In November 2022, Air Suvidha was removed for travelers flying into India from non-risk countries. As of today, India-bound travelers from the United States, the UK, Australia, Canada, Mexico, the UAE, Qatar and other non-risk countries are not obligated to take a pre-arrival RT-PCR test or submit a self-declaration form on the Air Suvidha portal.

Until 12 February 2023, pre-departure RT-PCR testing and Air Suvidha registration were mandatory for travelers arriving from or transiting in Singapore, Japan, or any other high-risk country, irrespective of their vaccination status. These requirements have been eliminated with effect from February 13.

Picture Credit: The Economics Times Travel

In August 2020, the government of India launched AIR SUVIDHA, a first-of-its-kind facility easing travel to India for international travelers during the pandemic. Integrated to the website of New Delhi International Airport, Air Suvidha can make or break your travel plans for India. Compulsory for those traveling on international flights to India from/through high-risk countries, the Air Suvidha self-declaration form has been simplified over time. Filling out the Air Suvidha form online is the very first step to take for hassle-free travel to India from/through high-risk countries. Without this form or with incorrect details in the form, you will be denied boarding at the origin airport.  

On Air Suvidha, you must fill out a self-declaration form, disclose your travel details of the past 14 days (if any), and provide details of your completed full-vaccination schedule or upload a negative RT-PCR test report within 72 hours of undertaking the journey to India if your flight originates in or transits through a high-risk country. You don’t need to upload your vaccination proof, or negative RT-PCR report, or proof of recovery from COVID-19 on Air Suvidha, if there is no high-risk country in your itinerary. However, you should carry the original vaccination card/certificate if you are fully-vaccinated.

The website of New Delhi IGI Airport integrates Air Suvidha in the top right corner. A single click on Air Suvidha opens up a dropdown menu wherein you can access a new self-declaration form, or edit an already filled and submitted self-declaration form, or track the application status. You must fill out the Air Suvidha Self Declaration form with your (if you’re a primary traveler) contact number, passport number, PNR, flight/tail number, and other details. Kindly note that you can edit the form only once.

On successful submission of the self-declaration form, you will receive an email confirmation carrying a PDF attachment. Make sure to take 2-3 color printouts of the PDF because the hard copy may be asked for during boarding and on arrival. It will help not only you, but also the officials in expediting the boarding process and reducing inbound traffic congestion in the arrival area of entry airports. If an email confirmation does not hit the inbox or if there is no PDF attached to the email, you can track your application status on Air Suvidha portal before traveling on last-minute flights to India in emergency. 

Many travelers wonder whether they should use the same Air Suvidha form hosted on Delhi IGI Airport website if they are flying to Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, or Kolkata. Air Suvidha is the one-stop solution. It is mandatory for you irrespective of your entry airport and final destination in India, if you are traveling from or through a high-risk country.

Travel Beats is an overseas Indian community portal by IndianEagle.com, a leading international travel-booking portal trusted for best deals on cheap flights to India. Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook or Twitter for the latest travel news and updates.

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Once again, international travelers to New Delhi, India are classified as at-risk arrivals and not-at-risk arrivals depending on their travel origin and transit. India-bound travelers coming from or transiting in Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, and China are currently high-risk arrivals due to a fresh COVID-19 wave in those countries. Pre-departure RT-PCR testing and Air Suvidha registration are mandatory for travelers flying to New Delhi IGI Airport from/through the high-risk countries.

Picture Credit: The Statesman

I am scheduled to travel on international flights to New Delhi from USA. Shall I take an RT-PCR test and submit a self-declaration form on Air Suvidha?

Indian Government’s revised guidelines for international arrivals make RT-PCR testing and Air Suvidha registration mandatory for you if you transit through Japan, Singapore, or any high-risk country while traveling to New Delhi from USA, the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, and the Middle East. Neither pre-departure COVID-19 testing nor Air Suvidha form is mandatory for India-bound passengers from non-risk countries, such as the US, if their itineraries don’t have transit in a high-risk country.

What are India’s current guidelines for international travelers coming from non-risk countries?

The guidelines for international travelers to New Delhi are simple, given their travel origin being a non-risk country. If you travel on nonstop flights to India from USA or any other non-risk or low-risk country, neither your departure nor your arrival is subject to regulations. However, the government of India said, “All travelers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination in their country of citizenship or residence”. Fully-vaccinated travelers from non-risk countries should carry their vaccination proof. They are not obligated to undergo a COVID-19 test prior to departure or fill out an Air Suvidha form.

What is the post-arrival procedure at New Delhi Airport for travelers from non-risk countries?

Indira Gandhi International Airport’s post-arrival procedure is easy and relaxed for not-at-risk or low-risk travelers. Only 2% of them are subject to random testing on arrival, according to India’s latest regulations for travelers flying in from abroad. If you are asymptomatic, you can leave the airport or take a connecting domestic flight after the sample collection for random testing. The result of the random test will be communicated to you. Besides, there is thermal screening at the airport. Only asymptomatic children under 12 years of age are exempt from random testing.

What’s the post-arrival procedure at Delhi IGI Airport for travelers from high-risk countries?

Since travelers from high-risk countries must arrive with a negative RT-PCR test report, they may not be subject to post-arrival random testing at New Delhi International Airport. your negative RT-PCR report will be duly checked and verified at Delhi Indira Gandhi Airport. If any of them is found symptomatic in thermal screening despite having a negative COVID-19 test report from the country of travel origin, she/he will be isolated from fellow passengers and tested for the new Omicron variant.

I am an Indian passport holder. What airlines shall I travel on to Delhi from USA?

Irrespective of what US visa you hold, you can travel on Air India, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Turkish Airlines. You can choose to book either airline’s cheap flight tickets on IndianEagle.com.

I am a US citizen with an OCI card. What airlines can I travel on from USA to India?

