-in counter for the document check before proceeding for security check at the departure airport.

Passengers who are declared Covid-positive shall undergo the prescribed state quarantine protocol.

Passengers who would be required to undergo the RT-PCR test on arrival must fill and keep the Performa handy which is required to be submitted to the Authorities on arriving at A&N.

All passengers traveling to Andhra Pradesh must enroll themselves on the Spandana website https://www.spandana.ap.gov.in/ , before their travel.

All asymptomatic passengers arriving at Andhra Pradesh will have to undergo home quarantine for 14 days.

Passengers arriving at Assam are not required to undergo any Covid-19 test prior to departure or at arrival into the state.

It is advised that all symptomatic passengers must undergo a Covid-19 test for diagnostic purpose at any authorized testing center.

Passengers arriving at Bihar would be subject to random testing at the arrival airport.

Those who are tested positive will have to undergo isolation. Isolation guidelines will be decided by the District Administration.

All asymptomatic passengers arriving at Delhi must self monitor their health for 14 days.

All passengers arriving at Delhi may be subject to a free random RT-PCR test on arrival.

It is mandatory for all passengers to wear masks and to maintain social distancing norms at all times during their travel. All passengers must ensure strict compliance of Covid-19 protocols. Failure to do so may lead to issuance of Challan/fine as decided by the Delhi Govt.

As per the orders from the Govt. of Delhi, passengers will only be permitted to travel to/from the airport during the night curfew period provided they carry their proof of travel, i.e. valid ticket / boarding pass.

All asymptomatic passengers are exempted from quarantine.

All passengers arriving at Goa must carry their negative report for RT-PCR/ TrueNat/ CBNAAT, Rapid Antigen Test or any other test as approved by ICMR, sample for which should have been collected within 72 hrs prior to arrival.

Asymptomatic persons who are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 with second dose completed atleast 15 days prior to travel are exempted from carrying the above mentioned test reports. However, they must ensure that they carry their final vaccination certificate (of both doses) as issued by the CoWIN portal.

Passengers without the above mentioned reports/vaccination certificate may not be accepted for the flight.

It is mandatory for all passengers arriving into Gujarat (except Ahmedabad, Rajkot, and Bhavnagar) to carry their RT-PCR negative test report; test for which should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to arrival. Passengers without the valid test report may be subject to a self-paid test on arrival and may be required to wait at the airport till the results are declared negative.

Asymptomatic passengers arriving at Ahmedabad, Porbandar, Surat and Rajkot, are exempted from quarantine and must self monitor their health for atleast 14 days.

Passengers arriving at Gujarat from the states of Kerala and Maharashtra will be subject to thermal scanning and vaccination status checks. Passengers who are found symptomatic would be subject to a self-paid Rapid Antigen Test/ RT-PCR test. State guidelines detailed here must be followed basis the test result and/or vaccination status.

All asymptomatic passengers arriving at Surat and Kandla will have to undergo thermal screening at the arrival airport.

All passengers arriving at Kandla must either carry a valid negative RT-PCR report, test for which should have been conducted within 72 hrs. prior to departure or their final Covid-19 vaccination certificate (both doses). Passengers without any of these reports will have to undergo an RT-PCR test which will be conducted by the health authorities free of cost.

All asymptomatic passengers arriving at Haryana will have to undergo home quarantine for 14 days.

It is mandatory for all passengers arriving at Himachal Pradesh to register their arrival on the Covid E-registration software - http://covid19epass.hp.gov.in.

It is mandatory for all passengers arriving in Jharkhand to register their personal details on www.jharkhandtravels.nic.in before arrival.

All passengers shall undergo home quarantine for 7 days, observing guidelines as issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, and Medical Education.

All transit passengers and those who would be exiting Jharkhand within 72 hrs of their arrival into the state are exempted from home quarantine.

All passengers arriving at Jammu & Kashmir will have to undergo home quarantine for 14 days. They must also carry a postpaid contactable phone number with an updated Aarogya Setu App.

Passengers carrying their valid and verifiable final certificate for Covid-19 vaccination of both doses are exempted from carrying the RT-PCR test report/undergo Rapid Antigen Test on arrival.

Passengers who do not carry their vaccination certificate will either have to:

Carry their negative RT-PCR test report, sample for which should have been collected atleast 72 hrs prior to arrival in Srinagar and 48 hrs prior to arrival in Jammu;
OR they will have to undergo an Rapid Antigen Test on arrival.

Passengers travelling between Jammu and Srinagar are exempted from carrying any report/vaccination certificate or from undergoing any test on arrival.

Personnel of Defense and Central Armed Police Forces returning on duty, including transit labour hired by BRO to go to Ladakh, are also exempted from carrying any report/vaccination certificate or from undergoing any test on arrival. They will be permitted to proceed for institutional quarantine at their respective units as per their internal procedures.

All asymptomatic passengers arriving at Karnataka are exempted from quarantine. However, they must self monitor themselves for 14 days.

All passengers arriving from the state of Maharashtra, Goa and Kerala must carry their fully vaccinated certificate OR a negative RT-PCR test report which should not be older than 72 hours prior to arrival.

Following categories of passengers are exempted from carrying the test reports:

Constitutional functionaries and health care professionals.
Children below the age of five (5) years.
Travel in cases of dire emergencies such as death in the family, medical treatment etc., passengers’ swab shall be collected on arrival in Karnataka with necessary contact details etc. as duly verified from passengers’ ID cards. On receipt of the RT-PCR test report, further action will be taken as per the state protocol.

Any violation to the Covid-19 preventive guidelines will attract penal action under the provision of Disaster Management Act 2005 and Karnataka Infectious Diseases Regulations 2020.

Click here to read detailed guidelines.

All passengers must download the Aarogya Setu App and shall mandatorily be required to register their details and obtain an e-pass from http://covid19jagratha.kerala.nic.in/

E-pass is required to be shown to the Health officials at arriving airports.

All passengers arriving at Kerala must either carry their full vaccination certificate for Covid-19 (both doses) or their negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test - swab collection for which should have been conducted within 48 hrs prior to arrival.

Passengers without the report shall be required to undergo a self-paid RT-PCR test at the arrival airport. The testing facility is available inside the Kochi airport and outside the airports at Trivandrum, Calicut, and Kannur.

Passengers who do not undergo RT-PCR testing will have to remain in room isolation for 14 days from the date of entry in Kerala and must self-monitor their health.

All arrival passengers shall adhere to strict universal masking, hand hygiene and physical distancing. Any passenger who develops Covid-19 symptoms must seek medical attention immediately.

Symptomatic passengers arriving in Kerala must carry their negative RT-PCR report.

All passengers arriving into the Union Territory of Ladakh will be required to undergo mandatory RT-PCR testing on arrival (free of cost).

All asymptomatic passengers arriving at Madhya Pradesh are exempted from quarantine and must self monitor their health for atleast 14 days.

All passengers arriving at Gwalior from the state of Maharashtra must carry a negative RT-PCR report, test for which should’ve been conducted within 72 hrs of arrival. Passengers who do not carry the said report shall undergo Covid-19 testing at the arrival airport.

It is mandatory for all passengers travelling to Maharashtra to either carry their complete vaccination certificate (of all doses and where 15 days have passed since the last/ final dose) for Covid-19 or a valid negative RT-PCR test report, test for which should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to boarding. Children under the age of 5 years are exempted from this requirement.

Passengers without the above documents /reports may not be accepted for the flight.

All passengers arriving at Odisha are not required to carry any test reports/vaccination certificates.

All passengers arriving at Jharsuguda from the cities of Delhi and Kolkata will be required to undergo a mandatory RT-PCR test at the arrival airport. Passengers who are declared positive will have to follow the state's treatment protocol.

Passengers who are declared negative shall remain in home quarantine for a period of 7 days and must undergo an RT-PCR test on the 8th day.

Entry of all passengers will be subject to thermal scanning and random RT PCR testing at arrival airport.

All Symptomatic passengers will be isolated and taken to medical facility as per state protocol.

All passengers landing at Punjab must download and register themselves on the Cova App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.gov.punjab.cova&hl=en_IN before their travel.

It is mandatory for all passengers arriving at Punjab to either carry their Covid-19 vaccination certificate for both doses or their negative RT-PCR test report issued within 72 hrs prior to arrival.

Children below the age of 10 years and infants are exempted from the above requirement.

It is mandatory for all passengers arriving at Rajasthan to install the Aarogya Setu App.

It is mandatory for all passengers arriving at Rajasthan to carry their negative RT-PCR test report, test for which should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to arrival. Passengers without test reports will have to undergo mandatory quarantine for 15 days. Institutional or home quarantine will be as advised by the local Govt. agency.

Passengers who carry their vaccination certificate (of at least one dose) will be exempted from carrying the RT-PCR test report and quarantine.

All Indian Armed Forces personnel are exempted from carrying the RT-PCR report .

All travel restrictions have been withdrawn for passengers entering the state of Sikkim.

All passengers arriving at Tamil Nadu from all states/UT, apart from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry, will have to undergo thermal screening on arrival and must obtain TN E-Pass from https://tnepass.tnega.org/#/user/pass . All symptomatic passengers will have to take the Covid-19 test.

All passengers arriving from the state of Kerala are required to either carry their approved Covid-19 vaccination certificate of both the doses or their negative RT-PCR test report issued from an ICMR approved laboratory, test for which should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to taking the flight or both.

It is mandatory for all passengers arriving from the states of Maharashtra and Kerala to undergo 7 days of home quarantine and 7 days of self-monitoring of their health.

Passengers arriving from other states will have to undergo 14 days of home quarantine.

All asymptomatic business travelers who exit the state within 72 hrs and have a valid return ticket will be exempted from quarantine.

It is mandatory for all passengers to install the Aarogya Setu App.

All asymptomatic passengers arriving at Telangana are exempted from quarantine. However, they must self-monitor their health for at least 14 days.

It is mandatory for all passengers arriving at Uttar Pradesh to install the Aarogya Setu App and register on https://reg.upcovid.in .

Below mentioned passengers will be subject to a Covid-19 Rapid Antigen test/ RT-PCR test at arrival airport and can exit if found negative. However if any passenger is found positive, all state health protocols will apply.

Passengers travelling from Delhi to Kanpur
Passengers travelling from the states of Maharashtra and Kerala to Uttar Pradesh
Passengers travelling from all states to Kushinagar

It is mandatory for all passengers arriving at Uttarakhand to register themselves on the Smart City web portal http://smartcitydehradun.uk.gov.in prior to their travel. You may also visit this registration link by scanning the QR code provided here.

It is mandatory for all passengers to carry an RT-PCR/ RAT negative report from ICMR accredited laboratories; test for which should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to arrival at Uttarakhand.

Passengers who are fully vaccinated with their second dose being completed 15 days before their arrival at Uttarakhand are exempted to carry any of the above mentioned report. They, however, will have to undergo a test on arrival and they must also carry their full vaccination certificate.

Armed forces and their families are exempted from the requirement of carrying the RT-PCR/ RAT negative report. However, they must register themselves on the Smart City web portal http://smartcitydehradun.uk.gov.in prior to their travel.

Below mentioned categories of passengers are advised to travel only if their circumstances are unavoidable:

Passengers above the age of 65 years
Passengers with co-morbidities
Pregnant women
Children below the age of 10 years

Asymptomatic passengers will be permitted to leave the airport with the advice that they shall self-monitor their health for 14 days.

It is mandatory for all passengers travelling to West Bengal to either carry their full vaccination certificate (both doses) or a negative RT-PCR test report; test for RT-PCR report should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to departure.

It is mandatory for all passengers arriving into West Bengal to fill-up and submit the declaration form using the Sandhane App developed by H&FW Department of West Bengal. Please download the App here: http://74.50.58.66/systems/Sandhane/1.2/Sandhane_Gen.apk

International Passengers:

All passengers arriving from International flights in West Bengal must have the Aarogya Setu App installed on their mobile phones.

All passengers arriving from "not-at-risk" countries must undergo a mandatory self-paid RT-PCR/RAT test at the arrival airport. It is mandatory for them to pre-book their test through https://tinyurl.com/PATREGKOL , which will be checked by the airport staff before boarding the flight to West Bengal.

Country-wise guidelines

To read the order released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation regarding the eligibility of passengers to travel under air bubbles, please Click here

Eligibility of passengers to travel on flights INTO INDIA:

Stranded Indian nationals.
All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding US passports.
Foreigners (including diplomats) holding valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines dated June 30, 2020. click here to check the MHA guidelines.

Eligibility of passengers to travel on flights OUT OF INDIA:

Any Indian national holding any type of valid US visa. Airline will check that there is no travel restriction for Indian Nationals to enter USA with the particular visa category before issue of ticket/boarding pass to the Indian passenger.
US citizens, legal permanent residents, and foreign nationals holding valid US visas.
Seamen of foreign nationalities; Seamen holding Indian passports would be allowed subject to clearance from the Ministry of Shipping.
All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding Canadian passports.
Stranded Canadian nationals/residents.
Any Indian national holding any type of valid Canadian visa. Airline will check that there is no travel restriction for Indian Nationals to enter Canada with the particular visa category before issue of ticket/boarding pass to the Indian passenger.

All flights between India and UK are suspended w.e.f. December 23, 2020, in view of the emerging Covid-19 situation. Passengers from UK will not be accepted for boarding on any direct/indirect flights to India.

Click here to read the detailed guidelines

As per the National Advanced Information Center (NAIC), UAE, all passengers holding passports with single name will not be accepted on flights to UAE.

However, the below mentioned categories of passengers are exempted from this rule.

Passengers who have valid UAE residence visa and Emirates ID.
Passengers whose passports have their father or family name printed on the second page and their visa displays more than one name.
Passengers who are eligible for Visa-on-Arrival and whose passports have their father or family name printed on the second page.

As per the directives issued by Government of UAE & Government of India, all passengers travelling on flights to/from UAE must adhere to the below guidelines:

Arriving into UAE:

GDRFA/ICA approvals are no longer required for UAE residents to travel to the UAE through Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah Airports.
Full vaccination certificate with QR code system that reflects the completion of WHO or UAE approved vaccine doses for Covid-19, Or
A valid negative Covid-19 test report with a QR code, as issued from an ICMR or Pure Health approved laboratory. The report should be based on a molecular diagnostic test intended for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid for SARS-COV-2 viral RNA, that is issued within the valid time frame, namely, 48 hours from the time of collecting the sample.
Self testing / self-administered PCR tests will not be acceptable.
To check the list of ICMR approved laboratories, please visit - https://www.icmr.gov.in/pdf/covid/labs/archive/COVID_Testing_Labs_02032021.pdf .
To obtain the test report from a Pure Health laboratory, you can visit their website at https://preflighttest.com .
Suryam Lab (Jaipur)
Dr P.Bhasin Pathlabs Pvt Ltd. (Delhi)
Noble Diagnostic Centre (Delhi)
360 Diagnostic & Health Services
RT-PCR test will be carried out at the arrival airport at UAE.
The inbound passengers escorting a 1st degree UAE nationals’ relative.
Domestic labour escorting a UAE national sponsor during travel.
Children under the age of 16 years and passengers with moderate/severe disability are exempted from undertaking a Covid-19 test.
Obtain their necessary entry permissions/approvals from the country of their final destination and;
Hold a valid negative Covid-19 test report issued within the valid time frame, namely, 72 hours from the time of collecting the sample. Report should be issued from an approved health laboratory which uses the QR code system.

To enter UAE:

Entry to Dubai on Visa on Arrival is permitted for Indian National Passenger(s). However, these passengers must comply with the following:

They must either have a visitor’s visa or a green card issued by the United States; or
They must hold a Residence Permit issued by the United Kingdom or European Union; or
They must hold a valid visa issued by the United States, United Kingdom or European Union with the validity period of atleast 6 months.

