No pre-departure test for fully vaccinated travellers travelling from the UAE to India

The Indian Government has announced that fully vaccinated travellers from UAE visiting India will no longer be required to undergo a pre-departure RT-PCR test at the airport.

On a reciprocity basis, the government stated that such travellers are not necessarily required to get the test done. However, they will need to fill out the passenger locator form on the Air Suvidha portal, just like any other foreign traveller.

Air India Express, the budget international carrier, also tweeted that travellers will need to upload COVID-19 vaccination certificate from the list of recognised countries, including the UAE, on Air Suvidha portal.

Do note that all travellers are still required to carry a negative COVID-19 test report that is not older than 72 hours before departure, which also needs to be uploaded on the portal before boarding the flight.

Earlier, only those passengers were exempted from taking RT-PCR tests prior to their departure to India. who have taken both doses of Covid-19 vaccines in India.

Reports also have it that children under five years of age will be exempt from both post arrival and pre-departure testing. But, if they are symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival in India or during the self-monitoring period, they will be required to undergo testing and will be treated as per the protocols.

As reported earlier, India resumed scheduled international flights operations from March 27 and, if reports are to go by, there has been a good influx of travellers arriving and departing from the country from major metro airports and cities.