If you are a US citizen with/without an OCI card, you can travel on British Airways, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, Etihad, and Emirates Airlines other than Air India, Air Vistara, and United Airlines (nonstop).

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Tamil Nadu’s regulations for international travelers flying into Chennai are aligned with Indian Government’s current guidelines for international arrivals. Traveling to Chennai is now as normal as the pre-pandemic times. Neither vaccination nor pre-arrival RT-PCR testing is mandatory, except for travelers from five countries: China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and South Korea. Recently, India has taken some precautionary measures including post-arrival random testing in view of the new Omicron subvariant causing a COVID-19 wave in China and other neighboring countries.

I am traveling to Chennai. Do I need to fill out an Air Suvidha form?

Currently, Air Suvidha is mandatory only for travelers from China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea. If you’re taking flights to Chennai from USA, Canada, the UK, the UAE and other countries, you don’t need to fill out an Air Suvidha form. Actually, the government of India removed Air Suvidha, effective from November 21, for inbound travelers from most of the countries.

I booked my travel to Chennai from USA. Do I need to take an RT-PCR test?

Starting from 21 November 2022, neither full-vaccination nor RT-PCR testing is mandatory for traveling to India. If you’re fully-vaccinated, make sure to carry your vaccination certificate. Indian government strongly recommends, “All travelers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination in their country of citizenship or residence.” Whether you are vaccinated or not, pre-departure RT-PCR testing is not mandatory, except for travelers from China, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Can I travel to India via Europe or the Middle East without an RT-PCR test?

You can. Neither European nations nor the Middle East countries require negative COVID-19 certificates for the transit of travelers from the United States. You must be asymptomatic. On top of that, your full-vaccination certificate will make international transit hassle-free. We will keep you posted through this article if India, the UK, EU nations, or the Middle East countries make RT-PCR testing mandatory for international transit travelers.

Picture Credit: Travelandleisureindia.in

What’s the post-arrival procedure at Chennai MAA Airport for inbound travelers?

The post-arrival procedure at Chennai International Airport is complaint with the government of India’s guidelines for international arrivals. All international travelers from abroad undergo thermal screening and pulse oximeter reading on arrival in Chennai. If any of them is found symptomatic of COVID-19, she/he will be isolated and tested. If you test positive, you will be shifted to a designated medical facility.

Only 2% of the total passengers of an inbound flight are subject to post-arrival random testing at Chennai MAA and other airports. Chennai-bound international airlines identify 2% of the total passengers on each flight for post-arrival random testing. If you are in the 2%, your swab samples will be collected before you exit the airport or catch a connecting domestic flight for onward travel. If your samples are found positive, it will be further sent for genomic testing. Only children under 12 years, among international arrivals, are exempt from random testing.

All travelers to Tamil Nadu from USA and other countries are advised to self-monitor their health. They should contact the nearest medical facility or call the National helpline number 1075/the state helpline number if they experience symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.

COVID-19 testing at Chennai MAA Airport

Chennai International Airport’s COVID-testing lab charges Rs 700 per person for a regular RT-PCR test and delivers the report in 5-6 hours. The cost of a rapid RT-PCR test is Rs 3400 per traveler and the report is available within one hour of the sample collection.

This guide on the current guidelines for international travelers to Tamil Nadu is part of our continued effort, at Indian Eagle – a most trusted air-ticketing partner of Indian Diaspora, towards making your travel easier and hassle-free. Indian Eagle is committed to booking cheap flight tickets to/from India and providing all the information related to your itinerary as well as flight.

You can send us your new booking or travel-related queries at share@indianeagle.com. We are booking cost-to-cost flight tickets to Chennai from USA in current times of rising airfares. 

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Since February 2022, Karnataka’s guidelines for international arrivals to Bangalore International Airport and Mangalore Airport have been relaxed. The removal of the Air Suvidha form, effective from November 21, has made it a lot easier to travel to India from the United States and other countries. Besides, full-vaccination or pre-departure RT-PCR testing is no longer a mandatory requirement. However, the wake of a subvariant of Omicron BF.7 causing a COVID-19 surge in China and other countries has pushed India to take precautionary measures.

The latest circular on “India’s Guidelines for International Arrivals” states, “All travelers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination in their country of citizenship or residence.” If you’re fully vaccinated and taking flights to Bengaluru from USA or any other country, make sure to carry the vaccination proof. As of now, travelers from only five countries – China, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong – have to take an RT-PCR test before traveling to India.

Picture Credit: The Hindu | Sudhakara Jain

Post-arrival random testing and quarantine

As per Indian government’s guidelines for international arrivals that Karnataka complies with, not everyone is subject to a COVID-19 test on arrival at Bengaluru Kempegowda Airport and Mangalore. Random testing is back at all international airports in India. Only 2% of the total passengers of an inbound flight are selected for random COVID-19 testing. If you’re in the 2%, you will undergo an RT-PCR test. You can exit the airport or proceed for a domestic flight to the final destination once your samples are collected. Only children below 12 years are exempted from post-arrival random testing. However, if found symptomatic in thermal screening, they will be tested.

The state government of Karnataka requires those randomly tested individuals to home-quarantine themselves unless the result of their random testing comes negative. If the result comes positive, the samples will be sent for genomic sequencing to determine whether it is the BF.7 Omicron variant. If signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 develop after your arrival in Karnataka, they must contact the nearest health center or the national helpline number 1075.

“The elimination of Air Suvidha is a welcome move. Now fully-vaccinated travelers can take last minute flights to India from USA or any other country in the event of a family emergency without worrying about filling in an Air Suvidha form. Earlier, some of our customers could not immediately travel to India immediately in the exigency of death in family because of the mandatory Air Suvidha form,” said the chief travel advisor of IndianEagle.com, a leading air-ticketing partner of Indians in America.