The authenticity of all the above requirement(s) will be checked at the departure airport prior to the issuance of Boarding pass. Any passenger who does not fulfill the above conditions/requirements will not be issued a boarding pass.

Arriving into India:

Only Indian nationals stranded in UAE, all Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding UAE passports ( Click here for OCI details), and UAE national holding valid visa issued by an Indian mission in any category (including diplomats) as per the Ministry of Home Affairs’ guidelines are permitted to travel to India. Please check the guidelines here
All passengers are required to have the Aarogya Setu App installed on their mobile phones.
Passengers who have received both vaccination doses in India are exempted from RT-PCR testing prior to departure and need to upload their COVID-19 vaccination certificate issued in India on the Air Suvidha portal - https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration .
All other passengers need to carry a negative RT-PCR certificate and upload the same on the Air Suvidha Portal, the test for which should have been conducted within72 hours prior to scheduled departure.
Passengers failing to comply with the above will be denied boarding.
All passengers will have to undergo thermal screening on arrival, and if found symptomatic will be treated as per protocol.
All SpiceJet flights are operating from Terminal 2, Dubai International Airport. With effect from June 24, 2021, 10 am onwards, all flights to and from Dubai will operate from Terminal 1, Dubai International Airport.

Click here to read detailed guidelines.

Note: Documents as mentioned above will be verified by the airport staff at the check-in counters. Passengers will be denied boarding if they are not able to furnish the aforementioned documents and apps.

Guidelines for passengers travelling to Oman:

Non-Omani citizens with residency permits who have completed more than 180 days outside Oman or whose visa has expired, shall be required to obtain an approval from their sponsor before planning to travel to Oman. This process will be assisted by “Sanad “ offices in Oman, in reference to the duly filled Form 1A and No Objection Certificate which will be provided by the local sponsor.
Omani Nationals
Residents of Oman
Visa holders of Oman
Those who can obtain Visa-on-Arrival in Oman and those who don’t require a visa to travel to Oman. Please visit https://evisa.rop.gov.om/visa-eligibility for more details.
Passengers travelling to Oman are no longer required to carry a negative PCR certificate, however, they are mandatorily required to be in possession of their final vaccination certificate of both the doses of approved Covid-19 vaccines which are accepted for travel to Oman. They should have been last vaccinated at least 14 days prior to traveling to Oman.

Click here for more details.

Eligibility of passengers arriving at Bangladesh:

Nationals/residents of Bangladesh and foreign nationals holding valid and/or pre-approved visa from Bangladesh
Any Indian national holding any type of valid visa from Bangladesh.
Vaccinated with Covid-19 vaccine: Passengers who have completed full dose (single/double dose as applicable for a full dose) of WHO approved Covid-19 vaccine can enter Bangladesh with the official proof of vaccination certificate bearing a QR code. In this case, there wouldn’t be any requirement of carrying an RT-PCR based Covid-19 negative certificate.
Not vaccinated with Covid-19 vaccine : Passengers who have not completed full dose (single/double dose as applicable for a full dose) of WHO approved Covid-19 vaccine can enter Bangladesh provided they carry their negative RT-PCR based Covid-19 test report bearing a QR code. The test should have been done within 72 hours prior to departure.
Passengers below the age of 12 years are not required to carry any RT-PCR test report. They will, however, be required to observe the same health formalities that will apply to their family members on arrival.
Only the hard copies of the Vaccination certificate/RT-PCR test report, as applicable, should be carried. These documents must be printed in English only, and must be issued from a government approved laboratory in India (ICMR) or a certified designated laboratory, list of which is available on https://www.icmr.gov.in/.

All symptomatic passengers arriving in Bangladesh shall be sent to the government authorized hospital for further formalities.

Seamen shall be allowed to travel provided they are in possession of all necessary documents such as Passport, CDC Booklet, Guarantee Letter, Ok-to-Board letter and signed on to the ship within 72 hours of their arrival.

The below mentioned guidelines are effective till June 28, 2023:

Visiting and commercial visa holders are not allowed to travel on Jeddah and Medina flights.

Passengers with the following visa will only be allowed to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia up until June 27, 2023 (9th Dhul’Hijjah 1444H).

Guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj and Umrah
Guests of the Ministry of Media who will cover HAJJ season 1444H/2023

Passengers holding visiting visas for business, media stuff, doctors, exports, and diplomats travelling until June 28, 2023, to Jeddah and Medina must obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

Arriving into Maldives

All passengers, including those who have completed their Covid-19 vaccination, must carry their negative reports for the Nucleic test (PCR report) for arrival into Maldives, test for which should have been taken within 72 hrs prior to arrival.

Children below the age of 1 year are exempted to carry the test report.

The RT-PCR report must contain the name of the passengers as per the passport, name and address of the testing laboratory, type of test, date of sample collection along with the result.

All tourist
Special visa holders
Business visa holders
Foreign diplomats and their accompanying family members
Crew of ships who arrive by air to sign onto a ship
Maldivian nationals, Resident permits and work visa holders
Expatriates travelling to Maldives (must hold a valid visa issued by the Maldives Immigration).
Tourists travelling to Maldives will be provided a visa on arrival. They must have a confirmed hotel reservation for the entire stay in a registered tourist facility.
they have completed their prescribed dose(s) of a Covid-19 vaccine (as approved by the World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing (EUL) or Maldives Food and Drug Authority), and at least l4 days have passed after the completion of the prescribed dose(s), and;
they hold a negative result for a nucleic acid test (PCR test) for COVID- l9 with sample taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first port of embarkation.
At least 60 percent of the Tourist Guesthouse Island’s population eligible for vaccination have completed the prescribed vaccination dose(s) for Covid-19 and 14 days have passed for them after their prescribed dose(s).
At least 95 percent of staff in all tourist facilities of the Tourist Guesthouse Island have completed the prescribed vaccination dose(s) for Covid-19 and 14 days have passed after their recommended dose(s).
At least 90 percent of the resident population of the Tourist Guesthouse Island who are 65 years & above, have completed the vaccination dose(s) for Covid-19 and 14 days have passed after their recommended dose(s).
Detailed guidelines can be read here.
Issuances of tourist visa to tourists travelling from the South Asian countries (i.e. Afghanistan, Pakistan, lndia, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka) will resume with effect from July 15, 2021.
Special visa holders whose duration of stay in Maldives will be more than 7 days
Business visa holders whose duration of stay in Maldives will be more than 7 days
Maldivian citizens and Work visa holders (Employment visa)
The quarantine period will be reduced to 7 days for passengers who have completed the recommended dose(s) of a Covid-19 vaccine as approved by the World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing (EUL) or the Maldives Food and Drug Authority or any other competent authority of the respective State (like ICMR in India) and at least 14 days have passed after the recommended doses(s). Such passengers must obtain a negative Covid-19 PCR test report before they are released from quarantine.
Passengers with work visa must apply for a pre-approval to travel to Maldives, by email to [email protected] v and copied to [email protected] v . They shall book a government designated quarantine facility/hotel without which they would not be permitted to travel to Maldives from India.
Work visa holders and their dependents travelling to Maldives from the South Asian countries will be required to undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days in a facility designated by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
Work Visa holders must obtain a confirmation of their reservation at the designated quarantine facility prior to their travel to Maldives. They would also be required to undergo a self paid RT-PCR test between 48 hrs and 72 hrs after their arrival into Maldives before they get released from quarantine.
Maldivian citizens, other visa holders (except work visa) and their dependents travelling to Maldives will be required to undergo a mandatory home quarantine for 14 days at their home or place of work. They would also be required to undergo a self paid RT-PCR test between 48 hrs and 72 hrs after their arrival into Maldives before they get released from quarantine.
Traveler Health Declaration: It is mandatory for all arriving passengers to submit the online Traveler Health Declaration available on the Maldives Immigration website portal https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ at least 24 hours prior to departure and obtain a verifiable QR code, which would be verified by the Immigration Authorities.
Passengers must follow all Covid-19 health protocols/appropriate behavior at departure, on-board the aircraft and on arrival at all times.

Departure from Maldives

Passengers must abide by all the health requirements of their destination country.
Tourists returning to lndia after their stay in Maldives must obtain a departure PCR test report; test for which should have been taken not more 72 hrs prior to departure from Maldives.
All passengers must submit the online Traveler Health Declaration for departure available on the Maldives Immigration website portal https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ only within 24 hours prior to departure.
In case, any passenger experiences any Covid-19 symptom on and/or after arrival, they must report the same at the Covid hotline 1676.

Guidelines for passengers travelling to Sri Lanka:

Passengers who are fully vaccinated are not required to undergo PCR tests on arrival at Colombo.
Passengers arriving at Colombo who have completed at least 14 days after their 2nd dose of vaccination will be exempted from quarantine.
Passengers, including children under the age of 12 years, who are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 are no longer required to carry any Covid-19 test reports.
Children between the age of 12 and 18 years who are vaccinated with atleast one dose of recognized vaccine for Covid-19 and have completed atleast 14 days after their vaccination can also travel to Sri Lanka without any test report.
Passengers who have been vaccinated with only one dose of Covid-19 vaccine and were infected with Covid-19 between 6 months and 7 days before their departure date to Sri Lanka, are not required to carry any test report, provided they carry their verifiable documents to prove history of Covid-19 infection, i.e. Diagnosis card or a positive PCR/RAT report.
Passengers who have been vaccinated with only one dose of Covid-19 vaccine and were infected with Covid-19 more than 6 months before their departure date to Sri Lanka, must carry their negative RT-PCR/RAT test report. For RT-PCR report, the test should have been done within 72 hours prior to departure, whereas for the RAT report, test should been done within 48 hrs prior to departure.
It is mandatory for passengers aged 12 years and above who are not fully vaccinated and do not fall in the aforementioned categories of passengers, to carry a negative Covid-19 PCR or RAT test report. For RT-PCR report, the test should have been done within 72 hours prior to departure, whereas for the RAT report, test should been done within 48 hrs prior to departure.
Passengers infected with Covid-19 can arrive in Sri Lanka atleast 7 days after contracting the infection.
Passengers arriving from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini (Swaziland) are permitted to enter Sri Lanka.
It is mandatory for all passengers arriving in Sri Lanka to fill the Health Declaration Form online before the flight through - https://airport.lk/health_declaration/index .
All foreign national passport holders will require a travel insurance with an adequate cover for Covid-19 hospitalization of up to 14 days in addition to the planned duration of their stay in Sri Lanka.
All test reports and documents required to enter Sri Lanka must be in English. Self-swabs of RAT are not acceptable.

Arriving into Kuwait:

Only below mentioned categories of passengers will be permitted to travel from India to Kuwait:

Kuwaiti citizens, their first-degree relatives and workers accompanying them.
Non-Kuwaiti’s.

All passengers travelling to Kuwait must be vaccinated with any of the below mentioned vaccines which are approved in the state of Kuwait.

Pfizer BioNTech (2 doses)
AstraZeneca/ Oxford Vaccine (Covishield - 2 doses)
Moderna (2 doses)
Johnson & Johnson (1 dose)

It is mandatory for all passengers arriving at Kuwait to carry their negative PCR test report issued within 72 hrs prior to the last direct flight to Kuwait, from an approved ICMR laboratory or a certified laboratory as mentioned on https://www.icmr.gov.in/ . Report must have a readable QR code; RT-PCR timeline is calculated from the time of sample/swab collection.

All passengers arriving at Kuwait must download the Immune App on their mobile phones. App should have a green status and the below details should be available:

Name & Passport number matching with the travel passport.
Type of vaccination received.
Date of doses taken.
Name of vaccine agency

All passengers travelling to Kuwait must have a valid residence visa of Kuwait. Validity of the Civil ID/Digital Civil ID will be checked before the flight. Passengers holding transit visa shall not be permitted to travel.

Passengers who exited Kuwait on/after September 1, 2019 are permitted to re-enter Kuwait provided they are in possession of a valid residence permit/visa.

Passengers who exited Kuwait on/before August 31, 2019 are NOT permitted to re-enter Kuwait even if they hold a valid residence visa.

All passengers are required to upload their Civil ID or Mobile Civil ID on their mobile phones. It must match with the details on the passport such as Name, Passport number, Date of birth etc.

All passengers are required to register on the Kuwait-Mosafer App and must have a digital or hard copy of their registration.

All passengers are also required to download the Shlonik App on their mobile phones.

Guidelines for passengers travelling to Thailand:

Registration for the Thailand Pass is not required for travel to Thailand.
Passengers travelling from countries that mandate a pre-departure Covid-19 test for passengers arriving from Thailand, must carry a Travel Health Insurance for their travel to Thailand.
Travel Insurance should cover the number of days of intended stay in Thailand and additional 7 days.
The covered amount for Insurance must not be less than USD 10,000. However, it is not applicable for passengers travelling from India.
Passengers without the Travel Health Insurance may be required to purchase the same upon their arrival in Thailand.
Passengers from the UN agencies such as UN, WHO, IOM, UNHCR & UN passport holders etc., diplomats or official passport holders, expatriates with work permit, social welfare card/letter, and Thai passport holders, are exempted from carrying the Travel Health Insurance.
Passengers with the symptoms of Covid-19 during their travel shall be recommended to get their test done at arrival.
Transit/Transfer passengers are exempted from the vaccination check and the requirement of the Travel Health Insurance.

To check the list of approved vaccinations, click here.

Guidelines for passengers travelling to Myanmar:

AstraZeneca or Covishield (AstraZeneca & University of Oxford, Bioscience (Korea)/Siam BioScience/ Serum Institute of India (SII));
Pfizer- BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Comirnaty (Pfizer Inc., & BioNTe Janssen or Johnson & Johnson (Janssen Pharmaceuticals Companies Johnson & Johnson);
Moderna (ModernaTX, Inc.,);
Sinopharm or COVILO or BIBP-CorV (Beijing Institute of Biologi Products Co., Ltd);
Sputnik V (Gam-COVID-Vac) (Gamaleya National Research Centre Epidemiology and Microbiology);
Sputnik Light (Gamaleya National Research Centre of Epidemiology Microbiology)
Covaxin by Bharat Biotech
Myancopharm by Ministry of Industry, Myanmar.
Nuvaxovid (NVX-CoV2373) vaccine, Novavax Co.Ltd
Covovax, Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd
CorBEvax™, Biological E Limited
CorBEvaxTM, Biological E Limited
COMIRNATY®, BIONTech Manufacturing GmbH
COMIRNATY Original/Omicron BA.1, BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH
VAXZEVRIA, AstraZeneca AB / SK Bioscience Co. Ltd
COVISHIELD™, Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd
COVID-19 Vaccine, Janssen-Cilag International NV
SPIKEVAX, Moderna Biotech
CONVIDECIA, CanSino Biologics Inc.
In the event that passengers are not vaccinated or fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to entering Myanmar, they must produce a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result issued within 48 hours prior to their arrival in Myanmar. Children below the age of 12 years are exempted from bringing along the RT-PCR test report if they are travelling with the fully vaccinated parents(s) or guardian(s).
The negative COVID-19 test result and the date of the test taken [or] the information regarding COVID-19 recovery must be clearly stated in English, with the particulars of the travellers according to their passport.
All non-Myanmar (foreign) nationals must purchase health insurance, including COVID-19 insurance, from a relevant country or internationally recognised insurance company. In case they are unable to produce health insurance documents, they would be required to purchase health insurance on arrival from Myanmar Insurance (please refer to mminsurance.gov.mm ).
All documents in hardcopy or print (COVID-19 vaccination certificate and/or RT-PCR negative certificate, as applicable, along with the health insurance including COVID-19 insurance) will be checked by the airline staff at check-in before boarding the aircraft destined for Myanmar as well as by the respective health authorities upon arrival in Myanmar.
Passengers are required to submit a health declaration form and arrival card declaration on arrival to the health authorities. Any wrong declaration will attract legal action.
Passengers shall undergo thermal screening on arrival, and symptomatic passengers will be isolated for further testing and isolation as per local guidelines in Myanmar. The passengers must strictly follow the instructions of the airport authorities and health authorities.
In the event that passengers develop COVID-19 symptoms during their stay in Myanmar, they shall report the same to local health authorities.
Passengers shall access the website of the Ministry of Immigration and Population - https://evisa.moip.gov.mm for their visa requirements or exemptions and other visa-related matters.

