COVID19: Testing (and vaccination) Requirements to enter India
Dec 14, 2020, 12:31 am
#48
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Global Again
Programs: OWS IHG Diamond + Accor Plat, Scandic Top Level
Posts: 762
And if your BP seat number doesn't match that on the entry documentation, what happens?
Potentially an enforced stay in a Indian Government approved isolation center..for a period of time.
There's reasons for entering this information, as a Moderator you should know better.
Potentially an enforced stay in a Indian Government approved isolation center..for a period of time.
There's reasons for entering this information, as a Moderator you should know better.
Dec 14, 2020, 12:58 am
#49
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,187
Seriously... when I came into India in early October I had no clue which of my flights (two LH and one AI) I would eventually come in on. So I filed the paperwork for all three to be sure. On arrival no one checked anything, I could have handed the health official in the airport any of the three health forms I had filled out or the one that was handed to me to be manually filled out aboard AI. If anyone makes a drama because of the seat number you have evry right to point out that you may have been reseated by the airline at checkin. Since you are supposed to fill out the suvida form 72h before departure it is well within reasonable possiblity that the seat may change.
Dec 14, 2020, 11:42 am
#50
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Global Again
Programs: OWS IHG Diamond + Accor Plat, Scandic Top Level
Posts: 762
Seriously... when I came into India in early October I had no clue which of my flights (two LH and one AI) I would eventually come in on. So I filed the paperwork for all three to be sure. On arrival no one checked anything, I could have handed the health official in the airport any of the three health forms I had filled out or the one that was handed to me to be manually filled out aboard AI. If anyone makes a drama because of the seat number you have evry right to point out that you may have been reseated by the airline at checkin. Since you are supposed to fill out the suvida form 72h before departure it is well within reasonable possiblity that the seat may change.
If you were to find out your infected after clearing customs and their track and trace used a fraudulent seat number that you entered...how many innocents would be traced because of some one cheating the system..
In these trying times, always be honest, it helps everyone.
Dec 15, 2020, 12:06 am
#51
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,187
Well, it helps to read the instructions... the self reporting form needs to be filed 72 h before departure, the exemption form once you have the PCR test result. See below. Both the self reporting and exemption form can be amended. YOu can even either correct the printout of the self reporting form when you land or hand over the manually filled health form they hand out in the aircraft before landing if you want to make sure the contact tracing will work as it should. Of course to assume that anyone in India will do anything with the data your form that you have handed in on arrival is hillarious...
https://boi.gov.in/content/advisory-...ted-covid-19-1
https://boi.gov.in/content/advisory-...ted-covid-19-1
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare- Guidelines for International Arrivals( In suppression of guidelines issued on the subject dated 02nd August 2020)
Before Planning for Travel
i. All travellers should submit self-declaration form on the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel or physically after arrival at the respective health counters.
ii. They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwiseto Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority to undergofacility / home quarantine/ self-monitoring of their health for 14 days,or as warranted.
iii. Only for compelling reasons/ cases of human distress such as pregnancy, death in family, serious illness and parent(s) with children of the age of 10 years or below, home quarantine may be permitted for 14 days.
iv. If they wish to seek such exemption under para (iii) above, they shall apply to the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before boarding. The decision taken by the government as communicated on the online portal will be final.
v. Travelers may also seek exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative RT-PCR test report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hrs priorto undertaking the journey. The test report should be uploaded on the portal for consideration. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. The test report could also be produced upon arrival at the point of entry airport in India.
vi. International passengers arriving without an RT-PCR negative certificate and wishing to seek exemption from institutional quarantine may also avail the facility available at the airports to undergo RT-PCR testing (where such provisions exist)
vii. All such passengers opting for exemption from institutional quarantine as in para (v) & (vi) shall undertake self-monitoring of their health and will be exempted from quarantine.
viii. International passengers arriving without RT-PCR negative certificate and not opting for RT PCR test at airport(if facility is available)/arriving at an airport where testing facility is not available will have to undergo mandatory 7 days institutional quarantine and 7 days home quarantine.