Post-arrival procedure at Karnataka airports 

Karnataka’s guidelines for international inbound travelers include mandatory thermal screening and pulse oximeter reading on arrival at Bangalore and Mangalore international airports . Every traveler flying in from abroad undergoes thermal screening and pulse oximeter testing. If you are found symptomatic (feverish temperature, cough, cold, sore throat), you will be isolated and taken to a dedicated medical facility for payable COVID19 testing. If you test positive with severe symptoms, you will be quarantined and treated at a paid or government facility until you are negative. The treatment and quarantine costs will be borne by you.

Who can travel to Bengaluru, India from abroad? 

All Indian passport holders, foreign citizens with/without OCI/PIO cards, and foreign nationals having valid visas to India (as per the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines) can travel to Bengaluru. All PIO cardholders including those having the handwritten ones can travel to and from India until December 31, 2023 as the PIO to OCI conversion deadline is extended. Do also check the latest OCI card news with respect to travel to and from India.

COVID19 testing at Bangalore International Airport 

Kempegowda International Airport has a dedicated COVID-19 testing facility for passengers, both inbound and outbound. The 24/7 COVID testing center near the arrivals area of the terminal offers both Rapid RT-PCR tests (Abbott ID NOW) and regular RT-PCR tests. The result of a Rapid RT-PCR test is available within 30 minutes, whereas the regular RT-PCR test results are delivered within 5-6 hours from the time of sample collection. A Rapid RT-PCR test costs a few times more than the cost of a regular RT-PCR test at Bangalore Airport.

This guide on flying in to and arrival in Karnataka is part of our continued effort to provide the latest information about travel to and from India.  We, at Indian Eagle, have addressed thousands of travel concerns and queries during the pandemic in the past two years, thereby ensuring hassle-free boarding and arrival for travelers. Indian Eagle, a most trusted travel-booking partner of Indian Diaspora, is committed to making international air tickets to India available for reasonable fares.

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‘US airports vs Indian airports’ had been trending on social media until recently, as the Memorial Day holiday weekend 2022 saw a mayhem at the airports across America over the cancellation of around 2800 flights in the very beginning of summer travel. The topic got a new perspective: Indian airports are better than US airports, when Jay Kotak, son of an Indian billionaire banker with a net worth of USD 1360 crore, tweeted a photograph of Boston International Airport airing his frustration over serpentine security lines, inordinately long waiting hours, operational delays, fewer flights, staffing shortage and likes there.

He tweeted, “Mumbai Airport handles MORE passengers than Boston. Yet, there are a few lines. All counters are staffed, the airport is new and clean. Flights are cheaper. India works.”  The tweet gained momentum over the past few days with NRIs who shared his sentiments about the ongoing pandemonium at US airports where they took international flights to India from. Boston Logan International Airport’s pre-pandemic traffic was 42 million in 2019, whereas Mumbai CSMI Airport recorded 46 million passengers during the same period.

PC: GMR Hyderabad RGI Airport (left), Jay Kotak @ Twitter (right)

The aforementioned issues continue to hit the air travel industry of the world’s biggest economy as the delay of more than 3000 flights to, from, and within the US left fliers fumed on June 20; whereas major Indian airports including Hyderabad RGI Airport were gearing up for the International Yoga Day celebrations scheduled on June 21. The contrasting pictures of the airports in the two different hemispheres validate the current trend – Indian airports are better than US airports – only to some extent.

The week preceding Father’s Day on June 19 was another headache for major northeast US airports, including Boston, Atlanta, New York, Newark, and DC. On the eve of the Father’s Day weekend, more than 500 incidents of flight delay and tens of flight cancellations rocked Boston Logan Airport alone amid thunderstorms, the lingering impact of which was accentuated by US airlines’ severe staffing shortage. During the Father’s Day weekend, Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport and other major gateways saw the disruption and rescheduling of fliers’ travel plans for the same reasons.

America is still deep into the travel woes, which aviation experts expect to continue through and after the US Independence Day 2022 due to the nationwide shortage of pilots and airport staff amid a huge post-pandemic travel demand.

Reportedly, Delta Airlines is reducing its daily flying capacity by 100 flights from July 1 through August 7. Southwest Airlines has stripped its summer schedule of nearly 20,000 flights through the Labor Day, September 5. American Airlines, on June 22, announced the cut-off of its service to four US cities, including Islip and Ithaka in New York; Toledo in Ohio; and Dubuque in Iowa after the Labor Day weekend. The airline has cited the ongoing pilot shortage as the most obvious reason.

United Airlines whose suspended routes – Newark to Mumbai and SFO to Delhi – have been restored for scheduled services will reduce flying on domestic routes from New Jersey by 50 flights a day starting July 1. This cut is equal to about 12% of UA’s schedule at Newark Liberty International Airport. Airport construction and capacity restraints, rather than the shortage of pilots, have factored into the strategic decision to reduce flight delays that have jeopardized travel plans over the past few weeks, according to the airline’s spokesperson.

The staffing shortage that the US aviation industry is going through due to the pandemic-induced furloughs and early retirement of aircrew, as well as some of the working crew’s non-compliance with the vaccine requirement, shows America’s myopic outlook to and lack of preparedness for a travel rebound. The same is true about Europe and Australia having understaffed airlines and airports these days. If a recent Bloomberg report is to be believed, London’s Heathrow Airport struggling with labor crisis, has directed airlines to temporarily cut 10% of their operations at two of its terminals amid a dire surge of complaints about long queues, missed flights, baggage delays and other similar issues. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and Germany’s Frankfurt Airport – two of the busiest international hubs in Europe – are no exception to this grim scenario.

On the other hand, India prepared for the post-pandemic travel boom in a phased manner, not from the beginning of 2022 but from the peak days of air bubble flights in 2021. Indian aviation saw a five-fold growth on the domestic front as 1.20 crore travelers flew within the country in May 2022, which was a meagre 21 lakh in May 2021, as per the data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Given the poor ratio of airports (137) and total number of domestic flights to the annual passenger traffic in India, the airports and airlines managed the flying of 1.20 crore passengers on domestic routes without major hiccups in operations.