Guidelines for passengers departing from Myanmar:

After checking in, passengers leaving Myanmar must complete, sign, and submit the Departure Card to Immigration.

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Updated Travel Guidelines for International Arrivals

Kind attention to all the International passengers arriving in India, the Ministry of Health & Family welfare, Government of India has updated the guidelines for International Arrivals.

These guidelines are effective from 11th January 2022 (00.01 Hrs IST)

What are the guidelines to follow if you are Planning for Travel?

Travelers need to submit self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal & upload negative RT-PCR test report conducted 72 hrs prior to the journey
Travelers who have to test on arrival can pre-book test on Air Suvidha Portal

What are the guidelines to keep in mind prior to flying?

Passengers from "at-risk' countries to inform the airlines that they will undergo post arrival testing and follow all Covid-19 protocols
Only asymptomatic travelers will be allowed to board the aircraft
All passengers are mandated to download the Aarogya Setu app

What are the guidelines to follow on Arrival?

Passengers found to be symptomatic will be immediately isolated. Contacts too will be managed as per protocol.

What are the guidelines for passengers arriving from ‘at-risk’ countries?

Effective from 11th January 2022, all International passengers arriving in Delhi Airport from at-risk countries have to submit sample for COVID-19 test & wait for results before leaving the airport.

If tested negative:

Passengers need to Home quarantine for 7 days & again take RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival
Passengers must upload results of this repeat RT-PCR test on 8th day on Air Suvidha portal
Further, passengers need to self-monitor health for next 7 days

If tested positive:

Passengers will be sent to an isolation facility as per the updated guidelines.
People in contact of passengers shall be required to remain under home quarantine

Where can I find the list of “At Risk” countries from where fliers need to follow additional measures on arrival?

The list of countries classified as ‘At Risk’ can be accessed below:

Countries in Europe including the United Kingdom
South Africa
New Zealand

Will infants or kids under 5 years of age need to undertake the RT-PCR test upon arrival?

Children under 5 years of age are exempted from both the pre and post-arrival RT-PCR testing. However, if symptoms arise, they need to contact a government facility and undertake the treatment as per standard protocols.

Please note if travelers under home quarantine or self-health monitoring, develop signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 or test positive for COVID-19 on re-testing, they will immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number.

For other details, please visit our FAQ section .

Pre-book & Save time.

All international passengers arriving from ‘at risk’ countries can now pre-book your COVID test slot online here and save time

We're glad to inform you that we have deployed the best safety measures across the airport to give you a safe experience and help you Fly Safe.

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India’s Latest Guidelines on International Travel

This timeline summarizes the most recent developments in the rules and regulations governing international travel to and from India.

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February 2023

From February 13, 11 AM , passengers coming to India from or via China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand will not require a negative RT-PCR report from a pre-departure test for COVID-19. Travelers from these five countries will no longer have to fill the self-health declaration form on the Air Suvidha portal either. The 2% random testing on arrival in India [from any country of origin] policy that was started December 24 last year, shall continue.

January 2023

Reported by Times of India , all Indians traveling to Sri Lanka will have to follow the country’s revised COVID-19 protocols. Sri Lanka has announced that all tourists to the country will be required to carry their vaccination cards, and unvaccinated travelers must carry a negative PCR report obtained 72 hours prior to their arrival.

December 2022

December 29, 2022.

On December 29, 2022, India’s Federal Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that RT-PCR test would be mandatory from January 1, 2023 for international passengers travelling to India from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand . The test must be conducted within 72 hours of undertaking the journey to India.
These negative RT-PCR reports must be uploaded on the Air Suvidha portal before travel.
This requirement is in addition to the random two percent tests of all international passengers in all incoming international flights on their arrival in India irrespective of their port of departure.

December 28, 2022

Air India Express, India’s first international budget carrier that offers flights to the Middle East and Southeast Asia, has issued guidelines for the maintenance of Covid-appropriate behaviour by travellers travelling from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to India. The guidelines include:

All passengers from UAE should preferably be completely immunised as per the approved primary schedule of Covid vaccination.
All visitors should preferably use masks and follow physical distancing on flights/travel and at all points of entry.
Post-arrival random testing is not required for children under the age of 12. However, if they have Covid-related symptoms upon arrival, they have to undergo testing in accordance with protocol.

December 26, 2022

On December 24, 2022, Indian Health Ministry announced that international arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand will have to mandatorily present RT-PCR test results . In case any passengers from these countries are symptomatic or test positive for Covid-19, they will be quarantined.
Economic Times reporting that Air Suvidha form filling to declare current health status will also be made compulsory for international passengers arriving from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand.
Times of India reporting that Qatar has reinstated visa-on-arrival (VOA) facility for Indian travellers , which were temporarily halted due to FIFA World Cup 2022 in the country. Indian nationals can get a free VOA in Qatar for a maximum stay of 30 days or as per the hotel reservation and under the following conditions: valid passport for at least six months, confirmed return tickets, and confirmed hotel reservation through ‘Discover Qatar’ website only.
Times of India reporting that effective from January 1, 2023 , Serbia has discontinued visa-free travel regulations for Indian citizens , keeping in line with the requirements of European Union (EU) visa policy and measures to control illegal migrants.

December 23, 2022

New guidelines applicable for international arrivals from December 24, 2022: “All travelers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against COVID-19 in their Country.” See here for the official Ministry of Health and Family Welfare notification issued December 22.

India will randomly test 2 percent of international travelers arriving in the country’s airports for COVID, with effect from Saturday (December 24) 10 am IST , as announced by Mansukh Mandaviya, Health Minister on Thursday December 21. Travelers will be allowed to leave the airport after submitting their sample. After the random testing, if found COVID-positive, the person’s sample shall be sent for genomic testing at a designated INSACOG laboratory network; reports shall be hared with Integrated Disease Surveillance Program at [email protected] by the concerned testing laboratory (besides sharing with the airport health organization APHOS) to be in turn shared with concerned state or union territory for further follow-up action.

India is becoming increasingly cautious after a surge in cases recorded in neighboring China as well as in Brazil, US, Japan, and Korea, besides it being the ongoing holiday and festive season, which witnesses a jump in travel. In another move, visitors to the Taj Mahal (Agra, Uttar Pradesh state), will undergo a COVID-19 test before they enter, as per reporting from news agency ANI. While wearing masks are not currently mandatory in most parts of the country, it will likely be increasingly encouraged. For example, the southern state of Karnataka has made wearing masks mandatory indoors and in closed spaces in guidelines released December 22.

December 14, 2022

DNA reporting a travel advisory issued due to the ongoing chaos at Delhi international airport: “To ensure a quick security check, Air India has urged all travelers to bring just one piece of carry-on luggage and arrive at least 3.5 hours early.”
Times of India reporting that Hong Kong and Nigeria are among the latest to remove COVID-19 travel rules for international travelers.
Business Today reporting that IndiGo has announced 32 connecting flights between India and Europe – flying to Milan, Manchester, Birmingham, Rome, and Venice – starting December 7, 2022. These international flights will operate in partnership with Turkish Airlines.

November 2022

Times of India reporting that Germany is relaxing visa appointment rules for Indian tourists. According to German Missions in the country, Indian travelers can book their visa appointment at any VFS global Visa Application Centre in major Indian cities and the Schengen visa can be applied for three months before the travel date. However, this relaxation does not apply to the D-visa category – students, employment, and family reunion visas, among others.
New Air India flights announced between India and US, Europe ( Business Traveller ): – Air India is launching new flights connecting Mumbai with New York, Paris, and Frankfurt, and resuming non-stop flights connecting Delhi with Copenhagen, Milan, and Vienna. The new daily Mumbai-New York service to John F Kennedy International Airport will commence February 14, 2023, which will take Air India’s India-US frequency to 47 non-stop flights per week. – The new Air India flights from Delhi to Europe announced are: four weekly Delhi-Milan from February 1, 2023 and three weekly flights each on the Delhi-Vienna and Delhi-Copenhagen routes starting February 18 and March 1, 2023, respectively. – From Mumbai, new Air India flights are currently being planned to Paris* (thrice-weekly) and Frankfurt* (four weekly) from the next quarter.
India is discontinuing the Air Suvidha self-declaration form starting November 22, 2022. Passengers flying into India will no longer need to fill out the Air Suvidha form from November 21-22 midnight and will not need to take an RT-PCR COVID-19 test.

On November 14, the Canada government concluded an expanded Canada-India Air Transport Agreement “to allow unlimited flights between both countries”. The announcement said: “The expanded agreement allows designated airlines to operate an unlimited number of flights between the two countries. The previous agreement limited each country to 35 flights per week. The new rights under the expanded agreement are available for use by airlines immediately. Money Control reports that this will give Canadian airlines access to the Indian cities of Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai while Indian airlines will receive access to Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal, and Vancouver as well as two additional points (Canadian cities) selected by India. India is Canada’s fourth largest international air transport market and there are an estimated 1.5 million Indians living in Canada. Presently the only non-stop direct flights in this market are from Air India and Air Canada.

October 2022

The Financial Express reports plans of Air India to add 20 weekly, non-stop flights to the US and UK between October and December. “With five additional flights a week to Birmingham, nine additional flights to London, and six additional flights a week to San Francisco, Air India said it will be able to offer over 5,000 additional seats every week.” Soon there will be seven Indian cities offering direct Air India flights to London.

September 2022

No new updates were made to the “Risk Levels” and “Safety and Security” sections of the Canadian government’s travel advisory for India: The Hindu report .
Hong Kong is lifting compulsory quarantine requirement for arrivals starting from September 26. There will be three days of medical surveillance during which inbound persons are free to go out but are obliged to comply with Amber Code restrictions under the Vaccine Pass, followed by a four-day self-monitoring period, making it a 7-day observation period in total, as per the Hong Kong government’s notification .
Taiwan will end mandatory quarantine for travelers arriving in the country from October 13 as per reporting from Reuters . Speaking to the media, Taiwan’s Cabinet spokesperson Lo Ping-cheng stated that from September 29, visa-free entry will be resumed for overseas travelers that previously enjoyed that status. Under its ‘New Taiwan Model’, the government is set to increase weekly arrival limits for international travelers to 60,000 from 10,000 and will not require PCR tests for arrivals. If the pandemic situation is stable, the country will end quarantine from around October 13 and increase the weekly arrival limit to 150,000.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced travel relaxations in Japan while in New York for the UN General Assemebly session. “… from 11 October, Japan will relax border control measures to be on par with the US, as well as resume visa-free travel and individual travel.” BBC reports that the cap on daily arrivals will also be lifted.
Fiji removed its COVID-19 test requirements for international travelers from September 5, 2022.
Media is reporting that Indians traveling to Indonesia can fast track their visa applications on arriving in Jakarta as VFS Global has reached an exclusive agreement with the Indonesian Immigrant Department.
See India’s guidelines for international arrivals – dated September 2, 2022 – which came in effect the next day. The document provides protocols to be complied by international travelers as well as those to be followed by airlines and all points of entry (airports, seaports, and land border).
International flights resumed operations starting September 3, in Guwahati’s (Assam state) Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA), after a gap of two years. In the next few months, officials speaking to the Hindustan Times said that the LGBIA airport will start flights from Guwahati to Yangon (Myanmar), Kathmandu (Nepal), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Hanoi (Vietnam), and Bangkok (Thailand).

