Statewise Guidelines for the National and International Travelers in India Regarding Covid-19 Omicron

Table of Content

• Travel Guideline to Follow in Delhi
• Travel Guideline to Follow in Jammu and Kashmir
• Travel Guideline to Follow in Karnataka
• Travel Guideline to Follow in Kerela
• Travel Guideline to Follow in Lakshadweep
• Travel Guideline to Follow in Maharashtra
• Travel Guideline to Follow in Rajasthan
• Travel Guideline to Follow in Tamil Nadu
• Travel Guideline to Follow in Uttarakhand
• Travel Guideline to Follow in West Bengal

Several states have revised the travel restrictions and quarantine norms due to a new variant of the Coronavirus, Omicron, being reported from various parts of the country. New reports indicate this variant carries a significant number of mutations, thus posing serious public health risks to the country. All of these concerns have led to the tightening of rules and regulations for both domestic and international travel. Indian officials had earlier last week revised regulations, making it mandatory for all international passengers to submit their travel details for the last 14 days and upload their negative RT-PCR report on the Air Suvidha website. As of Dec 1, this policy became official.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHW) announced a series of new regulations for international travelers following the discovery of a new variant in South Africa, followed by Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel, and the UK. Indian states have tightened borders as well, as they have posted a statement stating that travelers from at-risk countries will be tested and quarantined upon arrival. Therefore, international travelers visiting India must now comply with statewide regulations. Below is a list of the state-specific curbs that have been announced in addition to the federal guidelines.

Travel Guideline to Follow in Delhi:

• RT-PCR is required at the airport for every traveler coming from overseas.
• In the event of positive results for COVID-19, passengers will have to follow strict quarantine procedures and the sample of these passengers will be sent for genome sequencing further.
• The passengers will be kept at a quarantine center in the Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital, which has dedicated 40 beds to this purpose
• Passengers who get a negative result will be quarantined at home for 7 days. A second test will be done on day 8.
• There are 20 dedicated counters set up at the Delhi airport for passengers arriving from "at-risk" countries, Delhi airport authorities reported on Saturday.
• Those with a negative report will monitor themselves for seven days. Each passenger is responsible for the cost of the test.
• Except for countries listed on the government's 'at-risk list,' there will be no restrictions on passengers coming from other countries. It is recommended that for 14 days, they have to monitor their symptoms on their own.
• A random sampling of 5 percent of such passengers will be conducted.
• The Civil Aviation Ministry will pay for testing and sending of such passenger samples for genome sequencing.
• This testing will not be carried out on children under the age of five years old.
• The child will be tested if he/she is showing any symptoms.

Travel Guideline to Follow in Jammu and Kashmir:

• At Srinagar International Airport, foreign travelers are required to undergo an RT-PCR test.
• People who are found to be Covid-19 positive will be quarantined in an institution and treated according to protocol.
• INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs) will be notified promptly of positive cases.
• Travelers who test positive will have their contacts closely tracked and tested
• Those who test negative from an 'At Risk' nation will have to spend seven days in their home quarantine. After testing again on day 8, the patient will be advised to self-monitor for two weeks if the results are negative.
• It is recommended that travelers coming from countries classified as "not at risk" and whose samples have tested negative closely monitor themselves for at least two weeks.

Travel Guideline to Follow in Karnataka:

• The RT-PCR test will be mandatory for international travelers entering the state. International travelers will be quarantined for seven days at home.
• International arrivals, if their samples are positive, will have their samples sent for genomic sequencing and admitted to a separate isolation facility.
• In the event of a negative genomic sequencing result for B.1.1.529 (Omicron variant), the patient will be discharged, at the recommendation of the treating physician.
• A randomly selected sample of five percent of travelers arriving from countries excluding those considered at-risk will be tested with RT-PCR upon arrival. When their results are positive, their samples will be submitted for genomic sequencing.
• In addition to all countries in Europe, travelers arriving from South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel must follow additional measures.