Needless to say, the passenger load factor is higher in India than that in the US where there are 5217 public airports (as of 2020). Surprisingly, no major US airport won the Skytrax Award 2022 for the World’s Best Airport Staff. Delhi International Airport emerged as the best and cleanest airport in India and South Asia at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2022.

Saying that the operational efficiency of Indian airports is comparatively high is no exaggeration, given the civil aviation infrastructure which is still developing in India. Mumbai International Airport alone registered the highest single-day number (91,904) of passenger footfalls on October 17, 2021 when a third wave of the pandemic was around the corner. With reduced manpower in the fiscal 2021, India smoothly handled more than 10 million international departures and arrivals, mostly through New Delhi IGI Airport and Mumbai CSMI Airport, amid a slew of travel regulations including temperature check, random testing, immigration check, Air Suvidha registration form verification, quarantine measures, and final destination-wise passenger segregation.

However, India’s total air passenger count – over 115 million – in fiscal 2021 is one-third of the total passenger traffic – 345 million – in fiscal 2019. Indian airlines and airports are gearing up for achieving numbers beyond their pre-pandemic capacity.

“I must say India is not a never-never land of aviation. There are occasional hiccups too, but they are of small magnitude unlike the existing bottlenecks in the United States’ recovery of aviation economy. In May, a number of complaints about immigration delays and long waiting hours erupted on social media due to a few unmanned immigration check counters in the arrival and departure terminals of Bengaluru Kempegowda Airport and Chennai MAA Airport. However, the airport staff crunch in India is not as miserable as it is in the US. Reportedly, the chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI) has reported the issue to the Ministry of Civil Aviation,” said Sourav Agarwal, the Editor of Travel Beats, a one-stop travel news portal for Indians in America by Indian Eagle.

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Updated on March 8, 2022: The government of India was all set to resume regular/scheduled international flights on December 15, 2021 after two months of toddling towards normalization of international passenger flight operations, but the Omicron variant of COVID19 disrupted the plans and caused further extension of air bubble flights. The daily number of COVID cases being on a decline, the government issued relaxed guidelines for international arrivals, which has been effective since February 14, 2022, and removed the mandatory RT-PCR testing requirement for fully-vaccinated travelers flying in. The classification of countries as ‘at-risk’ and ‘not at-risk’ has also been rescinded since FEB 14. With the vaccine certificate being a brand-new passport, scheduled international flights to and from India will officially be resumed on March 27, after two years of suspension.

“The recommencement of 100% scheduled international flights is a welcome news for our customers and us. Reportedly, air bubble flights to and from India will be terminated on March 26 (23;59 hrs IST), after long 20 months. We hope the US-India flight tickets will be as normal as it was before the pandemic. Hope last-minute airfares for travel to and from India won’t burn a hole in travelers’ pocket. Despite fares having been exorbitantly high, we provided travelers with competitive deals from our partner airlines,” said the chief travel advisor of Indian Eagle, a leading air-ticketing partner of Indians in America.

The current guidelines for international travelers to India will continue to be effective until further revision. 

Updated on December 5, 2021: India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation has allowed domestic flight operations to be restored to 100% of the pre-pandemic capacity from the current 85%. Given India’s COVID-19 graph on the decline, airlines started operating domestic flights in full capacity with effect from October 18, 2021. Restoring air connectivity between major airport cities and small towns to the pre-pandemic level is one of the pre-set conditions for resuming normal international passenger flights. India-bound international travelers can now reach their final destination in any corner of the country as the pre-COVID capacity of domestic air operations was restored on October 18.

The lifting of the tourist visa ban for foreign citizens is another step towards allowing airlines to resume normal/scheduled flights to India from USA and other countries. The continued suspension of tourist visas kept foreign citizens without an OCI card or an entry visa away from India for the past 18 months. With the country having reopened for foreign visitors on tourist visas, the expected normalization of international commercial flights to and from India will is not far.

Confirming the announcement about the most-awaited resumption of scheduled international flights, inbound and outbound, the Ministry of Tourism’s Additional Director General Rupinder Brar said that India’s air bubble flight operations would be continued till  December 14, 2021. She added that the Ministry of Home Affairs decided on December 15 as the date of resuming scheduled commercial flights on international routes.

Two weeks before the US lifted the entry restrictions after 3 months of deliberating upon certain guidelines, India issued the revised guidelines for seamless entry and arrival of fully-vaccinated, asymptomatic travelers from abroad, starting on October 25. However, India’s guidelines for international arrivals from countries not at risk and countries at risk have again been revised in the wake of Omicron, a COVID variant of concern.  If you are traveling to India on or after DEC 1, these rules will apply to you based on your country of travel origin. 

Simultaneously, the government upgraded the Air Suvidha portal with provision for India-bound travelers to upload their vaccination proof other than a negative RT-PCR test report. It is another significant step towards normalizing international travel to India. According to several reports, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is working on certain guidelines for international commercial flight operations to return to normal.

Currently, inbound travelers’ vaccine certificate and negative RT-PCR report are equally important requirements for exemption from additional testing and quarantine in India. Once the government starts giving preference to vaccine certificates over negative COVID-19 reports, it will be a lot easier for international travelers to arrive in India.

The post India to Resume Normal International Flights from March 27 after 20 Months of Air Bubble Travel appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

If you are flying into Mumbai from abroad on or after January 11, 2022, you are required to comply with the government of India’s revised guidelines applicable from January 11. Maharashtra’s regulations for international arrivals are aligned with the guidelines framed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, with some exceptions.

Pre-departure/pre-arrival guidelines for international travelers to Mumbai  

The pre-departure requirements for travelers flying into Mumbai from USA and other countries are the same as before. It is mandatory to take an RT-PCR test within 72 hours prior to traveling to India, fill out a self-declaration form, upload the negative RT-PCR report as well as vaccine certificate on Air Suvidha, and give a declaration ascertaining authenticity of the COVID-19 report, irrespective of age and country of residence or travel origin.