January – August, 2022

Airlines and travel agents in India have to share details of international travelers with the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBIC) 24 hours before departure and arrival. The information will be provided to the National Customs Targeting Centre-Passenger (NCTC). While this rule had been proposed five years ago, to combat tax avoidance and tax evasion, the government has only now developed a regulatory framework to implement this. India is among 60 countries collecting such details of international passengers. The Ministry of Finance issued the notification on August 8, 2022, as per media reports .
China no longer requires COVID test information for international arrivals from August 31, 2022 : On Thursday, August 25, 2022, China’s General Administration of Customs released a new health declaration form for international arrivals, which removes the requirement for visitors to report their nucleic acid test results, infection status, and vaccination dates. This ninth version of the health declaration form will be implemented starting from August 31, 2022, and international visitors can report their health status online by filling out a form on the related WeChat account or webpage. Some media interpret that with this update, the current entry requirement, that is, the requirement to have international passengers take two PCR tests for COVID-19 within 48 hours of their departure, the second of which must be within 24 hours of their departure — will be lifted. However, considering that China is still sticking to its dynamic zero-COVID strategy, we recommend that international travelers double-check with their flight companies for further information.
The Chinese Embassy in India has updated its “ Application Procedures and Material Requirements of China Visa “, to be implemented from August 24, 2022. See here for the list of requirements and procedures for various types of Chinese visas, including the M-Visa (commercial and trade activities) and the X1-Visa (long-term study): http://in.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lsfw/qz/202208/t20220822_10748221.htm
The Business Standard noted in a report that China was working to facilitate the return of foreign students, including from India, who have been stuck due to the COVID-19 visa restriction. The paper quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin who told media that the Chinese side were working intensively for the return of foreign students to China. In updated comments on the foreign ministry website, Wenbin said: “We are confident in seeing the return of the first group of Indian students in the near future. Building on that, the Chinese side will further proceed with the return of other Indian students in a well thought-out and orderly manner.”
India’s domestic air fare caps will end from August 31, as the civil aviation regulator DGCA rolls back restrictions imposed in 2020. This minimum to maximum price band had been introduced to avoid sky high ticket prices due to pent up demand in the domestic travel market.
India’s passport offers visa-free access to 60 countries , including Bhutan, Nepal, Macao, Oman, Qatar, and Fiji. According to the latest Henley Passport Index, published by immigration consultancy Henley & Partners, India’s passport ranked 87th. India had ranked 90th in Q3 and Q4 in 2021. The latest index is topped by Japan, whose passport offers visa-free access to 193 countries, followed by South Korea and Singapore (at 192 countries each), and Germany and Spain (190). As per reporting by the Hindustan Times: Indians have ‘visa-on-arrival’ access in Thailand, Indonesia, Maldives, and Sri Lanka as well as 21 countries in Africa.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, the Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang, promised to relax restrictions on international travel in an “orderly” way , which would include facilitating the return of foreign students to rejoin Chinese colleges. Around 500,000 foreign students are enrolled at universities in China, including 23,000 Indians. Li said: “All international students may return to China to continue their studies should they so wish, and outbound commerce and trade activities and cross-border travel for labor services will be advanced in an orderly fashion.” The comments were made during a Special Virtual Dialogue with Global Business Leaders hosted by the forum. Foreign diplomatic missions in China are presently trying to speed up the process to facilitate the return of international students to China. While this is now in a small-scale trial mode, any large-scale opening can be expected only when the country’s epidemic outbreaks slow down.
Competent authorities in China and India are communicating on securing the resumption of flights and to bring back the first group of Indian students to China at the earliest as reported in The Economic Times.
Bhutan is allowing travelers into the country from September 23, 2022 – after a two-year gap. Tourists from India should note the levy of a sustainable development fee (SDF), charged at 1,200 ngultrums (approx. INR 1200) per day; children between the age of six and 12 are charged INR 600 per day and no fee is charged from children below the age of five. The SDF fee is not applicable everywhere – there are exemptions to the levy in 11 districts in the less popular Eastern Bhutan region, until December 2024.
India is working to roll out e-passports as per its external affairs minister S. Jaishankar. The minister also informed that the Passport Seva System had been integrated with the DigiLocker system to facilitate paperless documentation. Jaishankar added: “The Ministry in collaboration with the Department of Posts operationalized 428 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) to reach out to our citizens at their doorsteps. The Ministry has successfully integrated the passport issuance systems in 178 of our Embassies and Consulates abroad.”
Saudi Arabia has lifted COVID-related travel restrictions on citizens travelling to India, Ethiopia, Turkey, and Vietnam and is accepting pilgrims for the forthcoming annual Hajj season, The Hindu reports June 20, 2022. The requirement to wear face masks in closed places has also been relaxed.
China has updated its visa policy for Indians , including Indian professionals and students. China will accept visa applications of foreign nationals and their accompanying family members seeking to return to China for resumption of work in all fields. Visas for tourism and private purposes remain suspended. The details of over 12,000 Indian students have reportedly been forwarded to the Chinese government for visa processing. (Over 23,000 Indian students – mostly enrolled in medical colleges in China – had to return to India and were stuck during the last few years due to the coronavirus pandemic, which first broke out December 2019.) However, China is yet to announce resumption of normal flight facilities between the two countries.
The US does not require arriving international travelers to take a COVID-19 test within a day before boarding their flights to the country from June 12, Sunday. “As of 12:01AM ET on June 12, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will no longer require air passengers traveling from a foreign country to the United States to show a negative COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board their flight. For more information, see Rescission: Requirement for Negative Pre-Departure COVID-19 Test Result or Documentation of Recovery from COVID-19 for all Airline or Other Aircraft Passengers Arriving into the United States from Any Foreign Country .”
Media reports say the DGCA has made masks mandatory at Indian airports and during flights. India recorded 7,240 new cases in 24 hours [ June 9 MoHFW update], the highest since March.
On Wednesday, June 8, India’s aviation regulator DGCA announced fresh guidelines for COVID-appropriate behavior. The wearing of masks is now mandatory inside the flight / throughout the air travel , and mask removal is permitted only under exceptional circumstances. Violators could be treated as ‘unruly passengers’ and removed from the flight before departure. This is in line with a Delhi High Court order, which stipulates that violators can be put on ‘no fly list’.
India’s overall passenger traffic (both domestic and international) at airports reached 93 percent of pre-COVID levels in May 2022. International passenger traffic reached 63 percent and 72 percent of pre-COVID levels in April and May, respectively. Recovery of domestic travel reached 98 percent of pre-COVID levels in May 2022.
Turkey has relaxed all the conditions for Indian travelers entering the country, Turkiye Tourism Board said on Monday, June 6. Now, Indian travelers no longer have to show proof of vaccination or proof of recovery from COVID-29 or negative RT-PCR test report.
The United States Embassy in India has tweeted (8.23pm, May 29): “The US Mission to India is pleased to announce that we are resuming routine in-person tourist visa appointments in September 2022. Previously scheduled placeholders have now been cancelled. Applicants whose placeholder appointments were cancelled may now reenter the scheduling system to book regular appointments. Appointments have been opened through 2023.”
Media reports say that Israel has removed COVID-19-linked travel requirements for foreign visitors, such as presenting a negative RT-PCR test prior to departure, undergoing an RT-PCR test upon arrival, and quarantine observation.
Livemint reports: “Malaysia Airlines will add new routes, increase frequencies and upgrade aircraft to cater to the Indian market, which remains a key geography for the airline.”
Saudi Arabia has banned its citizens from travelling to sixteen countries, including India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, after the Gulf state has recorded a five-fold rise in COVID-19 cases. News18 reports : “Saudi Arabia’s General Department of Passports dropped several Covid-19 restrictions towards the end of last year but are now reimposing some of them as Covid-19 cases are being reported from various parts of the world and China and North Korea bearing the brunt of the Omicron variant which is leading to fresh cases.”
Indian announced on May 12 that citizens planning to travel abroad are now eligible to get a third (booster/precaution) dose of vaccine three months after their second dose. The rules otherwise stipulate a nine-month gap between the second dose and booster shot.
Scoot, the budget airline from Singapore Airlines Group, has launched daily flight services between Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) and Singapore, up from three times a week. As per reporting by The Hindu [April 27, 2022], Scoot has a network of 42 destinations in 16 countries and territories, including Australia and Southeast Asia.
VietJet has announced that it will resume operations of six flights – on the Delhi-Hanoi route and Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City route from April 29, 2022. New flights have also been added by VietJet on the Mumbai-Phu Quoc route and New Delhi-Phu Quoc route, which are scheduled to start from September 9, 2022.
Hong Kong has banned Air India flights till April 24 due to COVID-19 as three passengers on board one of its flights had reportedly tested positive on arrival.
On April 11, Times of India reported that fully vaccinated passengers from the UAE traveling to India will not necessarily require a pre-departure RT-PCR test at the airport. The move is on a reciprocity basis. However, UAE travelers will need to fill out the passenger locator form on the Air Suvidha portal – same as travelers from any other destination visiting India. Also, travelers need to upload their COVID-19 vaccination certificate onto the Air Suvidha portal.
Scheduled international flight services have resumed from Sunday, March 27, 2022 after being suspended for two years due to COVID-19. Starting March 27, six Indian airlines and 60 foreign airlines will connect India with 63 countries . Under the new summer schedule (March 27 to October 29), foreign airlines will operate 1,783 weekly flights and Indian carriers will operate 1,466 departures every week. Among domestic airlines, IndiGo will operate 505 departures per week, followed by Tata Group-owned Air India at 361 weekly flights and its subsidiary Air India Express will operate 340 flights per week.
From the Indian Express : More international airlines add flights to India : “Emirates said… it will be operating the 35 weekly flights from Mumbai, 28 from Delhi, 24 from Bengaluru, 21 each from Chennai and Hyderabad, 14 from Kochi, 11 from Kolkata, nine from Ahmedabad and seven from Thiruvananthapuram.”
On March 21, 2022, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced that from April 1, the Government will lift the flight ban on nine countries (i.e., Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the UK, the USA, and Nepal) and cut the hotel quarantine period for arrivals. Currently, passenger aircraft from these nine countries are not allowed to land in Hong Kong. The Chief Executive also announced the preconditions for boarding a flight to Hong Kong and the COVID-19 control and prevention measures to be implemented upon arrival. Given this, there are comments saying that traveling to Hong Kong will not get much easier even after the ban is lifted. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. plans just one inbound flight every two weeks for fear to be subjected to the city’s 14-day ban on airlines that carry too many passengers found to be infected with COVID-19.
Singapore announced it is lifting restrictions for all vaccinated travelers from next week. According to officials, from April 1, fully vaccinated adults and unvaccinated children will be allowed to enter Singapore without quarantining, if they take a pre-departure test . Only travelers on a ‘restricted list’ will face curbs in entering Singapore; as of March 24, 2022 – there are no countries on this list.
On March 21, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) announced relaxed COVID-19-related regulations. NDTV reports MoCA saying “cabin crew members need not wear PPE kit, airlines need not keep three seats vacant on international flights for medical emergencies and security personnel at airports can resume pat-down search of passengers.” However, the use of face mask and maintenance of hand hygiene/sanitizer continues to be mandatory . Airlines may carry additional PPE protective gear, sanitizers, and N-95 masks to handle any respiratory infections related to cases on air – for passengers as well as the crew.
Cochin International Airport announces summer schedule (March 27 to October 29) with 1,190 weekly operations (international and domestic flights). 20 airlines will operate flights to destinations abroad (including 16 international carriers). Indigo has the most weekly departures to international destinations (42) and Air India Express accounts for 38 weekly departure operations. Other prominent carriers are Air Asia Berhad, Ethihad, Emirates, Oman Air, Qatar Air, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Thai Airways, Sri Lankan Airlines, Gulf Air, and Fly Dubai. 44 weekly departures are scheduled for Dubai, followed by Abu Dhabi with 42. Air India Express will continue its weekly operations to London and Thai Air Asia will resume Kochi operations in June, with 4 weekly direct flights to Bangkok. Source: The Hindu Business Line
Useful Quick Links from the Air India portal: – Official Circular on Restoration of Indian Visa (E-Tourist Visa and Tourist Visa) for Foreign Tourists – Circular For Generating and Accessing International Digital Covid 19 Vaccination Certificate – International Travel Advisories
Singapore Airlines Group press release: All Singapore Airlines flights from India to Singapore will operate as vaccinated travel lane (VTL) services from March 16, 2022. This will provide eligible customers with quarantine-free entry into Singapore from eight points across India. Scoot, SIA’s low-cost subsidiary, will also progressively convert its non-VTL services from Amritsar, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchi, and Visakhapatnam to VTL services. Short-term visitors and Singapore work-permit holders who seek to avail VTL services must apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) prior to their visa application. VTP applications should be made between three and 60 calendar days before the person’s intended date of entry into Singapore. Travelers must ensure their eligibility to use the VTL services before their flight.
Regular international flights to resume March 27, 2022 after two years suspension. This is the start of the summer schedule 2022.
Economic Times reporting “ Global travel shedding Covid baggage as several nations ease restrictions for Indians “.
India has once again extended its ban on regular commercial international passenger flights – until further orders – as per a circular dated February 28, 2022 issued by the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Flights under air bubble arrangements and international cargo flights will continue.
On February 28, 2022 , the Indian government updated its “ List of Countries/Regions in respect of which primary vaccination schedule completion certificate is allowed to be uploaded ” on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website: see document here . There are 88 countries now on this list . (The Union health ministry has removed the at-risk categorization of countries.)
India and Thailand have finalized an air bubble arrangement, bringing the total number of such bilateral flight agreements to 37. Airline carriers between India and Thailand will begin operating flights starting in March, which will be subject to approval from the government. Thai Airways will commence flights between India and Thailand starting March 1 under this air bubble. Travelers should note the health protocols and the respective schedules of approved flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Bangkok. Meanwhile, on February 25, SpiceJet announced it will launch six new international flights to Bangkok, commencing from March 10 in a phased manner. SpiceJet plans to launch flights connecting Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata with Bangkok. India reportedly has plans to reopen its regular international travel from March 15, but this is still a tentative date.
Singapore, UAE, and Kuwait have updated their travel guidelines and COVID-prevention protocols for travelers from India. See here to know more.
The Airport Authority of India has updated its state-wise guidelines for arriving passengers – by region. The PDF links may be accessed here: COVID Guidelines India Northern Region 14-02-2022 COVID Guidelines India Western Region 21.02.2022 COVID Guidelines India Southern Region 22-02-20212 COVID Guidelines India Eastern Region 18-02-2022 COVID Guidelines India North East Region 17-02-2022
Dubai ends rapid RT-PCR rules for Indian travelers. Under the new rules , travelers from India have to produce a negative COVID-19 test certificate issued by an approved health service provider and generated 48 hours before scheduled departure of the flight. Passengers will undergo a PCR test upon arrival in Dubai. Transit passengers will be expected to follow rules governing entry at their final destination.
It is being reported in The Economic Times that the aviation ministry has requested approval from the health ministry to allow resumption of international flights from mid-March. Reason cited by unnamed government source is that domestic traffic has rebounded.
The government has removed restrictions on the number of flights that can be operated between India and Ukraine under their bilateral air bubble arrangement to facilitate travel of Indians from the eastern European country. India has advised its citizens to temporarily leave Ukraine amid its deteriorating relations with Russia.
Indian media are reporting that the government is soon to make a decision on whether regular international flights can resume in the summer (March/April). It is being reported by The Economic Times that the aviation ministry has set an internal target of resuming international flight services once domestic airlines capacity touches 80% of pre-COVID flights. (Domestic airlines operated over 2,800 flights before the pandemic struck in 2020; as of February 13, they operated 2,058 flights. To reach the 80% mark, this number has to exceed 2,200.)
No testing or mandatory quarantine required for international travelers from February 14, 2022: On February 10, India revised guidelines for international arrivals, which will come into effect February 14, 2022 (Monday, 00.01 Hrs IST). The new guidelines remove the category of ‘at risk’ countries and has scrapped the seven-day mandatory quarantine. Instead, India’s health authorities recommend self-monitoring of 14 days for symptoms . The Union Health Ministry stated that there is “need to monitor the continuously changing” COVID-19 virus but accepted that “economic activities need to be taken up in an unhindered manner”. As per the latest guidelines, all foreign arrivals have to fill a self-declaration form online (Air Suvidha web portal), including a travel history of the past 14 days. They must also upload a negative RT-PCR test conducted within 72 hours of the departure date. Alternatively, they can upload a certificate confirming that they are fully vaccinated. This alternative option is only available for passengers arriving from the 72 countries whose vaccination program are recognized by the Indian government. They include Canada, Hong Kong, USA, UK, Bahrain, Qatar, Australia, New Zealand, and some European countries. See here for the official notification on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare portal.
Australia will reopen its borders for international tourists from February 21 , subject to conditions. The move comes after almost two years of pandemic-linked travel restrictions. Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said while making the announcement: “The condition is you must be double vaccinated to come to Australia. That’s the rule. Everyone is expected to abide by it.” However, travelers to Australia should note the state-wise rules and restrictions.
Vietnam reported to reopen for tourism, welcome foreign travelers from March 15, 2022. See here for information pertaining to travel to Vietnam .
On February 5, Bali reopened its borders for international travelers and resumed direct international flights. See here for information on travel to Indonesia .
On February 4, the state of Kerala released revised guidelines for international travelers. ( See here for the official notification by the Kerala government.) Any international traveler coming to Kerala, irrespective of their duration of stay, must undergo symptom surveillance. If they are found symptomatic, they must undertake an RT-PCR test at cost at the airport and take further action as per the test results. The revised rules advise home quarantine for international travelers who do not show symptoms; they must self-monitor their health for 7 days from the date of arrival and undergo testing if they develop symptoms. Rapid Antigen Test is advised on the 8th day after arrival. There will be random testing of 2% of international travelers on the flight, irrespective of the country of departure, and the costs will be borne by the Kerala state government.
Singapore Airlines has restarted the vaccinated travel lane (VTL) with India. VTL flights allow quarantine-free travel into Singapore. There are VTL flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai into Singapore. (Singapore has also restarted its vaccinated travel lane with Malaysia.) Passengers should note that there are limited flights and reduced seat quota on these routes.
The West Bengal state government announced on January 31, that it is rolling back its ban on all international direct flights coming from the United Kingdom to Kolkata.
Indians who are fully vaccinated can reportedly travel to these seven countries: UK, Thailand, Singapore, Cyprus, Vietnam, Israel, and Saint Lucia in the Caribbean.
Canada has relaxed COVID-19 testing requirements for travelers from India, starting January 28, 2022. People traveling on direct flights or on a one-stop flight from India do not have to show a negative RT-PCR test done at the Delhi airport within 18 hours of their departure. However, Canada still requires travelers from India to show an RT-PCR test report from an ICMR-approved lab . Fully vaccinated travelers must upload their relevant details onto the ArriveCAN app or website.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs – Guidelines for International Arrivals – Quick Access to Documents: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/GuidelinesforInternationalarrivalsupdatedon10thFebruary2022.pdf
India has extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights to 23:59 February 28, 2022: Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This ban does not apply to international all-cargo operations and the DGCA-approved flights. The notification was released by the DGCA on January 19, 2022.
Hong Kong bars flights from India, U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, France, Pakistan, and Philippines over Omicron fears, reports The Hindu (Jan.5, 2022).
Countries reported to be requiring mandatory vaccine booster shots for travelers include Kuwait, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Croatia, Austria, Greece, and Israel.
Gulf News is reporting that India is currently making a “day to day” assessment on the resumption of normal international flights. “One has to balance the concerns of public safety and travel,” said Rakesh Kumar Verma, Additional Secretary, Tourism, Government of India. “We will take very expeditious action as and when things improve and the assessment is carried out. I’m hopeful that [full] international travel will resume soon.”
Starting January 1, 2022, India’s air bubble arrangement with Saudi Arabia will be in effect.
India has reached an air bubble agreement with Australia. According to reporting from Livemint : “Australian airline Qantas has recently started flights between Sydney and New Delhi. The airline is also set to start flights between New Delhi and Melbourne before Christmas. Air India also operated direct commercial flights connecting New Delhi with Melbourne and Sydney before scheduled international flights were suspended by the Indian government. Air India flights between India and Australia will resume in coming days, said a senior official with the airline.”
As of December 7, 2021 , India’s Civil Aviation and Health Ministry has made contactless self-declaration at Air Suvidha Portal mandatory for purpose of contact tracing. Exemption forms from the Air Suvidha portal has been discontinued. All international passengers arriving in India must fill in all the details.
108 countries recognize India’s COVID-19 vaccination certificate for travel purpose as per data available on December 6, 2021 .

