'Hassle-free travel': No RT-PCR test required before travelling to India

Indian government has announced removing mandatory pre-departure testing requirements for all passengers travelling from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Japan. However, the rule of two per cent random COVID testing for all international arrivals at the airport will still continue to apply.

India drops the mandatory requirement of RT-PCR test for international travellers altogether from February 13th, 11:00 onwards. Credit: Hindustan Times/Sipa USA/AAP Image

Key Points

• India has removed the rule to upload the negative RT-PCR test report for passengers from six countries including Singapore and Thailand
• Last December, India mandated that international arrivals present a negative COVID test before entering the country from the six nations.
• However, the random testing of 2 per cent of all travellers landing in India, irrespective of the source country, will continue.

Last December, India mandated that international arrivals present a negative COVID test before entering the country from the identified high risk countries in the backdrop of growing COVID-19 cases globally.

It had then asked the travellers to upload negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report on an official online form, Air Suvidha portal, with the test to be conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey.

Scene at the Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi, India. Source: AP / Manish Swarup/AP/AAP Image

However on 10 February, the Indian government issued the latest ‘Guidelines for International Arrivals’ while noting that the rules were being 'revised in light of declining trajectory of COVID-19 cases globally.'

"Now these countries have witnesssed a sustained and significant decline in trajectory of COVID-19 cases in the last 04 weeks. It has been decided that the exisiting guidelines for international travellers needs to be revised and updated," the Civil Aviation Ministry said.

Coronavirus alert signage advising passengers for self-reporting and other precautions seen displayed at the New Delhi International airport in view of the Coronavirus outbreak. Credit: SOPA Images/Sipa USA/AAP Image

"Dropping the exisitng requirements of pre-departure COVID-19 testing and uploading of Self-Health Declaration on Ministry of Civil Aviation's Air Suvidha portal applicable for international travellers coming from/via China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Republic of Korea, Thailand and Japan," it noted.

The new rule will be effective as of 11 AM (Indian local time) on 13 February.

However, some rules have been kept unchanged including the two per cent random testing from flights arriving in the country.

According to the current guidelines, a sub-section of the total passengers in the flight are subjected to random post arrival

testing at the airport on arrival.

Additionally, all travellers should be fully vaccinated as per the primary schedule of vaccination against COVID-19 in their countries, and thermal screening is still conducted by the health officials present at the airports.

Mansi Mishra is all set to head to India next month and she says the removal of the RT-PCR rule is welcoming news for travellers like her.

Mansi Mishra

"As you don't have to worry about filling out forms or doing tests before your journey, it makes for hassle-free travel," she says.

"Travellers in an emergency situation who have limited time will really benefit from it as well," she says.

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