Starting on November 12, children under 5 years of age are exempted from taking an RT-PCR test prior to their scheduled travel to India. If asymptomatic, they don’t have to take a test on arrival too. If they are found symptomatic for COVID-19 in thermal screening on arrival at Mumbai, Pune or any other entry airport in India, they will undergo a COVID PCR test.

Maharashtra’s rules for travelers from countries at risk

7-day institutional quarantine following an RT-PCR test is back in Maharashtra for international arrivals from the high-risk countries: South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Revised and issued on December 2, Maharashtra’s guidelines removed institutional quarantine for travelers arriving from low-risk countries including the UK and other European nations, New Zealand, Israel, Brazil, Hong Kong, Mauritius, and China. Travelers from a low-risk country will be considered high-risk arrivals and put to 7-day institutional quarantine following an RT-PCR test if they have visited any of the high-risk countries in the past 15 days prior to their scheduled arrival in Maharashtra.

Travelers from a low-risk country, having no travel history of a high-risk country, will be allowed to exit Mumbai CSMI Airport or take a domestic flight to the final destination within or outside Maharashtra if they test negative in a post-arrival RT-PCR test. It is mandatory to pre-book an RT-PCR test to be taken on arrival at the airport. They are subject to home-quarantine for 7 days and repeat RT-PCR testing on day 8.

Maharashtra’s rules for international arrivals from countries not at risk

According to Indian government’s revised guidelines applicable from January 11, all international travelers flying into Maharashtra are required to undergo home-quarantine for 7 days, take an RT-PCR test on day 8, upload the report on the Air Suvidha portal, and shall monitor their health for the next 7 days if they test negative on the 8^th day.

If you arrive on international flights to Mumbai from or through a country at risk, such as the UK, you are required to pre-book a rapid RT-PCR test and take the test on arrival at Mumbai Airport, regardless of you being fully-vaccinated and COVID-19 negative. If negative, you can exit the airport or take a connecting flight within or outside the state of Maharashtra. If positive, you will have to take a self-paid routine/regular RT-PCR test and wait for the report at the airport. A regular RT-PCR test report comes in 5-6 hours. If it is positive too, you will be shifted to an institutional quarantine facility and your swab sample will be sent for genomic testing.

If you are fully-vaccinated, asymptomatic, and traveling on nonstop flights to Mumbai from USA, Canada, Australia or any other country not at risk, you are not bound to post-arrival testing at Mumbai CSMI Airport. If you are symptomatic and/or  unvaccinated/partially vaccinated, you will have to take a rapid RT-PCR test at the airport. Starting on January 17, Mumbai-bound travelers arriving from or through the UAE  are not subject to post-arrival testing any more, if they are fully vaccinated and asymptomatic.  

COIVD-19 testing facility at Mumbai CSMI Airport

Mumbai International Airport has a dedicated COVID-19 testing facility for both international arriving and departing passengers. Travelers arriving on international flights to Mumbai from countries at risk can take an RT-PCR test at Terminal 2 Level 4, Ground Transportation Lobby, next to Niranta Lounge. The test reports are sent to travelers’ email address. A regular RT-PCR test costs Rs. 600 per person and delivers the result within 6-8 hours, whereas a rapid RT-PCR delivers the result in 1-2 hours. With effect from December 14, 2021, the cost of rapid RT-PCR tests at Mumbai Airport has been reduced to Rs 1975 from Rs 3900 per person.

It is now mandatory for travelers arriving from the countries at risk to register online for and pre-book an RT-PCR, regular or rapid, that they will take on arrival at an entry airport in India. They must book a post-arrival test through Air Suvidha prior to their scheduled travel to India.

You can register on www.suburbandiagnostics.com and book a slot in advance for your RT-PCR test at Mumbai Airport. You can also register for a COVID-19 test at the help-desk near the arrival terminal. There is a dedicated lounge with necessary refreshments for those waiting for the RT-PCR test results. Those who test negative can continue to travel onward. In case of positive results, travelers are shifted to a designated quarantine facility from the airport.

Travel Beats is an overseas Indian community portal by Indian Eagle, a leading and most trusted travel-booking organization. Subscribe to our free newsletter and tune to our Facebook page for latest travel news and updates on booking air bubble flights to India from abroad. 

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India is in the process of issuing e-passports starting this year. Reportedly, all Indian nationals will be issued an e-passport  with advanced security features from 2022 onwards. If you apply for renewal of an existing passport or issuance of a new one, you will get an e-passport, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. The infrastructure of issuing Indian e-passports is already in place as the government of India has issued e-passports to 20,000 diplomats on a trial basis. No glitch has been detected during the pilot program, which ascertains that the issuance and use of e-passports is a success.

What is an Indian e-passport? 

An Indian e-passport is the usual passport booklet with decrypted data and a SIM card-like electronic microchip embedded in it. The microchip will hold sensitive information such as the passport holder’s biometric data. Indian e-passports will have inbuilt security features too advanced to secure the microchip against unauthorized access and data transfer through radio-frequency identification (RFID). 

“The information in the chip has been stored and protected in such a way that without physical touch it cannot be accessed,” a senior MEA official said. Immigration officers will be alerted in case of tampered e-passports. Introduced in 2017, the e-passport prototype has been tested in a laboratory certified by the US government.

Besides being too secure to be forged for identity theft, Indian e-passports are in compliance with a higher level of automation for faster immigration clearance. E-passports will facilitate quicker immigration process for international travelers through computerized authorization at major Indian airports. Moreover, e-passports are harder to be damaged. 

Complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines, Indian e-passports will feature an internationally recognized logo on the microchip that can be seen on the front. The government of India is in the process of setting up a dedicated IT infrastructure in New Delhi and Chennai to issue 20,000 e-passports an hour and 100,000 units a day. The quest for an agency that will help set up IT systems in Delhi and Chennai is on for the e-passport project.

