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Updated January 2023
India has now fully opened its borders to all international arrivals, irrespective of their point of origin or vaccination status. Moreover, the majority of travellers to India are also not required to submit a Covid-19 PCR test report before travelling to India. However, in light of a sudden rise in the Covid-19 trajectory in the country, India has re-instated some Covid-19 entry requirements for all arriving passengers from some high-risk countries.
For those whose itinerary includes India as a pit stop, here are the latest India transit rules you need to know.
Can I transit through India?
Yes, you can transit from one airport in India to another.
Moreover, international passengers are permitted to transit at Indira Gandhi International Airport, India. Passengers may remain in direct transit at the terminal or proceed directly to the departure area, depending upon onward flight timings and the specific airport procedure. Passengers in transit are not allowed to proceed or pass through immigration or customs unless they can fulfil other requisite criteria.
However, transit passengers through specific high-risk countries, including China, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Japan, arriving in any of the Indian airports will have to register themselves on the Air Suvidha portal and mandatorily submit a negative Covid-19 PCR test report, to be eligible for entry. More on this below
India transit requirements
For travellers from high-risk countries
As per the guidelines released by India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the following requirements have to be followed by international arrivals arriving or transiting to any of the six high-risk countries, including China, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Japan, into any of the Indian airports:
- Travellers must submit complete and factual information in the self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal before the scheduled travel, including the last 14 days’ travel details.
- Upload negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report on the Air Suvidha portal, conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey. 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.
- Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to the authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution if found otherwise.
- They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority for any post-arrival requirement including home/institutional quarantine/self-health monitoring, as warranted.
Please note that the above-mentioned requirements will also apply to transiting passengers through high-risk countries, as mentioned above, irrespective of their originating countries, before coming to any Indian airport
For travellers from other countries
Travellers transiting through all other countries into any of the Indian airports, or transiting through any of the Indian airports, will have to go through the following requirements for international arrivals, as mandated by India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW):
- 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.
Alternatively, for more details regarding India’s entry requirements, refer to our article below:
