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Updated February 2023
Considering the consistent decline in COVID-19 infections across the world, India has scrapped most COVID-19 testing and vaccination requirements.
Here are the latest PCR test entry requirements in India that you should be aware of.
PCR testing requirements in India
As per the latest guidelines for international arrivals laid down by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, incoming travellers from other countries are no longer required to submit a Covid-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours for entry into India. They are also not required to register themselves on the Air Suvidha portal.
From 11 AM on 13 February 2023, passengers from China, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and South Korea will also be exempt from pre-departure testing and Air Suvidha registration, owing to the “sustained and significant decline in trajectory of COVID-19 cases” in these countries over the last four weeks.
Nonetheless, they will be subject to random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival. More on this below.
What about testing at the airport?
As per the latest guidelines for international arrivals laid down by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India, travellers will be subject to the following on-arrival requirements across the airports in India:
- de-boarding should be done, ensuring physical distancing
- thermal screening should be done in respect of all the passengers by the health officials present at the point of entry.
- the passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to a designated medical facility as per health protocol, as mentioned above.
- the following protocol post arrival shall also be followed:
- a sub-section (2% of the total passengers in all incoming international flights) shall undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival, irrespective of the port of departure
- such travellers on each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries). They will submit the samples and shall be allowed to leave the airport thereafter
- if such travellers’ samples are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at the INSACOG laboratory network
- they shall be treated/isolated as per the laid down standard protocol
- all travellers should self-monitor their health post arrival also shall report to their nearest health facility or call on the National helpline number (1075)/ State Helpline Number in case they have any symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.
Please note that children under 12 years of age are exempted from both pre-departure and post-arrival random testing. However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during the period of self-monitoring period, they shall undergo testing and be treated as per the laid down protocol.