The procedure to apply for e-passports with embedded RFID technology will remain unchanged. It means the process to issue or obtain an e-passport will be neither elongated nor delayed. All MEA passport offices across the country will issue e-passports with microchip.

Indian Passport has become stronger by 24 ranks in the past five years; all thanks to the liberalized visa policy. According to the Arton Capital Passport Index (ACPI), the ranking of Indian Passport has jumped to 53 from 67 in 2019 based on the visa-free score. Indian passport holders are eligible for visa-free access to 18 countries and visa on arrival to 30 countries.

Also Check: All about Air Bubble Flights to India and Quarantine Rules

The post Soon India to Issue e-Passports with Microchip Embedded and New Advanced Security Features appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

Latest Update, December 11, 2021: Qatar Airways has recently been adjudged as the best airline in the world by Skytrax, an international air transport rating organization. One of the major carriers in the US-India travel sector, the airline got a 5-star rating from Skytrax in four categories: Best Airline, Airline COVID-19 Safety, Best Airport, and Airport COVID-19 Safety. Notably, Qatar Airways’ hub, Hamad International Airport in Doha, is named the Best Airport of the Year 2021.

Is Qatar Airways flying between the US and India now? Many travelers still have queries like this though the airline has been operating one-stop US-India flights since the Qatar-India air bubble agreement took effect late in 2020. Qatar Airways is providing connections from the US on its air bubble flights to India from Doha. Many of our customers have successfully traveled on air bubble flights between USA and India, including those operated by Qatar Airways.

Picture Credit: Business Traveller India

As per the winter schedule 2020, Qatar Airways is operating flights to more than 124 destinations, including some of the major cities in India and the United States. Currently, Qatar Airways is providing connections from New York (JFK), San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Dallas, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta and Washington DC (IAD) on its flights to New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmadabad, Kochi, Kozhikode and Trivandrum from Doha.

Since the beginning of 2021, we have rebooked travel for many of our patrons whose reservations for Qatar Airways flights to India were canceled in the wake of the pandemic early in 2020. We have been booking cheap Qatar flight tickets to India from USA right from the time India set up green corridors for safe air bubble travel. Qatar Airways is one of our trusted, long-time airline partners,” said the chief customer relations officer of Indian Eagle.

Qatar Airways’ new flights between USA and India

Qatar Airways expanded its footprint in the United States by adding San Francisco and Seattle to its network. Thus the airline is connecting the West Coast to India via Doha. Qatar Airways is operating four weekly flights from San Francisco, using an A350 which features the award-winning QSuite business class. The A350-900 with QSuite has earned kudos for making long-haul business travel equally comfortable and luxurious. Qatar Airways’ SFO-Doha direct flights connect with major Indian cities, thereby competing with Emirates Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air India and United Airlines.

With air travel pacing up across geographies, San Francisco is eyeing to reposition itself as a key business and leisure destination. While Air India launched SFO to Bengaluru nonstop flights in January 2021, United Airlines will follow suit in 2022.

Who can travel on Qatar Airways Flights between USA and India?

On outbound Qatar Airways flights from India to USA, all US nationals and their immediate family members, green card holders and their dependents, and Indian passport holders irrespective of the US visa they hold (B1/B2, H1B, H4, F1 and others) can travel. Please note Indian passport holders with a US tourist visa (B2) can also fly on Qatar Airways from India to USA. Members of US armed forces and their dependents including spouses and children are eligible for Qatar Airways’ India-USA flights.

On inbound Qatar Airways flights from USA to India, all Indian nationals and US citizens (with/without OCI cards) can travel. US citizens without OCI/PIO cards need to have a valid visa to enter India. Please note entry into India on tourist visas (electronic/paper format) issued before October 6, 2021, and medical visas issued on or before October 21, 2020, is currently prohibited.

India’s guidelines for travelers transiting in Doha

Both the USA and Qatar being countries not at risk, fully-vaccinated, asymptomatic travelers arriving from the USA and through Qatar are not subject to rigorous regulations in India. If you are fully-vaccinated, COVID-negative and asymptomatic, you are exempt to mandatory RT-PCR testing on arrival in India. India’s guidelines for incoming international travelers permit quarantine-free stay to fully-vaccinated, asymptomatic travelers from countries not at risk. Only self-monitoring of health applies to you for 14 days post arrival in India. 

The post Qatar Airways Connects Major US Cities on Air Bubble Flights to India from Doha: Check Your Travel Eligibility appeared first on Travel to India, Cheap Flights to India, Aviation News, India Travel Tips.

The airspace is blue again for international passenger flights. Both India and the United States have further relaxed their respective guidelines for fully-vaccinated international arrivals. Though unlike before, travel between USA and India is still subject to certain regulations. There is a new update every other day in the constantly volatile scenario of international air travel.

We, at IndianEagle.com, a leading travel-booking partner of Indians in USA, keep this space up to date in order to ensure hassle-free travel for you. This article is part of the continued series on the US-India air bubble travel, from departure to arrival, as Indian Eagle is committed to making travel simpler and easier these unprecedented times.

Picture Credit: English-learn-online.com

No RT-PCR tests for children (below 5 years) traveling to India

After 15 months of air bubble flights between USA and India, children under 5 years of age are exempted from taking an RT-PCR test before and after arrival in India. The most sought–after relaxation for children from abroad came into effect on November 12, 2021. Until then, even infants on lap were subject to pre-arrival COVID-19 testing for travel to India.

India resumes e-visa services for most categories

Since the onset of the pandemic in India, e-visa services had been suspended. With effect from March 30, 2021, the Government of India resumed e-visa services in some categories including e-medical visa, e-medical attendant visa, e-business visa, and e-conference visa to India. Those who have obtained an e-visa in any of these categories on or after March 30, 2021 will be allowed entry into India. The visas issued in these categories before March 30, 2021 are redundant.