Commercial international flights were suspended in India since March 25, 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Travel restrictions have begun to be gradually relaxed from October 2021.

Below we highlight the latest guidelines for international travel to and from India.

Latest updates

Status of india’s international air operations.

On March 8, an order from the government confirmed resumption of regular international flights from March 27, 2022 . “After being recognized the increase of vaccination coverage across the globe and in consultation with the stakeholders, the government of India has decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services to/from India from March 27, 2022, ie [that is] start of the summer schedule 2022,” said the order. India had suspended international flights for the first time in March 2020 and began operating air bubble arrangements since July 2020.
As of February 28, 2022, India has extended its suspension of scheduled international flights “till further orders”.
India rolled back its intention to resume normal international flight schedules from December due to the emergence of the Omicron COVID variant. On December 9, 2021, the civil aviation regulator announced announced the postponement of international scheduled commercial flights till February 28, 2022. Air bubble and evacuation flights schedules, approved flights, and air cargo will function.

India releases periodic guidelines for international passengers coming into India based on the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic and emergence of regional variants and their threat assessment. The latest travel guidelines for international arrivals to India were released on February 10, 2022 (and supersede previous notifications): https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/GuidelinesforInternationalarrivalsupdatedon10thFebruary2022.pdf

The Air Suvidha portal for submission of Self Declaration Form, which is mandatory: https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration

For evacuation flight schedule Phase 14 (October 1, 2021 to March 26, 2022), see Air India Vande Bharat Mission here (download PDF): https://www.airindia.in/images/pdf/VBM-schedule-dtd-30sep2021-PHASE14.pdf . The evacuation mission has been in place since May 7, 2020. For destinations operated under air bubble arrangement Phase 13 ( September 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021), click here for PDF download .

As of April 15, 2021, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has restored electronic visa (e-visa) facility for foreigners from 156 countries. The e-visa facility is applicable for international tourists who wish to visit India for conferences, medical purposes, or business. The e-visa also extends to medical attendants.

Air Transport Bubbles

India has also established “Transport Bubbles” or “Air Travel Arrangements”, which are temporary arrangements between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are reciprocal in nature, meaning airlines from both countries enjoy similar benefits.

The details of such arrangements were last updated in February 2022.

India now has 37 air bubble arrangements in place: Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, UAE, UK, USA, and Uzbekistan.

More details can be seen on the government website here: https://www.civilaviation.gov.in/en/about-air-transport-bubbles

Full service carrier Vistara has started non-stop flight services to Paris from Delhi under the air bubble agreement between India and Europe, according to reporting from The Economic Times . Under the air bubble pact, Vistara’s Boeing 787-9 (Dreamliner) aircraft will fly twice a week between Delhi and Paris – on Wednesday and Sunday. London, Frankfurt, Dubai, Doha, Sharjah, and Male are the other international destinations covered by Vistara, which is a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines.
The US will be lifting travel restrictions on foreign countries from November 8, Monday. Travelers must show proof of vaccination (WHO-approved vaccines); unvaccinated minors will be subject to testing requirements; and all travelers will need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours before departure to the US. See here for Reuters coverage of the changing rules.
Air India will offer non-stop flights between Delhi and Sydney starting November 15, 2021. Air India will operate the thrice-a-week service on the Delhi-Sydney-Delhi route under the Vande Bharat Mission. Australia has also formally recognized Covaxin, India’s COVID-19 vaccine.
India’s new visa norms stipulate that visas will be granted to foreigners only if they use water and air routes, not land routes. The Ministry of Home Affairs has allowed the gradual resumption of international travel to start from October 15, 2021 and tourist and e-visas will be issued for only a single entry per month. From November 15, all individual foreign nationals (on fresh tourist visas) will be allowed to enter India after observing prevailing COVID-19 protocols as notified by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
The Union Home Ministry announced on Thursday that India will allow foreign tourists traveling by chartered flights (Vande Bharat and air bubble flights) from October 15, rest from November 15, 2021. Foreigner tourists will be allowed to come in on non-charter flights from November 15 unless the extended restrictions on scheduled flights is substantially lifted. See the Home Ministry’s press briefing here and reporting by the Economic Times here .
The Hindustan Times reporting on October 2 : “Australia’s visiting trade and tourism minister Dan Tehan said foreign students will be able to start “returning towards the end of this year and the beginning of next year”, ahead of the start of the first semester in February-March 2022. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of Australia listed Covishield and China’s Coronavac (Sinovac) as “recognised vaccines” after an initial assessment of data on protection offered by the two jabs.”
CoWin, India’s digital platform for COVID-19 vaccination, is allowing travelers to download an international version of their COVID-19 vaccine certificate, which is compliant with WHO’s international travel guidelines. This feature went live on September 30, 2021, and allows fully vaccinated individuals to update their existing photo identity to passport number and date of birth to get their International Travel Certificate. See website: https://www.cowin.gov.in/
The Indian Bureau of Immigration noted the specific categories of foreign nationals who are permitted to enter India by water routes or by flights, including those under the Vande Bharat Mission, or ‘Air Bubble’ (Bilateral Air Travel Arrangements) Scheme, or by any non-scheduled commercial flights as allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in its notice MHA O.M. No.25022/24/2020-F.V/F.I dated October 21, 2020. See here for reference.
Air India has said it will run direct services between Muscat and Vijayawada “once a week or thrice from the first week of July”. The Vijayawada International Airport resumed international flights to Gulf destinations, such as Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat in June, to Singapore in April.
Budget carrier Air India Express will operate a total of 64 flights between Malaysia and India in July under Vande Bharat Mission. More below.
Foreign nationals who wish to travel to India for medical treatment can apply for a fresh visa under this category and choose one attendant to accompany them as per the visa category provisions (that is, if the original applicant has their medical visa approved).
On October 8, 2020, India’s civil aviation authority said the future of international flights will depend on the availability of a vaccine, hinting at the extension of air travel bubble arrangements into March-April next year.
Low-cost carrier SpiceJet announces its new flight operations connecting Delhi and Mumbai with London, starting December 4, which will come under the India-UK air bubble agreement.
New standard operating protocol announced August 22, 2020 for non-scheduled commercial flights under the repatriation scheme, Vande Bharat Mission, and Air Transport Bubble Agreements.

(Note: This article was originally published on August 4, 2020 and last updated on February 10, 2023.)

India Briefing is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates . The firm assists foreign investors throughout Asia from offices across the world, including in Delhi and Mumbai . Readers may write to [email protected] for business support in India.

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Our customers’ health and safety are of top priority for us. Here is an overview of the measures we are undertaking on ground and in air:

International COVID-19 Guidelines and Travel Advisory

For passengers travelling to india.

Green Channel for passengers not having any dutiable or prohibited goods.
Red Channel for passengers having dutiable or prohibited goods.

All passengers arriving from an international destination should collect their bags and clear customs at the first entry point in the country. This applies even if the bags are tagged until the final domestic destination. Passengers can recheck in from the transfer area check-in counters, post customs clearance.

Citizens of Afghanistan, China, Macau, Hong Kong and Pakistan and foreign nationals having their origin in these respective countries require a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) to visit Andaman & Nicobar Islands, after obtaining prior approval either from the Ministry of External Affairs or Ministry of Home Affairs.

Click here to read the applicable arrival procedure for all international passengers.

Please read the FAQs related to international departures and arrival.

For passengers travelling outside India

For Vistara operated flights to Abu Dhabi from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as on date:

Only the following categories of passengers will be allowed entry to Abu Dhabi:

Holders of all types of visas i.e., newly issued Employment visa, newly issued residency visa, newly issued short/long stay visa, newly issued visit visa are permitted to travel to Abu Dhabi whether vaccinated or not vaccinated & do not require GDRFA or ICA Approval.
GDRFA approval is required if the resident visa is stamped on the old/expired passport.
Visitor visa holders, return ticket, and travel insurance is mandatory.
Passenger must have a visitor visa, or a green card issued by the United States or passenger is holding a Residence Permit issued by the United Kingdom or European Union.
The holders of a valid visa issued by the United States, United Kingdom, or European Union with a minimum validity period of 6 months.
All customers May download the COVID-19 Al Hosn App before entering Abu Dhabi. Click to download – Android and iOS versions of the app.

When Transiting Abu Dhabi, please note the below requirement:

Transiting passengers are not required to present a COVID-19 RT-PCR certificate unless it is mandated by their final destination.

All passengers to please take note of the below requirement; and if any of the Prohibited Scenario is Applicable will not be allowed to Travel to UAE

The passenger with single name may get “ OK to Board” but Immigration may not allow the pax to enter the country .
Only Resident Visa holders with a single name are allowed, rest all kinds of visa holders should have their First Name & Surname mentioned on the passport and the same should be mentioned on the VISA.
If a person has only first name which is “ RAM DAYAL”, in such cases the passenger would be allowed to travel.
Person with same first name and second name, the person would be accepted.
In case the passport has only one name, but the Visa is issued with more than one name and Passenger Passport and has Father or Family Name; passenger will be allowed to travel.
Passengers wanting to avail visa on arrival (VOA); passengers will be accepted if the father or family name is mentioned in passport.

The following examples are stated:

First name: Sultan Ahmed
Surname: No surname

Status: Allowed

First name: Monica
Surname: Monica
First Name: Ahmed
First name: S
Surname: Ahmed

Travel Update for Passengers Travelling on Tourist / Visit Visas to UAE

Due to the new regulations introduced at Abu Dubai International Airport, please note that all passengers travelling on Visit or Tourist visas will be required to carry the following documents with them to avoid the risk of deportation. 1. Passport with a minimum of 6 months' validity from the departure date.

Confirmed return ticket.
Proof of accommodation or hotel booking.

2. Sufficient funds of a minimum of AED 3000 or CC with an available Credit limit of AED 3000 to cover the expenses in the UAE.

Please note that customers who do not meet these requirements may not be able to board their Vistara flight at the departure airport.

When travelling to UAE, please note the below requirement:

“OK To Board” message is not required for the following categories of passengers for travel to UAE:

Passengers holding valid resident permits or passports stamped with Resident Visa.
Passengers eligible for “Visa on Arrival” irrespective of nationality.
Passengers travelling with a print-out of Business and Tourist e-visa.

“Ok To Board” message is mandatory for the below categories:

All passengers holding ECR (Immigration Check Required) passport.
All passengers travelling with a print-out of labour and work e-visa.

Protector of Emigrants (POE)

Employment visa is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. Indian Citizens travelling on this visa with ECR (Emigration Check Required) stamp on the Passport must carry a valid Protector of Emigrants (POE) letter.

For Vistara operated flights to Bangkok from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as of date:

Pre - Departure

A valid Health Insurance of USD 10000, that covers Covid 19 medical expenses is recommended while in Thailand.

During Stay in Thailand

Wearing a mask in crowded areas.

Passengers are requested to check this document for all travel-related information.

For Vistara operated flights to Bali from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as on date:

For Visa Related information, please visit the following link - https://www.indonesia.travel/gb/en/trip-ideas/types-of-Indonesian-visas-you-need-to-know

Travellers must complete an Electronic Customs Declaration before departure to Indonesia and present the completed form with the QR code to the Customs Officer. Please Visit the link - https://ecd.beacukai.go.id/

Passengers are requested to check the link for all travel-related information: https://www.indonesia.travel

Starting from February 14, 2024, the Bali Government will introduce a Tourism Fee, for international travellers ,of IDR 150000 per person. Prior to their arrival in Bali, travellers can make the payment through the following website: https://lovebali.baliprov.go.id/

For Vistara operated flights to Colombo from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as on date:

Passengers are requested to check the following link for all travel-related information - https://sltda.gov.lk/en/important-notices

Post arrival requirements -

Passengers could be subject to quarantine. For more information please check the link below http://epid.gov.lk/web/index.php?lang=en

If you are flying to The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the health authorities in Saudi Arabia request you to follow the health guidelines below to keep you protected:

Passengers can obtain a Visitor visa for the Purpose of Tourism (Visa on arrival) (VOA) at Dammam Airport, provided they comply with the following:

Having a valid Tourist or Commercial visit visa from USA, UK or Schengen after ensuring that the visa has been used (travelled) at least once to enter that Country who has granted the visa. This includes the First-Degree Relatives of the visa holder coming with them.
Holders of Permanent Residence from USA, UK or Schengen after ensuring presence of the Residence. This includes the First-Degree Relatives of the Visa holder coming with them.

Requirements for passengers travelling to perform Hajj/Umrah/Makkah/Medina:

Passengers travelling to perform Hajj/Umrah/Makkah/Medina are only allowed to enter from Jeddah.
Visit the link to know more about who is allowed to travel: https://www.haj.gov.sa/en/
For more details, visit : www.visitsaudi.com/en
Indian Citizens travelling on an Employment visa with ECR (Emigration Check Required) stamp on the Passport must carry a valid Protector of Emigrants (POE) letter.

For Vistara-operated flights to Doha from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as on date:

For details regarding Health Insurance requirements for visitors entering the state of Qatar, please visit https://www.moph.gov.qa/english/derpartments/policyaffairs/hfid/Pages/Health-Insurance-Scheme.aspx .
For details regarding the Ehteraz application requirements, if any, please visit https://covid19.moph.gov.qa/EN/travel-and-return-policy/Pages/default.aspx
For further information, please visit Qatar Ministry of Public Health https://covid19.moph.gov.qa/EN/travel-and-return-policy/Pages/default.aspx .
https://www.moph.gov.qa/english/derpartments/policyaffairs/hfid/Pages/Health-Insurance-Scheme.aspx
https://www.moph.gov.qa/english/derpartments/policyaffairs/hfid/hirs/insurancecompanies/Pages/default.aspx
https://visitqatar.com/intl-en/practical-info/qatar-entry-rules
Passport valid for at least three months
Confirmed round-trip ticket
Confirmed hotel reservation booked through Discover Qatar - https://www.discoverqatar.qa/
Health insurance from an accredited insurance company - List of approved Insurance companies - Ministry of Public Health - Home (moph.gov.qa)
Passengers must carry cash worth USD 1400/- (per person) OR have a credit card.

