India / India allows fully-vaccinated travellers from 99 nations to skip quarantine

New Delhi: Travellers from 99 countries, who are fully-vaccinated against coronavirus disease (Covid-19), have been exempted from mandatory quarantine on arrival in India, according to a recently updated notification by the Union government.

These countries, which include the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Israel, among others, have been listed under ‘Category A’ in the government notification. Although travellers from these 99 nations have been exempted from mandatory quarantine, they will be required to follow certain norms that remain the same for all travellers.

Countries that feature in the ‘Category A’ list

As many as 99 nations are included in the ‘Category A’ list as mentioned in the notification by the central government. The United States, Great Britain, Israel, France, Germany, Spain, Australia, Belgium, Bangladesh, Finland, Croatia, Hungary, Russia, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey and Nepal are some of the countries that feature in the list.

Reason ‘Category A’ countries given Covid-19 relaxations

According to the Centre’s notification, India shares an agreement with some of the 99 nations on “mutual recognition of [Covid-19] vaccination certificates” of nationally recognised or the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised vaccines. On the other hand, some countries in the ‘Category A’ list though do not have a mutual recognition of Covid-19 vaccine agreement with India, they permit quarantine-free entry in their land to fully vaccinated Indian nationals.

The decision to offer some relaxations to Covid-19 protocols for international travellers coming from the 99 countries have been made “on the basis of reciprocity”, the notification explained.

Covid-19 protocols that travellers from ‘Category A’ list need to follow

Travellers from the 99 nations must submit a self-declaration of their fully vaccinated status on Air Suvidha portal, and also produce a negative RT-PCR test report conducted within 72 hours before. The passengers also need to submit a declaration related to the authenticity of the RT-PCR report and “will be liable to criminal prosecution, if found otherwise,” the notification stated.

Fully vaccinated travellers from ‘Category A’ countries are exempted from compulsory quarantine. However, they must self-monitor their health for the 14 days starting from the date of arrival in India. If they develop signs and symptoms of Covid-19 or test positive for the infection on re-testing, “they will immediately self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call National helpline number (1075)/State Helpline Number,” the notification noted.

Travellers, who are partially vaccinated or not vaccinated against Covid-19, must submit their sample for testing on arrival in India. They also need to undergo home quarantine for seven days, take a Covid-19 test again on the eighth day, and if found negative, “further self-monitor” their health for the next seven days.

Countries categorised as ‘Countries at-risk’ by India

As many as 10 countries feature in this list, including the South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Zimbabwe, Singapore, New Zealand, Mauritius, Bangladesh and the UK.

Guidelines for travellers from nations ‘Considered at-risk’ but feature in ‘Category A’ list

Singapore, Zimbabwe and the UK are three nations that are considered at risk by India and yet feature in the ‘Category A’ list. However, travellers from these countries will still be exempted from mandatory quarantine, and will be permitted to leave the airport on arrival in India, with the requirement to self-monitor their health for the next 14 days.

Duration Covid-19 relaxations effective for the 99 countries

According to the government notification, the relaxations have been effective since November 12 and will remain in place till further orders. However, on the basis of “risk assessment” the guidelines will be reviewed from “time to time.”