On November 15, 2021, India started issuing e-Tourist visa, e-Emergency visa, and e-X Misc visa. All tourist visas to India issued before October 6, 2021 are currently invalid. Foreign citizens need to apply for a fresh e-Tourist visa that is valid for 120 days from issuance for a single entry to India. Currently, an e-Tourist visa allows maximum 30 days on stay in India on a single entry.

India’s quarantine rules for international arrivals

The quarantine rules for international travelers to India have been relaxed to a great extent since the revised guidelines took effect on October 25, 2021. There is no institutional quarantine in India unless an international traveler shows symptoms similar to those of COVID-19 and tests positive for the novel coronavirus on arrival.

Even there is no home-quarantine for fully-vaccinated international arrivals in India. The current guidelines for entry to and arrival in India exempt fully-vaccinated overseas travelers from additional testing and home-quarantine. You are eligible for this relaxation only if you are found asymptomatic during thermal screening on arrival at an entry airport in India. Self-health monitoring will apply to you for 14 days.

If you are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, you are subject to a self-paid RT-PCR test on arrival, 7-day home quarantine and a COVID test on day 8 in India. If the result of the test to be taken on day 8 is negative, you shall only self-monitor your health for the next 7 days.

Airlines that B1/B2 visa holders can travel on from India

Since November 8, 2021, fully-vaccinated B1/B2 visa holders from India have been traveling to the United States; all thanks to the Presidential Proclamation that lifted the #travelban and #entryrestrictions on the premise of vaccination. Indians having a valid US visitor visa do no longer need NIE approval or 14-day stopover in a third country if they are fully-vaccinated with Covishield of Covaxin at least 15 days before their scheduled travel.

However, airline-specific restrictions do still apply to their travel from India. Indian passport holders, except spouses of US citizens, cannot board European airlines for travel to USA from India. It is because of the air bubble agreement with Indian government that British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France and Virgin Atlantic are not onboarding Indian citizens if their final destination is beyond Europe. They can travel on flights from India to USA operated by Air India, United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways.

Regulations for travelers from India if Dubai transit time is over 10 hours 

Travelers from India, among the restricted countries, are required to leave Dubai Airport’ terminal if the transit time or layover is over 10 hours in Dubai. In this case, you can apply for Dubai Connect online at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled departure from India. A request for Dubai Connect is subject to the UAE immigration approval. If approved, you will get complimentary accommodation outside the airport, complimentary visa on arrival and free airport transfer service.

If denied, you will have to arrange accommodation outside the airport and must apply for a visa on arrival or have a pre-approved Dubai transit visa. In case you are unable to provide evidence of accommodation (hotel or a friend/relative’s residence in Dubai) outside Dubai Airport (DXB), you are likely to be denied boarding at the departure airport in India.

As per the UAE’s current regulations, travelers from India with the transit time/layover more than 10 hours at Dubai Airport must take a COVID-19 PCR test within 48 hours prior to scheduled departure from India and a (additional) Rapid PCR test at the departure airport within 6 hours of scheduled boarding. These two test reports must be negative and have a QR code.

The above restriction does not apply to passengers from India if the transit time/layover is less than 10 hours.

Indians need International Travel Certificate for flying to USA 

An International Travel Certificate is nothing but proof of vaccination that a fully-vaccinated Indian must have for traveling to the United States. You can download it from the government of India’s CoWin portal. The certificate is compliant with WHO’s digital format for vaccination proof. The vaccine certificate/international travel certificate should specify the vaccine name, vaccine type, vaccine manufacturer, number and dates of the doses administered, other than your date of birth and passport number. Log in to the CoWin portal with your registered phone number, navigate to the ‘International Travel Certificate’ section and click on it. Enter your date of birth (as per the given format) and passport number. Then click on ‘Submit’. The certificate is ready to be downloaded. You can take a printout or carry a soft copy on your mobile device.   

Can PIO cardholders exit India after December 31, 2021? 

PIO cardholders can travel to India before or on December 31, 2021, but they are likely to face issues with return travel from India if their PIO card is not converted into an OCI card by December 31. This is the extended deadline for the PIO to OCI conversion. “Indian Immigration Check Post(s) will continue to consider all PIO cards valid for exit from/entry into India till December 31, 2021 as the last and final opportunity,” according to the Indian Embassy, USA. If you are a PIO cardholder traveling to India, you must enter and/or exit India by the end of 2021.

The same relaxation is in place for OCI cardholders below 20 and above 50 years of age with renewed passports but old OCI cards.   

Travelers from India must have negative COVID reports with QR code

Effective from May 22, 2021, a QR code is mandatory for all negative COVID reports that people traveling out of India need. If you are scheduled to travel to USA or any other country on or after May 22, your negative COVID PCR report must have a QR code linking to the original report. Airlines departing India will not accept negative COVID reports without a QR code, which will result in denial of boarding. This mandate came in view of the incidence of forging negative reports for international travel.

No registration for flights to and from India  

Good news for international travelers flying into and out of India! Now booking VBM flights and air bubble flights is simpler and easier. India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has eased the regulations for passengers of flights under the Vande Bharat Mission and the air transport bubble arrangement. Those planning to travel on Air India’s VBM flights from abroad need not register with the Indian Embassy or consulates in the countries where they are currently residing or stranded. Similarly, travelers booking air bubble flights, inbound or outbound, are no longer required to apply to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. It is enough to fill out a self-declaration form with your details and submit it on Air Suvidha within 72 hours prior to traveling to India.

New Guidelines for Unvaccinated Americans Returning to USA

The United States’ new international air travel system will take effect in November 2021. Accordingly, the COVID-19 testing rules have been amended for unvaccinated Americans, irrespective of age, returning to the country from abroad this November onwards. If you are a US citizen and currently in India, you will have to take a COVID-19 PCR test within 24 hours of your return flight to the US, rather than within 72 hours. On top of that, you will need to purchase a viral test that you will take after arrival in the US. You may be asked for a proof of the purchase at the time of boarding the return flight and/or on arrival in the US. The new guidelines, effective from November 2021, will also apply to children, according to Jen Psaki, the White House Press Secretary.