Travel Guideline to Follow in Kerela:

• A random test will be administered to five percent of passengers arriving from foreign countries, as per the guidelines of the Centre
• Visitors from countries with a high risk of virulent diseases will have to undergo RT-PCR tests. These visitors will be kept under close supervision at all times.
• A positive RT-PCR test will mean they must remain under home quarantine for at least two weeks
• They will be transferred to a treatment facility if the test is positive.

Travel Guideline to Follow in Lakshadweep:

• It is required that travelers carry an official negative RT-PCR test report obtained within 48 hours of their travels and submit the same at both entry and exit points.
• Visitors must comply with COVID-recommended behavior after arriving at the islands, and undergo mandatory quarantine for three days. Those who have taken both vaccine doses 14 days before traveling do not fall under these norms.
• If you have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination 14 days before traveling, you do not need a COVID-19 test result, but if you have not received two doses or have only partially vaccinated, you must also undergo a three-day mandatory quarantine period prior to traveling.

Travel Guideline to Follow in Maharashtra:

• At all Maharashtra's international airports, separate counters will be set up by respective airport management authorities for screening and verification of high-risk passengers (coming from South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe).
• Air Passengers who are deemed "high-risk" will be subjected to the RTPCR immediately on arrival at the respective international airport. They will also be subjected to a mandatory 7-day "Institutional Quarantine" with a second RTPCR on day 7. An individual found to be positive on at least one of the RT-PCR tests will be referred to a medical facility with COVID-19 treatment facilities if the results are positive on any of the tests.
• The home quarantine will last for seven days for "high-risk" air passengers (after the seventh day of negative RT-PCR results).
• The requirements for domestic air travel will be either vaccinations or RT-PCR test certificates showing negative results within 72 hours prior to boarding.

Travel Guideline to Follow in Rajasthan:

• The thermal screening will be performed on all passengers.
• Travelers arriving in Rajasthan from other states must submit COVID negative reports within 72 hours of arrival from ICMR-approved laboratories. The timeline of RT-PCR begins with swab collection.
• Upon arrival, individuals holding constitutional positions or on the medical support team shall be exempt from receiving RT-PCR pre-departure tests but must undergo a 15-day quarantine upon arrival in the state.
• Passengers should refer to the detailed guidelines of the respective final arrival state if they are traveling on a connecting flight without leaving the airport in the transit station.
• Symptomatic passengers need to be isolated and taken to a medical facility immediately.

A negative RT-PCR test report is not required for the following applicants when entering Rajasthan:

• If they hold a valid vaccination certificate showing that they have received one dose of vaccination.
• Constitutionally entitled passengers.
• Health care professionals (doctors, nurses).
• Personnel of the Defence Department.

The passenger has the following responsibilities:

• Aarogya Setu App must be downloaded by all passengers
• Travelers arriving in Rajasthan from other states must submit COVID negative reports within 72 hours of arrival from ICMR-approved laboratories. The timeline of RT-PCR begins with swab collection.
• Every passenger must submit a Self-Health Declaration and undergo a screening process.
• A copy of the RT-PCR negative report of all passengers traveling to Udaipur must be uploaded to http://emitra.rajasthan.gov.in/.

Travel Guideline to Follow in Tamil Nadu:

• In any of the state's airports, flyers from nations deemed at-risk will be required to undergo RT-PCR tests.
• Until their RT-PCR result comes back negative, travelers will remain at their respective airports.
• Those traveling from non-at-risk countries will undergo random sampling.

Travel Guideline to Follow in Uttarakhand:

• Travelers from out of state will need to take the test when they arrive in Uttarakhand.
• The districts have been instructed to test and quarantine all passengers arriving from out of state if they show signs of COVID. If the screening is positive, the passenger will be placed under a 14-day quarantine.

Travel Guideline to Follow in West Bengal:

• RTPCR reports must be presented by travelers from other states 72 hours or less before their flights.
• Travelers coming from Nations affected by Omicron must remain in isolation for seven days upon arrival in the state.
• Additionally, a special ward has been established at the government-run Beliaghata ID Hospital specifically for those patients who have tested positive for Omicron.