US issues fresh travel advisory for Indian nationals post-Covid, know new guidelines

This year, the United States has issued four travel advisories for India, and it has kept its citizens planning to visit the country on Level 2 (exercise increased caution) since March 28.

The American travel advisories maintained and issued by the Department of State are now generally divided into four different colour-coded levels from 1 to 4, with 1 (white) being the safest place to travel and 4 (red) being the no-travel zone advised for its citizens. This division was first implemented several years ago.

Since March 28 of this year, when the State Department dropped it from Level 3 travel advice of January 24, yellow-coloured Level 2 has advised Americans to take enhanced caution when travelling to India. At Level 3, the US urges its nationals to think twice before visiting that nation.

Most frequently Level 2 and occasionally Level 3 travel advisories have been issued for India. In April 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 crisis, it was classified as Level 4.

The most recent three travel advisories this year—issued on March 28, July 25, and October 5—are identical and focus on the fact that the situation with the coronavirus in India has stabilised.

The United States may issue travel advisories depending on several variables. The state of the nation, public health issues, law and order, terrorism, relations with that nation, and travel season are prominent examples of these.

Afghanistan and Myanmar are ranked in the highest Level 4 category in India’s neighbourhood, while Pakistan and China are ranked in Level 3.

Bhutan is in Level 1, and Bangladesh, Nepal, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka are in Level 2, which is where the US advises its people to use normal caution when travelling.