Unvaccinated Americans traveling back from abroad will self-quarantine for seven full days even though they test negative in the viral test after arrival. However, vaccinated Americans won’t be required to self-quarantine on testing negative after arrival. Whether the amended rules will apply to partially-vaccinated Americans flying back home, is still not clear. What type of a viral test to be bought and taken by unvaccinated US citizens returning from abroad, is yet to be specified by the CDC. Basically, nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) and antigen test are the two types of a viral COVID-19 test.

Delhi Airport’s AI-based COVID testing facility delivers results in 10 minutes

Delhi IGI Airport is home to India’s first and only AI-enabled COVID-19 testing facility. Located in Terminal 3 for international civil flight operations, the new facility can conduct antigen tests on passengers of an entire international flight in a couple of minutes and deliver results in 10-15 minutes. This makes it easier for passengers traveling to destinations, including the United States, which require negative antigen test reports for entry. Some of the passengers of Lufthansa, Air France and KLM have successfully used the facility and got digital reports on their mobile phones. New Delhi Airport’s artificial intelligence-enabled COVID testing facility uses computer vision technology, paper-free backend and scalable node architecture to cater to last-minute testing needs of outbound international flyers.

COVID-19 Test is mandatory for travelers flying into USA

With effect on January 26, 2021, all international travelers flying into the United States must provide a negative RT-PCR test report or valid documentation of recent recovery from COVID-19 at the time of boarding flights for any destination in the US. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires you to take an antigen or NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test, for example, RT-PCR) test within 3 days prior to your scheduled departure for the US and submit the negative report to the airline. Antibody test reports will not be accepted for entry to the United States. Airlines are directed to deny boarding to those who do not provide a valid negative test report or proof of recovery. The documentation of recovery could be a letter from a certified healthcare provider or a public health official ascertaining that you are safe to travel.

This requirement for traveling to the United States applies to all international travelers, including US citizens and legal permanent residents. The CDC also recommends that international arrivals get tested within 5 days and quarantine themselves (stay indoors) for 7 days after their arrival in the US.

Qatar’s guidelines for transit of travelers from India

Traveling to USA from India via Doha in Qatar? Effective April 29, 2021, Qatar’s guidelines for transit in Doha apply to travelers from India. It requires you to take an RT-PCR test at a medical center/lab approved by the government of India, within 48 hours prior to boarding your flight in India, and produce a negative report at the time of check-in at the departure airport. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in denial of boarding on Qatar Airways flights from India.

Onsite COVID-19 test at Indian airports

Online booking of slots for COVID-19 tests at major Indian airports is available. Currently, the COVID testing facility for international arrivals is available at Delhi IGI Airport, Mumbai CSMI Airport, BLR Kempegowda Airport, Chennai MAA International Airport, and Kochi International Airport, Kerala. Not every passenger arriving from abroad needs to undergo a COVID test at the entry airport. Those arriving into India on nonstop flights from USA and other countries are not required to take a test on arrival provided they carry a negative RT-PCR report uploaded on Air Suvidha. If your flights to India transit in the Middle East, Europe, Brazil, or South Africa, you must take a molecular test on arrival at the entry airport in India.

Lufthansa’s COVID-19 test policy

In September 2020, Lufthansa will be operating 160 round-trip flights to India. In the September schedule of air bubble flights to India, Lufthansa will serve Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi. India’s continued air transport bubble arrangement with the United States and Germany has facilitated the September schedule of Lufthansa flights to India from USA and Canada via Frankfurt or Munich.

A negative COVID-19 test is not mandatory for boarding Lufthansa flights. Only asymptomatic people are allowed to travel on Lufthansa though. However, Lufthansa requires passengers to carry a medical certificate and a negative COVID test report in case they will not be able to keep wearing masks on board due to medical reasons. The conditional exemption to wearing masks during the flight will take effect from September 1 and apply to passengers of Lufthansa group airlines. The COVID-19 test must be taken within 48 hours of undertaking the journey.

India’s new no-fly rule for COVID19 travel

In a zero-tolerance approach to ensuring COVID protection on board, India’s aviation regulator directs airlines to put travelers refusing to cover their face on the no-fly list. If a passenger does not comply with the obligation of wearing a mask or face covering, he/she is likely to be denied boarding or deplaned. They may also be barred from flying for a certain period of time. The crew members of a flight reserve the right to decide who to put on the no-fly list. Several major airlines, including Delta Airlines, have the same ‘no-fly’ policy for passengers amid the COVID19 pandemic. The consequences of ending up on a no-fly list may include a lifetime ban on flying in India.

Hot meals and inflight entertainment are back on board

India’s civil aviation ministry has issued new directives for airlines operating domestic and international flights under the Vande Bharat Mission and the air transport bubble arrangement. As per the new SOP, passengers can be served pre-packed meals, snacks and beverages aboard domestic flights depending on the flight time and the policy of the operating airlines. Airlines operating international flights are also allowed to serve hot meals with limited beverages on board amidst precautions against COVID19. Airlines are directed to ensure that completely disposable trays, plates, cutlery, and containers are used on board. In all travel classes, flight attendants will be serving beverages in single-use disposable units. In-flight beverage-pouring service will continue to remain suspended. They will wear a new set of gloves for serving every meal.

Since international travel resumed under the Vande Bharat Mission, inflight entertainment had remained banned. The latest directives allow inflight entertainment on domestic and international flights. Airlines need to follow certain regulations concerning inflight entertainment, like providing disposable earphones or disinfecting earphones before every flight. With the lifting of ban on inflight entertainment, family travelers won’t have a tough time controlling kids on board.

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