Bangladeshi travellers to India will need post-arrival Covid-19 tests

India today came out with revised guidelines for international arrivals into the country with effect from October 25 under which mandatory RT-PCR report showing samples tested as negative is required for passengers to board an international flight to India.

However, travellers from certain countries, including European Union, Bangladesh, China, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe, would need to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival Covid-19 testing, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

International travellers arriving through seaports and land ports will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, except that facility for online registration is not available for such passengers currently.

As per the revised guidelines, such travellers would have to submit the self-declaration form to the concerned authorities of the Indian government at seaports and land ports on arrival.

"Because of increasing vaccination coverage across the globe and the changing nature of the pandemic, the existing guidelines for international arrivals in India have been reviewed," the Indian health ministry said in a notification.

International scheduled commercial flights to India have been suspended till October 31 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation allowed international cargo flights and those approved by the regulator on select routes to operate.

The Indian government banned international commercial flights since March 23 last year to contain the spread of the infection. It eased the restrictions on flights in certain countries with which India has had an air bubble arrangement in the past year.

The health ministry guidelines were announced as India has decided to issue tourist visas to foreigners coming via chartered flights from this month and those arriving by regular commercial flights.