Latest COVID-19 Travel rules and guidelines for Indians stranded abroad

These are the latest and updated COVID-19 travel rules and regulations for Indians, effective from 8^th August 2020. All steps involved starting from registering for coming back to India until reaching your home are listed below. The Ministry of Home Affairs, The Ministry of External Affairs and The Ministry of Health and Family welfare are working hard 24*7 in tandem to make this process as smooth as possible. This is a summation of guidelines and processes followed by them as of date.

Stranded abroad post lock-down in India?

Here is everything you need to know to get back…

In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, international travel in and out of India is restricted by the government. However, many Indians who had traveled abroad before the onset of the pandemic for various purposes like Employment, Business, studies, Tourism, etc are now stranded outside India and are facing distress. Moreover, there are also emergent conditions like the death of a family member or serious illness for which they are required to travel back to India immediately. Keeping this in view, the Government of India has released some guidelines/ rules and regulations to bring back such stranded Indians.

Registration and scheduling of travel to India:

People stranded abroad and wishing to return to India are required to register themselves with the Indian missions (Embassy/High Commission/Consulate) in the country where they are stranded. They should submit all the details as specified by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

They will be allowed to travel to India by non scheduled commercial flights and ships allowed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, GOI, and Department of Military Affairs/Ministry of shipping respectively.

Priority will be given to cases of distress such as:

• Migrant workers and laborers who have lost their jobs,
• Pregnant women, the elderly, students
• People with medical emergencies,
• Short term VISA holders who are facing expiry of VISAs and
• People who require returning to India due to the death of a family member

The Ministry of External Affairs will display at least 2 days in advance, the schedule of the incoming flight/ship on their website/other digital platforms

However, the cost of the travel including the fare of flight/ship should be borne by the traveler.

Before travelling to India

All those traveling to India are required to submit a self-declaration form individually on the online portal. Moreover, this should be done at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled travel. They should also submit an undertaking in the online portal agreeing to undergo 14-day mandatory quarantine, which includes 7-day institutional quarantine at one’s own cost and followed by  7-day self-isolation at home while self-monitoring their health. Click here to submit the self-declaration form on the official website

Exemption

That said, ‘Home quarantine’ of 14 days may be permitted for certain cases. Cases of extreme human distress like a death in the family, serious illness, or in compelling cases like pregnancy and parents with children of 10 years or below may seek exemption. If you wish to seek such an exemption, request for this should also be submitted in the online portal at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel. The government’s decision is conveyed in the online portal. Click here to apply for the exemption on the official website.

Further, one may also seek an exemption of institutional quarantine by showing a negative RT-PCR test report on arrival in India. This can also be done by uploading the report on the online portal for pre-approval of the exemption and save time. The test should have been conducted within 96 hours of the scheduled travel. Moreover, all travelers who are seeking such an exemption should also submit a declaration regarding the authenticity of the report. If the reports are found not authentic, the passenger would be liable for criminal prosecution.

Click here to track the status of your online application

This is the link to the online portal. Here you can fill in the self-declaration form, apply for exemption of quarantine, and check the status of your application on this website of the Delhi international airport. Look out for the Ministry of Civil Aviation/ Air Suvidha link on the website.

Before boarding the flight or ship:

It is mandatory to download the Arogya Setu app on mobile smartphones. At the time of boarding, only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed on board after the thermal screening. Moreover, Passengers entering India through land borders are required to follow the same protocol.

The agencies concerned would provide Dos and Don’ts along with the ticket to the passengers. At the airport and during boarding, all safety measures like social distancing and sanitization protocols should be followed.

On board during travel:

You should strictly adhere to the announcements made onboard and during transit, about COVID-19 precautionary measures.

Passengers who had not submitted the self-declaration form in the online portal should fill them on board. A copy of the same is required to be submitted to the Immigration and health officials at the destination.

On Arrival at the destination:

Precautionary measures such as social distancing should be strictly followed while de-boarding and while at the Airport.

Thermal screening would be carried out for all passengers. Symptomatic passengers would be immediately isolated and taken to the health facilities according to the protocol.

The self-declaration form filled in the online portal should be shown to the Airport health staff. Alternatively, a copy of the self-declaration form should be submitted to them in case it was not uploaded in the online portal.

After the thermal screening, the passengers who are exempted from institutional quarantine (as per the advance approval of the government through the online portal) should show the same to their state representatives on their phones or other modes to be allowed for 14-day home quarantine.

The Quarantine:

All the other passengers are then taken to institutional quarantine facilities. These facilities are arranged by their respective state/UT governments. Here they will be kept under quarantine for at least 7 days.

By the end of the 7-day institutional quarantine, RT-PCR testing or such other testing recommended by the ICMR is done.

In cases where the test is negative, they may be allowed to go home for self-isolation of 7 days and are advised to self monitor their health. If one develops symptoms, she/he should immediately inform the district surveillance officer or the state or national call center (1075)

In cases where the test is positive, they will be clinically assessed. If found asymptomatic or as very mild cases, they may be allowed home isolation or may be isolated in an appropriate COVID Care Center. However, If they are found to be mildly symptomatic to severely symptomatic, they would be admitted to a dedicated COVID health facility.