When travelling to Qatar, please note the below requirement:

“OK To Board” message is not required for the following categories of passengers for travel to Qatar:

Passengers holding valid resident permits or passports stamped with Resident Visa.
Passengers eligible for “Visa on Arrival” irrespective of nationality.
Passengers travelling with a printout of Business and Tourist e-visa.
All passengers holding ECR (Immigration Check Required) passports.
All passengers travelling with a printout of labour and work e-visa.
Employment visa is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. Indian Citizens travelling on this visa with an ECR (Emigration Check Required) stamp on the Passport must carry a valid Protector of Emigrants (POE) letter.

For Vistara operated flights to Dhaka from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as on date:

When travelling to Dhaka, please note the below requirement:

“OK To Board” message is not required for the following categories of passengers for travel to Dhaka:

Passengers holding valid resident permits or passport stamped with Resident Visa.
Passengers travelling with a print-out of Business and Tourist e-Visa.
Employment visa is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. Indian citizens travelling on this visa with ECR (Emigration Check Required) stamp on the passport must carry a valid Protector of Emigrants (POE) Letter.

Please click here for all travel-related information for Dhaka.

For Vistara operated flights to Dubai from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as on date:

Only the following categories of passengers will be allowed entry to Dubai:

Holders of all types of visas i.e., newly issued Employment visa, newly issued residency visa, newly issued short/long stay visa, newly issued visit visa are permitted to travel to Dubai whether vaccinated or not vaccinated & do not require GDRFA or ICA Approval.
Passenger must have a visitor visa, or a green card issued by the United States or passengers is holding a Residence Permit issued by the United Kingdom or European Union.
All customers must download the COVID-19 Dubai Smart App and generate a QR code on their device before entering Dubai. Click to download – Android and iOS versions of the app.

When Transiting Dubai, please note the below requirement:

Due to the new regulations introduced at Dubai International Airport, please note that all passengers travelling on Visit or Tourist visas will be required to carry the following documents with them to avoid the risk of deportation. 1. Passport with a minimum of 6 months' validity from the departure date.

Confirmed return ticket.
Proof of accommodation or hotel booking.

2. Sufficient funds of a minimum of AED 3000 or CC with an available Credit limit of AED 3000 to cover the expenses in the UAE.

Please note that Vistara operates from Terminal 1.

For Vistara operated flights to and from Frankfurt, please note the following guidelines as on date:

Passengers are requested to check the link below for all travel-related information. https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/visa-service/EinreiseUndAufenthalt#content_0

Vistara operates from Terminal 2 at Frankfurt Airport.

For Vistara-operated flights to and from Hong Kong, please note the following guidelines as on date:

Passengers with Indian Passports need to have an ETA for Hong Kong SAR. You are requested to check the link: https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/pre-arrival_registration_for_indian_nationals.html

All passengers must undergo health screening upon arrival in Hong Kong.

After successful application of the Pre-Arrival Registration (PAR) form, all passengers must print the notification slip generated by the PAR system on a sheet of blank A4 white paper. Before boarding your flight, the check-in staff will check the notification slip. If a passenger fails to present the notification slip along with the passport used to apply for PAR, it will lead to refusal of boarding and refusal of entry to Hong Kong SAR.

Passengers are requested to check the link below for all travel-related information: https://www.discoverhongkong.com/hk-eng/index.html

Passengers can obtain a Visitor visa for the Purpose of Tourism (Visa on arrival) (VOA) at Jeddah Airport, provided they comply with the following:

For Vistara operated flights to Kathmandu from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as on date:

Passengers travelling to Nepal are no longer required to show a negative RT-PCR report
Passengers are requested to check the following link for all travel-related information - https://ntb.gov.np/en/latest-travel-updates

For Vistara operated flights to London from India, please note the following guidelines as on date:

Passengers are requested to check the link for all travel-related information.

Please note: All departures and arrivals to and from India will be at Terminal 3 of Heathrow Airport.

For Vistara operated flights to Malé from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as of date:

The following categories are allowed to travel:

Tourists – Must have confirmed hotel reservation for the entire stay at a registered tourist facility: https://www.tourism.gov.mv/en/registered/facilities
Maldivian Nationals
Special Visa Holders
Business Visa Holders
Foreign diplomats and their accompanying family members
Crew of ships who arrive by air to sign on to a ship
Holders of a valid work permit or work visa
Holders of any other resident permit of Maldives

Pre-Departure Requirements in general for all passengers –

a. All passengers must complete and submit the online traveler health declaration form available on the Maldives immigration website portal: https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ within 96 hours of the flight time before arrival to the Maldives.

b. All Passengers travelling for the purpose of tourism shall be issued a visa on arrival

c. Passengers must be in possession of valid return ticket

Departure from the Maldives:

All departing passengers must complete an online declaration form available on the Maldives Immigration website portal: https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/ethd within 96 hours of the flight time before departure from the Maldives.

For Vistara operated flights to Mauritius from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as on date:

Any passenger holding a valid visa, with a confirmed return ticket and hotel stay.
Indian nationals are eligible for visa on arrival in Mauritius.

Entry Guidelines:

Filling of all-in-one travel form is recommended prior to boarding (but not mandatory for boarding) : https://safemauritius.govmu.org/
Wearing a surgical or N95/FFP2 mask during the flight is not mandatory but recommended.
Wearing a mask at the airport is not mandatory but recommended.
Any person having been tested positive for COVID-19 within 7 days of departure date shall not be allowed to board a flight to Mauritius.

For Vistara-operated flights to Muscat from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as on date:

Any passenger with a valid visa can enter Oman
Passport must be valid for at least 6 months prior to entering Oman
For more information related to visas, please visit: https://evisa.rop.gov.om/

Visa on arrival (VOA) to enter Muscat

All professions under the sponsor of the company can get a visa on arrival
Professions under the sponsor of GCC Residents should travel with the sponsor to get a visa on arrival i.e. (housemaid, family driver) Also, the Families of GCC residents Should travel with the sponsor written on GCC Resident Card.
Indian nationals with valid Schengen/USA/UK/Japan visa can also enter Oman on visa on arrival
Student are NOT eligible for visa on arrival

When travelling to Oman, please note the below requirement:

“OK To Board” message is not required for the following categories of passengers for travel to Oman:

o Passengers holding valid resident permits or passports stamped with Resident Visa

o Passengers eligible for “Visa on Arrival” irrespective of nationality

Indian Passport passengers holding ECR (Immigration Check Required) passport
Indian Passport passengers travelling with a print-out of labour and work e-visa
Indian Passport Passengers holding e-visa
Indian Passport Passengers with Short-term E-visa – Passport with ECR and ECNR Category
Indian Passport Passengers with Long-Team E-visa – Passport with ECR and ECNR Category
The employment visa is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. Indian Citizens travelling on this visa with ECR (Emigration Check Required) stamp on the Passport must carry a valid Protector of Emigrants (POE) letter.

For Vistara-operated flights to Paris from India, please note the following guidelines as on date:

Passengers are requested to click here for all travel-related information.

IMPORTANT ADVISORY:

Airport Transit Visa (ATV) for transit via France:

As on 27- April-2021, the French authorities have implemented new travel requirements. Passengers holding Indian passports must be in possession of a valid Airport Transit Visa (ATV) to transit via France if their final destination is outside the Schengen Area. To know more, visit https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/airport-transit-visa .

For Vistara operated flights to Singapore from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as on date:

Please refer to the link to check the travel eligibility: https://www.ica.gov.sg/enter-transit-depart/entering-singapore
It is mandatory for all passengers to submit the SG Arrival Card (SGAC) ( https://eservices.ica.gov.sg/sgarrivalcard ), within 3 days before the date of arrival in Singapore and present their SGAC acknowledgment email with any relevant supporting documentation at check‑in for their flight to Singapore. Please note that the physical arrival card (white card) is no longer accepted. There are three sections on the SGAC to be completed.

i. Personal Particulars

ii. Vaccination status, including the submission of proof of vaccination for those who are vaccinated outside Singapore. Those vaccinated in Singapore do not need to upload their proof of vaccination

iii. Health declaration

Details on entry requirements and health protocols can be found on the SafeTravel website ( https://www.ica.gov.sg/enter-transit-depart ).

Kindly note that all Toy or replica guns are controlled under the Regulation of Imports and Exports Regulations (RIER) and approval is required for its import. Travellers entering Singapore with any toy or replica guns must obtain prior approval for import from the Police Licensing and Regulatory Department. Any travellers who do not have the required approval shall declare the toy or replica guns to the immigration officers at the red channel upon arrival.

All passengers arriving in or departing Singapore are required to declare if they are carrying more than SGD 20000 (or its equivalent in foreign currency) in physical currency, or by other means. Travellers arriving or departing are to submit the declarations after submitting the SG Arrival Card or separately via the ICA website.

For frequently asked questions (FAQs) pertaining to international travel, please click here .

Web check-in for international travel opens 96 hours prior to departure.

To ensure minimum physical contact and smooth movement given the ongoing pandemic, passengers are advised to carry a negative RT-PCR test report with QR code for boarding international flights departing from lndia. This is applicable only to those passengers who are required to carry negative RT-PCR test report as per the guidelines/requirements issued by the destination countries.

Customers are requested to report at least 2 hours prior to departure for smooth facilitation. Check-in counters will close 1 hour prior to flight departure for domestic flights.
All customers are encouraged to web check-in.
Boarding gates will open 1 hour and close 20 minutes before departure.
Staggered and sequential boarding will be followed. Priority boarding for Business Class customers, CV members, and Vistara Priority customers through a separate lane.
Our aircraft are equipped with powerful HEPA filters that trap 99.9% of particulates such as viruses (including coronaviruses), bacteria and fungi and purify the air inside the cabin every two to three minutes.

How can you help?

We urge you to wear a mask at all times and follow necessary personal precautions to make flying feel safe.

We look forward to welcoming you on board.

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Latest UAE Travel Update: New Guidelines and Rules for International Flights from India

Curated By : Auto Desk

Edited By: Arjit Garg

Last Updated: August 20, 2021, 10:12 IST

UAE residents flying in from India and five other nations are no longer required to present COVID-19 vaccination certificate for entry, the country's flag carrier Emirates announced on August 10. (Image: Reuters)

It must be noted that not all travellers are allowed to fly between India and Dubai and only transit travellers and UAE residents from India are permitted to travel to Dubai.

The United Arab of Emirates (UAE) has lifted the ban for transit travellers from India. This facilitates more flight services between the two countries. Budget carrier IndiGo shared a schedule of flights from the National Capital Region (NCR) to Dubai. It must be noted that not all travellers are allowed to fly between India and Dubai and only transit travellers and UAE residents from India are permitted to travel to Dubai. Here’s a complete set of guidelines for UAE-India travel-

India to UAE

Passengers with valid UAE resident visa will be accepted to travel from India to UAE subject to holding following documents:

For UAE Residence Visa Holders issued from Dubai and travelling to Dubai: “Return Permit for Resident outside UAE form" which is issued to the passenger(s) from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA)

For UAE Resident VISA holders travelling to UAE other than Dubai: “Return Permit for Resident outside UAE form" which is issued to the passenger(s).

Expo 2020 Visa holders are permitted to travel to UAE without GDRFA/ICA.

Travel Requirement for all Passengers for travel from India to UAE:

A VALID Negative Covid-19 test certificate with QR code linked to the original report. This has to be issued within the valid time frame, i.e. 48 hours from the time of collecting the sample to the scheduled departure time and has to be taken from an ICMR approved laboratory.

A Rapid PCR test report that should be based on molecular diagnostic testing intended for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid for SARS-COV-2 viral RNA; conducted at the Indian departure airport prior to four (4) hours of departure.

Additional requirements for passengers arriving into Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Ras al-Khaimah Airports (RKT):

10 days home quarantine upon arrival in RKT and 12 days home/institutional quarantine in AUH.

PCR test on the 4th and the 8th day after arrival in RKT and PCR test on the 6th and the 11th day after arrival into AUH.

Adherence to wearing the tracking watch on arrival.

Passengers are advised to report 6 hours prior departure as Rapid PCR test counters at Airports would close 2 hours prior to the departure.

As per Dubai Civil Aviation Authorities, RT-PCR Test done from the laboratories listed below will not be accepted:

1. Suryam Lab in Jaipur

2. Dr P. BHASIN Pathlabs(p) Ltd. in Delhi

3. Noble Diagnostic Centre in Delhi

4. 360 Diagnostic & Health. Services

Process for verifying international vaccination certificates for passengers to Abu Dhabi:

Passengers must to register in the Register Arrivals section of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) app or website, complete the register arrivals form and upload an international vaccination certificate.

They will receive an SMS including a link to download Alhosn app.

On arrival into Abu Dhabi, passengers will receive a Unified Identification Number (UID) either at the airport or via ICA app or website.

Passengers must download and register on the Alhosn app, using the UID and phone number used for ICA registration or when taking a PCR test in the UAE. Passengers will receive a one-time password (OTP) to complete the Alhosn app registration process.

*Passengers must ensure that they comply with all travel and health requirements of the destination country. If passengers are denied entry, they will have to bear the cost of penalty/ deportation.

All passengers are required to check the UAE Government Authority Website for the latest updates on travel.

UAE to India

All passengers departing from UAE to India are required to carry a Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test certificate, with a validity of not more than 72 hours from the time of departure.

Passenger Category Permitted to travel from UAE to India:

1. Nationals of India/ Nepal/ Bhutan stranded in UAE/ Africa/ South America

2. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders and Person of Indian origin (PIO) cardholders holding passports of any country

3. UAE nationals and nationals from Africa/ South America (including dependent with appropriate category of dependent visa) intending to visit India for any purpose except tourist visa.

Passengers travelling on flights from UAE to India should have originated travel from UAE or any country in South America or Africa only.

Passengers who have undertaken COVID-19 RT-PCR test are exempt from undertaking the rapid test. Effective 31st January 2021, a Rapid PCR or Rapid Antigen test will be available at the airport for travelers departing from Dubai if their destination country requires it.

With inputs from Air India Express

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News and Assembly Elections Live Updates here.

Dubai International Airport, Busiest for Global Travel, Sees Half-Year Record of 44.9M Passengers

Dubai International Airport has seen a record 44.9 million travelers pass through its terminals in the first half of this year

Adam Scheck

FILE - An Emirates plane taxis to a gate at Dubai International Airport at Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Adam Schreck, File)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Dubai International Airport saw a record 44.9 million travelers pass through its terminals in the first half of this year, putting the world's busiest airport for international travel back on track to beat its all-time record, as aviation booms after the coronavirus pandemic.

The results released on Wednesday follow a record-breaking annual profit for the long-haul carrier Emirates that calls the airport — known as DXB — its home. The results come as Dubai plans to move operations to a nearly $35 billion new airfield in the next decade.

Meanwhile, a real-estate boom and its highest-ever tourism numbers have made the city-state in the United Arab Emirates not just a layover, but also a destination for even more travelers.

“Before the pandemic, 60% of people coming through the airport were actually transiting to other cities and countries. We've now got 60% coming to the city and 40% in transit,” Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths told The Associated Press. “That is obviously very good because it means that traffic to the city is very dynamic and buoyant,” he added.

The airport had 89.1 million passengers in 2018, its busiest-ever year before the pandemic. Sixty-six million passengers passed through in 2022 and 86.9 million passengers in 2023.

“We are headed for a forecast number for the balance of the year of 91.8 million passengers, which is again another record for us,” Griffiths added.

