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Updated 28 December 2021
Following a surge in the number of Omicron cases in the country, the Tamil Nadu government enforced some additional measures for all travellers coming from foreign countries into the state, irrespective of whether they are classified as at-risk countries or not. This has mainly been implemented as there have been several reports of Omicron variant being detected from passengers who arrive from ‘not-at-risk’ countries too.
Read on to know more about the latest quarantine rules and COVID-19 testing guidelines in Tamil Nadu.
Table of Contents
Tamil Nadu travel guidelines
International arrivals
According to the latest guidelines, all international travellers arriving in Maharashtra, irrespective of their nationality and vaccination status, should complete filling the following details on the Air Suvidha portal:
- Submit self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal www.newdelhiairport.in before the scheduled travel.
- Upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey.
- 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 that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority to undergo home quarantine/ self-health monitoring, as warranted.
Tamil Nadu e-pass
All passenger arriving in Tamil Nadu shall register their details online and obtain a TN e-PASS through the TN e-Registration portal. After booking the flight tickets, passengers must register their details on the TN e-PASS portal and duly select the arrival airport in Tamil Nadu. The TN e-PASS travel permit will be sent to the passenger’s registered mobile number along with a QR Code with a link to download the same.
Domestic arrivals
Anyone looking to enter Tamil Nadu from other states and union territories will be required to submit a mandatory e-pass issued by the government of Tamil Nadu. Passengers will have a mandatory verification at origin for checking the availability of their TN e-pass and if they have registered in the portal at the origin.
In case the passengers do not have the TN e-pass, Tamil Nadu has counters at the arrival to support customers at MAA, IXM airports.
Passengers on domestic flights will also be asked to provide their travel history
Passengers coming from Madras International Meenambakkam Airport (MAA) to other airports in Tamil Nadu:
All passengers travelling from MAA to other districts need to register on the state website and apply for a TN e-pass. Passengers will have a mandatory verification at MAA for checking the availability of their TN e-pass and if they have registered in the portal at the origin.
Passengers travelling for 48 hours or less will have to furnish their travel details.
Tamil Nadu quarantine and testing rules
International arrivals
Following the threat of the Omicron variant in the state, the Tamil Nadu government has updated its quarantine and testing guidelines. All international arrivals to the state will have to go through the following guidelines:
- All international arrivals will have to undergo home isolation and an eight-day mandatory exit test.
- All passengers travelling from ‘at-risk’ countries like Botswana, Brazil, South Africa, China, Israel, Mauritius, New Zealand, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Hong Kong, and all countries in Europe including the UK will continue to be tested on arrival at the four international airports in the state, namely, Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tiruchirappalli. Those who tested positive will be isolated in the hospital, and those who tested negative will be mandated to remain in home quarantine until they test negative on the eighth day of arrival.
The authorities also reported that the state will now test at least 10 per cent of passengers from ‘not-at-risk’ countries and insist that all passengers remain in quarantine until an exit test is conducted on the eighth day of arrival. The police, revenue, health, and local government bodies will monitor the health condition of passengers who are in quarantine.
As per the official reports till 25 December 2021, there was only a 2 per cent random testing for passengers who arrived from ‘not-at-risk’ countries and none of them had to wait for results but was advised to monitor their health condition for two weeks. The passengers were called for hospital isolation only when they tested positive as per the Central government guidelines.
Domestic arrivals
- All passengers coming from the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi will have to undergo an on-arrival COVID-19 test.
- For passengers coming from other states, only the symptomatic passengers will be tested for COVID-19.
- Passengers will have to go through mandatory home quarantine for fourteen days.
Passengers coming from MAA to other airports in Tamil Nadu:
- All passengers coming from MAA will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival. The passengers will have to undergo institutional quarantine for one day until the test results are declared.
- Passengers will have to undergo mandatory home quarantine for seven days. Those travelling for business returning within 48 hours are exempted from this requirement.