DXB long has served as a barometer for the aviation industry worldwide and the wider economic health of Dubai. The UAE and the airline rebounded quickly from the pandemic by pushing forward with tourism even as some countries more slowly came out of their pandemic crouch.

Travelers from India passed through DXB terminals in the largest numbers through the first half of the year, followed by Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

Passengers transiting from China notably surged to about one million, an 80% increase over the same period last year, yet levels remain below those seen before the pandemic.

That has seen whiplash at an airport briefly shut during the pandemic to one now straining from the traffic. In April, Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced plans to move DXB's operations to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) at Dubai World Central , an airfield in the city's southern reaches whose development had been delayed by the repercussions of the sheikhdom’s 2009 economic crisis.

The goal of expanding Al Maktoum International “really is to try and get the airport there capable of supporting something like 260 million passengers when fully developed. Now, clearly at DXB, we are limited on the land space that we've got available,” Griffiths said. “We probably have another 5 to 10 years (of) growth left at DXB, but beyond that, we will need growth at DWC phase two.”

Plans call for a curving, white terminal reminiscent of the traditional Bedouin tents of the Arabian Peninsula. The airport will include five parallel runways and 400 aircraft gates, officials say. The airport now has just two runways, like Dubai International Airport.

Al Maktoum International Airport, some 45 kilometers (28 miles) away from DXB, opened in 2010 with one terminal. It served as a parking lot for Emirates’ double-decker Airbus A380s and other aircraft during the pandemic. But since then, it has slowly returned to life with cargo and private flights. It also hosts the biennial Dubai Air Show and has a vast, empty desert in which to expand.

The announcement by Sheikh Mohammed noted Dubai’s plans to expand further south. Already, its nearby Expo 2020 site has been offering homes for buyers.

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell contributed to this report.

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Pcr Test Or No Pcr Test: Unraveling The Mystery Of Travel Requirements To Dubai

Last updated Aug 02, 2024
Difficulty Beginner

Category Travel

As of January 2023, a negative PCR test is no longer required for travellers to enter Dubai. The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) has eased Covid-19 protocols, removing the PCR test requirement for fully vaccinated arrivals. However, it is important to note that travel requirements may change, and it is the responsibility of travellers to stay updated with the latest guidelines and restrictions. Previously, travellers were required to present a negative Covid-19 PCR test report within 72 hours before departure, and certain countries had to adhere to stricter protocols.

What You'll Learn

Pcr test requirements for dubai travel from the uk, pcr test requirements for dubai transit passengers, pcr test exemptions for dubai travel, covid-19 test certificate validity for dubai travel, on-arrival pcr test requirements in dubai.

As of January 2023, Dubai has eased its COVID-19 protocols and no longer requires fully vaccinated arrivals into the country to present a negative PCR test or a vaccination certificate. However, it's important to monitor the latest updates, as COVID cases are on the rise again and this may result in new restrictions being imposed.

Current PCR Test Requirements for Dubai Travel

All passengers travelling to Dubai, regardless of their country of origin, are no longer required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate or perform PCR tests. This includes travellers from the UK. However, it's important to comply with any transit requirements and the travel requirements of your final destination.

Previous PCR Test Requirements for Dubai Travel

Previously, all passengers travelling to Dubai from any country, including the UK, were required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test report within 72 hours before departure. This report had to be issued by an authorised laboratory and included specific requirements, such as a QR code.

Some countries, including the UK, were subject to additional protocols, such as presenting a negative COVID-19 PCR test report within 48 hours of departure and undergoing a rapid PCR test at the departure airport within 6 hours before departure.

Exemptions from PCR Testing

It's important to note that even during the height of the pandemic, certain travellers were exempted from PCR testing when travelling to Dubai. This included UAE nationals, first-degree relatives of UAE nationals, domestic workers travelling with a UAE national sponsor, children under 12 years old, and passengers with moderate to severe disabilities.

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As of January 2023, PCR tests are no longer required for passengers travelling to Dubai. Passengers travelling from or through Dubai now only need to comply with the transit requirements and travel requirements of their final destination. However, it is important to note that the COVID-19 situation is constantly evolving, and requirements may change. Therefore, it is recommended to check the latest updates before travelling.

Previously, passengers travelling to Dubai were subject to different PCR testing requirements depending on their country of origin and final destination. Some countries required a negative PCR test certificate with a validity of 48 to 96 hours before departure, while others mandated additional testing upon arrival in Dubai.

For transit passengers, the requirements varied based on their final destination. Those travelling from specific countries, such as Afghanistan, Indonesia, India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Uganda, were required to present a negative PCR test certificate, typically taken within 72 hours before departure. Other countries did not mandate a PCR test for transit passengers unless specified by their final destination.

It is important to note that the PCR testing requirements for Dubai have changed over time, with updates being made as the COVID-19 situation evolves. Therefore, it is always advisable to review the latest information from official sources before planning your travel to ensure you have the most up-to-date and accurate details.

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As of January 2023, Dubai has eased its COVID-19 protocols, and no longer requires a PCR test for fully vaccinated travellers. However, there are some exemptions to this rule. Here are the details:

Exemptions for Children:

Children under the age of 12 are exempt from providing a negative COVID-19 PCR test result when travelling to Dubai. This exemption applies regardless of the country of origin.

Exemptions for Passengers with Disabilities:

Passengers with moderate to severe disabilities are also exempt from providing a negative PCR test. This includes neurological disorders and intellectual or developmental disabilities, such as Acute Spinal Cord Injury, Alzheimer's disease, Autism Spectrum, Bell's Palsy, and more.

Exemptions for UAE Nationals and First-Degree Relatives:

UAE nationals and their first-degree relatives travelling on the same flight are exempt from providing a PCR test. Additionally, domestic workers travelling with a UAE national sponsor are also exempt.

Exemptions for Specific Countries:

Passengers travelling to Dubai from certain countries may be exempt from providing a PCR test. For example, passengers from Brazil with a confirmed onward connection through Dubai do not need to present a negative PCR test. However, it is important to check the latest guidelines for your specific country of origin, as these exemptions may change.

Exemptions for Diplomatic Missions:

Members of diplomatic missions may be exempt from providing a PCR test when travelling to Dubai. For example, diplomats departing from Nigeria must present a COVID-19 PCR test certificate from an approved lab.

It is important to note that these exemptions may change as COVID-19 guidelines evolve. Therefore, it is recommended to check the latest travel advice and guidelines provided by the official sources before planning your trip to Dubai.

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As of January 2023, the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) has scrapped the PCR test requirement for fully vaccinated travellers to Dubai. However, it is important to note that COVID-19 cases have been increasing in the country, so it is advisable to check for any changes in Dubai's entry restrictions before planning your trip.

Previously, passengers travelling to Dubai were required to present either a valid vaccination certificate or a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate. This requirement was lifted for all passengers travelling from or through Dubai, who now only need to comply with the requirements of their final destination.

For travellers arriving in Dubai from specific countries, different rules may apply. Previously, passengers from the UK needed to hold a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate taken no more than 48 to 72 hours before departure. This rule also applied to passengers transiting through Dubai airports. Additionally, some passengers from specific countries were required to take another COVID-19 test upon arrival at Dubai International Airport.

It is important to note that COVID-19 test certificates must be issued by an authorised facility in the passenger's departure country and must include a QR code. Printed or digital certificates in English or Arabic are accepted, while SMS certificates are usually not accepted.

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As of 2023, Dubai has lifted its travel restrictions for almost all countries. However, there are still some requirements and guidelines that travellers should be aware of. Here are the key points regarding on-arrival PCR test requirements for Dubai:

Firstly, it's important to note that certain individuals are exempt from PCR testing requirements altogether. UAE nationals arriving from any country are not required to present a negative PCR test or vaccination certificate. This exemption also extends to first-degree relatives of UAE nationals travelling on the same flight, domestic workers travelling with a UAE national sponsor, and children below 12 years old. Additionally, passengers with moderate to severe disabilities are exempt from testing requirements.

General Guidelines for On-Arrival PCR Testing

For all other travellers, the requirement for on-arrival PCR testing depends on the country of origin. Passengers arriving from certain countries, such as Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bahrain, and others listed by the UAE government, must undergo a mandatory second COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival at either of Dubai's two airports. It is important to note that the guidelines may change, so travellers should refer to the latest updates from official sources.

Transit Passengers

For transit passengers, the requirements differ based on their country of origin. Transit passengers from specific countries, such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, and others, must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test report taken within 72 hours before departure. However, passengers transiting through Dubai from other countries do not need a PCR test unless mandated by their final destination.

Test Requirements

Dubai has specific requirements for the type of test accepted. The test must be a Reverse Transcription – Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test, and only official test reports in English or Arabic with a QR code are accepted. Antibody tests, rapid PCR tests, home-testing kits, and SMS certificates are not permitted. The test must be conducted by authorised laboratories, and the report must be issued within the specified timeframe before departure.

Additional Guidelines

Upon arrival in Dubai, travellers may be asked to take a second COVID-19 PCR test and remain in their hotel or residence until the result is known. If an individual tests positive, they must follow the Dubai Health Authority guidelines for isolation. Additionally, downloading the COVID19 – DXB Smart App or the DXB COVID19 app is recommended for monitoring purposes.

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Frequently asked questions.

As of January 2023, a PCR test is no longer required to enter Dubai. However, it is important to stay updated with the latest travel guidelines as they are subject to change.

Yes, the following passengers are exempt from taking a PCR test: UAE nationals, first-degree relatives of a UAE national, domestic workers travelling with a UAE national sponsor, children under 12 years old, and passengers with moderate to severe disabilities.

A Reverse Transcription – Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test from an authorised laboratory is mandatory. Antibody tests, rapid PCR tests, home-testing kits, and SMS certificates are not accepted.

The PCR test must be taken within 72 hours before departure to Dubai. Some countries may have additional requirements, such as a valid negative COVID-19 PCR test report with a QR code within 48 hours of departure.

All passengers, including transit passengers, may need to complete a health declaration form and download the COVID19 – DXB Smart App or DXB COVID19 app before arrival. It is also recommended to bring a printed or digital certificate of a negative PCR test result.

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India Traveler View

Travel health notices, vaccines and medicines, non-vaccine-preventable diseases, stay healthy and safe.

Packing List

After Your Trip

Be aware of current health issues in India. Learn how to protect yourself.

Level 1 Practice Usual Precautions

Global Measles July 24, 2024 Many international destinations are reporting increased numbers of cases of measles. Destination List: Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Zambia

⇧ Top

Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. If you or your doctor need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit the Find a Clinic page.

Routine vaccines

Recommendations.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

Chickenpox (Varicella)
Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
Flu (influenza)
Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)

Immunization schedules

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see Your COVID-19 Vaccination for more information.

COVID-19 vaccine

Chikungunya

There has been evidence of chikungunya virus transmission in India within the last 5 years. Chikungunya vaccination may be considered for the following travelers:

People aged 65 years or older, especially those with underlying medical conditions, who may spend at least 2 weeks (cumulative time) in indoor or outdoor areas where mosquitoes are present in India, OR
People planning to stay in India for a cumulative period of 6 months or more

Chikungunya - CDC Yellow Book

Cholera is presumed to be present in India. Cholera is rare in travelers. Certain factors may increase the risk of getting cholera or having severe disease ( more information ). Avoiding unsafe food and water and washing your hands can also help prevent cholera.

Vaccination may be considered for children and adults who are traveling to areas of active cholera transmission.

Cholera - CDC Yellow Book

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to India.

Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.

Travelers allergic to a vaccine component should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.

Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis A - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep A

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers younger than 60 years old traveling to India. Unvaccinated travelers 60 years and older may get vaccinated before traveling to India.

Hepatitis B - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep B

Japanese Encephalitis

Recommended for travelers who

Are moving to an area with Japanese encephalitis to live
Spend long periods of time, such as a month or more, in areas with Japanese encephalitis
Frequently travel to areas with Japanese encephalitis

Consider vaccination for travelers

Spending less than a month in areas with Japanese encephalitis but will be doing activities that increase risk of infection, such as visiting rural areas, hiking or camping, or staying in places without air conditioning, screens, or bed nets
Going to areas with Japanese encephalitis who are uncertain of their activities or how long they will be there

Not recommended for travelers planning short-term travel to urban areas or travel to areas with no clear Japanese encephalitis season.

Japanese encephalitis - CDC Yellow Book

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine for US Children

CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of India take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take.

Find country-specific information about malaria.

Malaria - CDC Yellow Book

Considerations when choosing a drug for malaria prophylaxis (CDC Yellow Book)

Malaria information for India.

Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide. Travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure, or have not had measles in the past, and travel internationally to areas where measles is spreading.

All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel .

Measles (Rubeola) - CDC Yellow Book

Dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in India.

Rabies is also present in some terrestrial wildlife species.

If rabies exposures occur while in India, rabies vaccines are typically available throughout most of the country.

Rabies pre-exposure vaccination considerations include whether travelers 1) will be performing occupational or recreational activities that increase risk for exposure to potentially rabid animals and 2) might have difficulty getting prompt access to safe post-exposure prophylaxis.

Please consult with a healthcare provider to determine whether you should receive pre-exposure vaccination before travel.

For more information, see country rabies status assessments .

Rabies - CDC Yellow Book

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Typhoid - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Typhoid

Yellow Fever

Arrive within 6 days of leaving an area with risk for YF virus transmission, or
Have been in such an area in transit (exception: passengers and members of flight crews who, while in transit through an airport in an area with risk for YF virus transmission, remained in the airport during their entire stay and the health officer agrees to such an exemption), or
Arrive on a ship that started from or touched at any port in an area with risk for YF virus transmission ≤30 days before its arrival in India, unless such a ship has been disinsected in accordance with the procedure recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), or
Arrive on an aircraft that has been in an area with risk for YF virus transmission and has not been disinsected in accordance with the Indian Aircraft Public Health Rules, 1954, or as recommended by WHO.
Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda
Americas: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago (Trinidad only), Venezuela

Yellow Fever - CDC Yellow Book

Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)

Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
Avoid contaminated water and soil
Avoid floodwater

Clinical Guidance

Avoid bug bites.

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever

Tick bite
Touching the body fluids of a person or animal infected with CCHF
Avoid Bug Bites
Mosquito bite

Leishmaniasis

Sand fly bite
An infected pregnant woman can spread it to her unborn baby

Airborne & droplet

Avian/bird flu.

Being around, touching, or working with infected poultry, such as visiting poultry farms or live-animal markets
Avoid domestic and wild poultry
Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
Bite from an infected rodent
Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
Avoid rodents and areas where they live
Avoid sick people

Tuberculosis (TB)

Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.

Avoid skin contact

Antimicrobial-resistant (ar) ringworm.

Close contact with infected person
Shared objects (e.g., towels, bed sheets)
Shared surfaces (e.g., locker room and shower floors)
Keep skin clean and dry.
Do not share bedding, towels, or clothes.
Avoid touching the infected area so it does not spread to other parts of your body.
Consult a healthcare provider for treatment and testing.
Avoid steroid creams, as they can make the ringworm worse.
Use prescribed or over-the-counter (OTC) antifungals exactly as directed and contact a healthcare provider if treatment is not working.
Topical antifungals and oral terbinafine are frequently ineffective against AR ringworm.

Emerging Severe and Antimicrobial-Resistant Ringworm | Ringworm | CDC

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in India, so your behaviors are important.

Eat and drink safely

Food and water standards around the world vary based on the destination. Standards may also differ within a country and risk may change depending on activity type (e.g., hiking versus business trip). You can learn more about safe food and drink choices when traveling by accessing the resources below.

Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling
Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling
Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
Avoid Contaminated Water During Travel

You can also visit the Department of State Country Information Pages for additional information about food and water safety.

Prevent bug bites

Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in India. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

What can I do to prevent bug bites?

Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
Stay and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms.
Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.

What type of insect repellent should I use?

FOR PROTECTION AGAINST TICKS AND MOSQUITOES: Use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
2-undecanone
Always use insect repellent as directed.

What should I do if I am bitten by bugs?

Avoid scratching bug bites, and apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce the itching.
Check your entire body for ticks after outdoor activity. Be sure to remove ticks properly.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance. See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them. For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs .

For more detailed information on avoiding bug bites, see Avoid Bug Bites .

Some diseases in India—such as dengue, Zika, filariasis, and leishmaniasis—are spread by bugs and cannot be prevented with a vaccine. Follow the insect avoidance measures described above to prevent these and other illnesses.

Stay safe outdoors

If your travel plans in India include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
If you are outside for many hours in heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
Protect yourself from UV radiation : use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.
Do not dive into shallow water.
Do not swim in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor.
Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
To prevent infections, wear shoes on beaches where there may be animal waste.

Schistosomiasis and leptospirosis, infections that can be spread in fresh water, are found in India. Avoid swimming in fresh, unchlorinated water, such as lakes, ponds, or rivers.

Keep away from animals

Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Follow these tips to protect yourself:

Do not touch or feed any animals you do not know.
Do not allow animals to lick open wounds, and do not get animal saliva in your eyes or mouth.
Avoid rodents and their urine and feces.
Traveling pets should be supervised closely and not allowed to come in contact with local animals.
If you wake in a room with a bat, seek medical care immediately. Bat bites may be hard to see.

All animals can pose a threat, but be extra careful around dogs, bats, monkeys, sea animals such as jellyfish, and snakes. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately:

Wash the wound with soap and clean water.
Go to a doctor right away.
Tell your doctor about your injury when you get back to the United States.

Consider buying medical evacuation insurance. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries.

Reduce your exposure to germs

Follow these tips to avoid getting sick or spreading illness to others while traveling:

Wash your hands often, especially before eating.
If soap and water aren’t available, clean hands with hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol).
Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care.

Avoid sharing body fluids

Diseases can be spread through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, vomit, and semen.

Protect yourself:

Use latex condoms correctly.
Do not inject drugs.
Limit alcohol consumption. People take more risks when intoxicated.
Do not share needles or any devices that can break the skin. That includes needles for tattoos, piercings, and acupuncture.
If you receive medical or dental care, make sure the equipment is disinfected or sanitized.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance.
Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take.
Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call India’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ).

In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit. Bring the medicines you will need from the United States to avoid having to buy them at your destination.

Malaria is a risk in India. Fill your malaria prescription before you leave and take enough with you for the entire length of your trip. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking the pills; some need to be started before you leave.

Select safe transportation

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of healthy US citizens in foreign countries.

In many places cars, buses, large trucks, rickshaws, bikes, people on foot, and even animals share the same lanes of traffic, increasing the risk for crashes.

Be smart when you are traveling on foot.

Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
Pay attention to the traffic around you, especially in crowded areas.
Remember, people on foot do not always have the right of way in other countries.

Riding/Driving

Choose a safe vehicle.

Choose official taxis or public transportation, such as trains and buses.
Ride only in cars that have seatbelts.
Avoid overcrowded, overloaded, top-heavy buses and minivans.
Avoid riding on motorcycles or motorbikes, especially motorbike taxis. (Many crashes are caused by inexperienced motorbike drivers.)
Choose newer vehicles—they may have more safety features, such as airbags, and be more reliable.
Choose larger vehicles, which may provide more protection in crashes.

Think about the driver.

Do not drive after drinking alcohol or ride with someone who has been drinking.
Consider hiring a licensed, trained driver familiar with the area.
Arrange payment before departing.

Follow basic safety tips.

Wear a seatbelt at all times.
Sit in the back seat of cars and taxis.
When on motorbikes or bicycles, always wear a helmet. (Bring a helmet from home, if needed.)
Avoid driving at night; street lighting in certain parts of India may be poor.
Do not use a cell phone or text while driving (illegal in many countries).
Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas.
If you choose to drive a vehicle in India, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork.
Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
Check with your auto insurance policy's international coverage, and get more coverage if needed. Make sure you have liability insurance.
Avoid using local, unscheduled aircraft.
If possible, fly on larger planes (more than 30 seats); larger airplanes are more likely to have regular safety inspections.
Try to schedule flights during daylight hours and in good weather.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

If you are seriously injured, emergency care may not be available or may not meet US standards. Trauma care centers are uncommon outside urban areas. Having medical evacuation insurance can be helpful for these reasons.

Helpful Resources

Road Safety Overseas (Information from the US Department of State): Includes tips on driving in other countries, International Driving Permits, auto insurance, and other resources.

The Association for International Road Travel has country-specific Road Travel Reports available for most countries for a minimal fee.

Traffic flows on the left side of the road in India.

Always pay close attention to the flow of traffic, especially when crossing the street.
LOOK RIGHT for approaching traffic.

For information traffic safety and road conditions in India, see Travel and Transportation on US Department of State's country-specific information for India .

Maintain personal security

Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home, and always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Before you leave

Research your destination(s), including local laws, customs, and culture.
Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State.
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home.
Pack as light as possible, and leave at home any item you could not replace.

While at your destination(s)

Carry contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate .
Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp; leave the actual passport securely in your hotel.
Follow all local laws and social customs.
Do not wear expensive clothing or jewelry.
Always keep hotel doors locked, and store valuables in secure areas.
If possible, choose hotel rooms between the 2nd and 6th floors.

To call for emergency services while in India, dial 100 or, from a mobile phone, 112. Write these numbers down to carry with you during your trip.

Learn as much as you can about India before you travel there. A good place to start is the country-specific information on India from the US Department of State.

Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for India for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic . Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

If your doctor prescribed antimalarial medicine for your trip, keep taking the rest of your pills after you return home. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, you could still get sick.

Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the doctor about your travel history.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel .

Map Disclaimer - The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement are generally marked.

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Foreign airlines lose interest in China as domestic carriers expand abroad

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British Airways suspends London-Beijing route
Need to bypass Russian airspace hurts many foreign carriers
Chinese airlines gaining international market share

Airlines that do not overfly Russia take longer to fly between several destinations.

FOREIGN CARRIERS RETREAT

Passengers look at the tarmac as they wait for their flights at the Beijing Capital International Airport, in Beijing

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Reporting by Lisa Barrington in Seoul; Additional reporting by Ilona Wissenbach in Frankfurt, Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago and Joanna Plucinska in London; Editing by Jamie Freed

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Lines remain at airports after cyber outage, in Atlanta

Tesla stops taking orders for cheapest Cybertruck, offers $100,000 version now

Tesla has stopped taking orders for the least expensive version of its Cybertruck, which is priced at $61,000, while making the $100,000 version available for immediate order and delivery as soon as this month, its website showed.

Stacked containers are shown as ships unload their cargo at the Port of Los Angeles

Dubai's DXB Airport Sees Record Year for Passengers After 8% Rise in H1

FILE PHOTO: People sit at a coffee shop as they wait for their flight after a rainstorm hits Dubai, causing delays at the Dubai International Airport, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 17, 2024. REUTERS/Staff/File Photo

RIYADH (Reuters) - Dubai's main airport is on track to handle a record number of passengers this year after an 8% year-on-year increase in the first six months, operator Dubai Airports said on Wednesday.

Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world's busiest airport for international traffic, welcomed 44.9 million passengers in the first half of the year, Dubai Airports said, noting strong demand from key markets such as India and the resurgence of China.

Traffic from China, hit hard by restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, exceeded one million passengers, up 80% year-on-year and representing 90% of 2019 levels.

"We have a very optimistic outlook for the remainder of the year, and we are on track to break records with 91.8 million annual guests forecasted for 2024," CEO Paul Griffiths said in a statement.

In May, Griffiths forecast 91 million passengers for the year, surpassing the airport's previous annual record of 89.1 million in 2018.

Dubai is a major tourism and trade hub in the Middle East, attracting a record 17.15 million international overnight visitors in 2023. Thousands of foreigners have flocked to the city, attracted by massive infrastructure spending, generous income tax policies and an open-door approach to immigration.

In April, Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum approved a new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International airport worth 128 billion dirhams ($35 billion).

Al Maktoum International Airport will be the largest in the world with a capacity of up to 260 million passengers, and five times the size of DXB, the Sheikh said at the time, adding all operations at Dubai airport would be transferred to Al Maktoum in the coming years.

DXB connects to 269 destinations across 106 countries. After India, Saudi Arabia, Britain and Pakistan were the top three countries by passenger numbers, Dubai Airports said.

(Reporting by Catherine Cartier; Editing by Mark Potter)

Tags: Transportation , United Arab Emirates , Middle East

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Covid-19: Travelling to India from UAE? Here's what you need to know

India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Government of UAE has signed an ‘air travel arrangement’, or ‘air bubble’ – a temporary arrangement between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. At present, India has transport bubbles and air travel arrangements with USA, UK, Canada, Qatar, France, Germany, Afghanistan, Maldives and the UAE.

Published: Sat 12 Sep 2020, 4:38 PM

• All travellers should submit self-declaration form on the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel.<p></p>• They should also give an undertaking on the portal that they would undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days - seven days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by seven days isolation at home with 'self-monitoring of health'.<p></p>• Travellers wishing to seek exemption from paid quarantine need to apply on 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.<p></p>•All passengers shall be advised to download contact tracing app Arogya Setu on their mobile devices.

Dhanusha Gokulan

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Flying to India from UAE? New COVID-19 travel guidelines announced
Travelling From UAE To India? Here're The Latest COVID Guidelines
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Latest Dubai Covid Guidelines
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UAE-India travel guide: No PCR tests required; other Covid safety rules
Covid-19: Airlines to resume more UAE-India flights as travel restrictions eased - Passengers flying to Abu Dhabi need not take a test on arrival. They may undergo one for Dh40.
Travel Guidelines: International Arrivals & Departures
For customers from India to Dubai. Note: All customers are required to carry printout of e-visa along with other mandatory travel documents. The following categories of customers will be allowed to travel from India to Dubai: Holders of all type of visa and/or entry permission granted by the appropriate authority in the United Arab Emirates (i.e., valid resident visa, employment visa, short ...
UAE-India travel: Covid-19 PCR testing rules eased; all you need to
Published: Sun 20 Feb 2022, 10:59 AM. Last updated: Sun 20 Feb 2022, 11:49 AM. Travelling between the UAE and India has been made easier with the lifting of some Covid-19 PCR test restrictions on ...
Before You Fly
Explore our home airport before you arrive. Learn how to get around and transfer between the different terminals. And have a look inside our hub at Emirates Terminal 3. If you're on your way through Dubai, make the most of your experience with a short stay at the Dubai International Hotel. Or add a few days with a Dubai Stopover package.
Travel requirements by country
Learn more about travel, testing and vaccination requirements in the country of your departure, transit or arrival.
Guidelines for International Arrivals
COVID-19, Guidelines for International Arrivals, For latest guidelines for international arrivals, Ministry of External Affair, Government of India
UAE-India flights: Airline issues Covid guidelines for travellers
UAE-India flights: Airline issues Covid guidelines for travellers. This comes in light of revised protocols issued by the Indian ministry of civil aviation last week. By Agencies. Follow us on ...
TRAVEL GUIDELINES
All passengers will have to undergo thermal screening on arrival, and if found symptomatic will be treated as per protocol. All SpiceJet flights are operating from Terminal 2, Dubai International Airport. With effect from June 24, 2021, 10 am onwards, all flights to and from Dubai will operate from Terminal 1, Dubai International Airport.
Latest COVID-19 Updates & Travel Guidelines
Announcements regarding COVID-19 and COVID appropriate behaviour will be made at the airport. Travellers flying via domestic flights are advised to follow these precautionary guidelines. Passengers must use a face mask/ cover, hand hygiene, and physical distancing of six feet as far as feasible. Passengers should not spit in public spaces while ...
Latest International Arrival Guidelines: Updated Travel Info
Updated Travel Guidelines for International Arrivals. 11 January 2022. Back. Kind attention to all the International passengers arriving in India, the Ministry of Health & Family welfare, Government of India has updated the guidelines for International Arrivals. These guidelines are effective from 11th January 2022 (00.01 Hrs IST)
COVID-19 Travel guidelines
Travel guidelines during COVID-19. From flights during COVID-19 to government mandates required for travel, get information about all your travel-related queries here. Customers who have booked their travel through a travel agent/online portal are requested to connect with the travel agent directly to redeem their credit note.
What are India's Latest Guidelines on International Travel?
Commercial international flights were suspended in India since March 25, 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Travel restrictions have begun to be gradually relaxed from October 2021. Below we highlight the latest guidelines for international travel to and from India. resumption of regular international flights from March 27, 2022.
Book International Flights between India and UAE
For passengers from Dubai to India. Eligibility to travel to India: Stranded Indian nationals; All Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders holding UAE passports, and UAE nationals (including diplomats) holding valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines dated 30.06.2020
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COVID-19: All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see Your COVID-19 Vaccination for more information. COVID-19 vaccine. Hepatitis A: Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to the United Arab Emirates. Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A.
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Before You Fly
Explore our home airport before you arrive. Learn how to get around and transfer between the different terminals. And have a look inside our hub at Emirates Terminal 3. If you're on your way through Dubai, make the most of your experience with a short stay at the Dubai International Hotel. Or add a few days with a Dubai Stopover package.
Travel Advisory
Any person having been tested positive for COVID-19 within 7 days of departure date shall not be allowed to board a flight to Mauritius. For Vistara-operated flights to Muscat from India, please note the following eligibility guidelines as on date: Passport must be valid for at least 6 months prior to entering Oman.
Latest UAE Travel Update: New Guidelines and Rules for ...
All passengers departing from UAE to India are required to carry a Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test certificate, with a validity of not more than 72 hours from the time of departure. Passenger Category Permitted to travel from UAE to India: 1. Nationals of India/ Nepal/ Bhutan stranded in UAE/ Africa/ South America. 2.
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Dubai International Airport saw a record 44.9 million travelers pass through its terminals in the first half of this year, putting the world's busiest airport ...
Pcr Test Or No Pcr Test: Unraveling The Mystery Of Travel Requirements
However, it is important to note that travel requirements may change, and it is the responsibility of travellers to stay updated with the latest guidelines and restrictions. Previously, travellers were required to present a negative Covid-19 PCR test report within 72 hours before departure, and certain countries had to adhere to stricter protocols.
Travel Insurance: USA To India Trip
Best Covid-19 Travel Insurance Plans ... you'll still need to show proof of vaccination to fly to the U.S. from India. Get Travel Insurance Before Your Next Trip.
India
Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas. If you choose to drive a vehicle in India, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork. Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
UAE-India travel: Quarantine rules; Covid-19 RT-PCR test guidelines
Paid parking in Dubai: Residents face up to Dh4,000 extra yearly costs when new rates kick in. ... Covid-19: India issues new travel guidelines for international passengers, effective from Feb 14;
Foreign airlines lose interest in China as domestic carriers expand
The proportion of international flights to and from China operated by the country's carriers is higher than before COVID-19 grounded much of global aviation and continues to rise.
Dubai's DXB Airport Sees Record Year for Passengers After 8 ...
RIYADH (Reuters) - Dubai's main airport is on track to handle a record number of passengers this year after an 8% year-on-year increase in the first six months, operator Dubai Airports said on ...
Covid-19: Travelling to India from UAE? Here's what you need to know
India's Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Government of UAE has signed an 'air travel arrangement', or 'air bubble' - a temporary arrangement between two countries aimed at restarting ...

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