Before Planning for Travel
i. All travellers should submit self-declaration form on the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel or physically after arrival at the respective health counters.
ii. They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwiseto Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority to undergofacility / home quarantine/ self-monitoring of their health for 14 days,or as warranted.
iii. Only for compelling reasons/ cases of human distress such as pregnancy, death in family, serious illness and parent(s) with children of the age of 10 years or below, home quarantine may be permitted for 14 days.
iv. If they wish to seek such exemption under para (iii) above, they shall apply to the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before boarding. The decision taken by the government as communicated on the online portal will be final.
v. Travelers may also seek exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative RT-PCR test report. This test should have been conducted within 72 hrs priorto undertaking the journey. The test report should be uploaded on the portal for consideration. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. The test report could also be produced upon arrival at the point of entry airport in India.
vi. International passengers arriving without an RT-PCR negative certificate and wishing to seek exemption from institutional quarantine may also avail the facility available at the airports to undergo RT-PCR testing (where such provisions exist)
vii. All such passengers opting for exemption from institutional quarantine as in para (v) & (vi) shall undertake self-monitoring of their health and will be exempted from quarantine.
viii. International passengers arriving without RT-PCR negative certificate and not opting for RT PCR test at airport(if facility is available)/arriving at an airport where testing facility is not available will have to undergo mandatory 7 days institutional quarantine and 7 days home quarantine.
Dec 15, 2020, 6:37 am
#52
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 21
And if your BP seat number doesn't match that on the entry documentation, what happens?
Potentially an enforced stay in a Indian Government approved isolation center..for a period of time.
There's reasons for entering this information, as a Moderator you should know better.
Potentially an enforced stay in a Indian Government approved isolation center..for a period of time.
There's reasons for entering this information, as a Moderator you should know better.
Dec 16, 2020, 12:28 pm
#53
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: EWR
Posts: 894
No one checked my forms upon landing in India. Highly doubt they will cross check your boarding pass seat number with the Air Suvidha form. The main purpose in case they need to do contact tracing later on. In that case they will probably rely on the airline manifest. Fortunately I had an assigned seat number ahead of time.
But why don't you try simply leaving it blank, or putting NA and then submitting?
But why don't you try simply leaving it blank, or putting NA and then submitting?
Dec 17, 2020, 1:29 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
And if your BP seat number doesn't match that on the entry documentation, what happens?
Potentially an enforced stay in a Indian Government approved isolation center..for a period of time.
There's reasons for entering this information, as a Moderator you should know better.
Potentially an enforced stay in a Indian Government approved isolation center..for a period of time.
There's reasons for entering this information, as a Moderator you should know better.
Dec 17, 2020, 10:54 pm
#55
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Global Again
Programs: OWS IHG Diamond + Accor Plat, Scandic Top Level
Posts: 762
no one is going to pull you up because your seat number does not match the form....you could always change your seat during check-in, upgrade your class of travel or simply not have a seat number when you are submitting the form....the authorities have the updated flight information so they will know what seat was assigned to you in the event they need to track you down....
Dec 18, 2020, 12:14 pm
#56
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 46
So just an update,
I sent the BA form for both passengers (on two separate PNRs) on Tuesday.
Completed SRF on Tuesday as well (just put N/A as seat number) and then Exemption Form this morning after a negative test result.
I've had the exemption approved for both passengers.
Problem I have is that I didn't get an acknowledgement of the email from BA. I spoke with them yesterday and they couldn't tell me if they'd received it but did say I wouldn't be able to check in until this was actioned by the team in Mumbai. He told me to send it again and just keep a printout of the sent emails to show the at check-in in case of any problems.
I sent emails for both passengers again yesterday, no acknowledgement again.
This morning both passengers able to check in for MAN-LHR but not LHR-BOM. That just changed now - my father can check in online for the second leg but I can't.
I just spoke with them again over the phone and got told not to worry, I can't check in and many other passengers can't as they need to physically verify my documents at airport but couldn't tell me which ones so let's see what happens tomorrow.
On a side note, spoke with 3 passengers who all flew BOM-LHR on BA this past week and all had to have a negative test done beforehand (apparently airport staff insist it's a BA rule but nothing on their website).
I sent the BA form for both passengers (on two separate PNRs) on Tuesday.
Completed SRF on Tuesday as well (just put N/A as seat number) and then Exemption Form this morning after a negative test result.
I've had the exemption approved for both passengers.
Problem I have is that I didn't get an acknowledgement of the email from BA. I spoke with them yesterday and they couldn't tell me if they'd received it but did say I wouldn't be able to check in until this was actioned by the team in Mumbai. He told me to send it again and just keep a printout of the sent emails to show the at check-in in case of any problems.
I sent emails for both passengers again yesterday, no acknowledgement again.
This morning both passengers able to check in for MAN-LHR but not LHR-BOM. That just changed now - my father can check in online for the second leg but I can't.
I just spoke with them again over the phone and got told not to worry, I can't check in and many other passengers can't as they need to physically verify my documents at airport but couldn't tell me which ones so let's see what happens tomorrow.
On a side note, spoke with 3 passengers who all flew BOM-LHR on BA this past week and all had to have a negative test done beforehand (apparently airport staff insist it's a BA rule but nothing on their website).
Jan 25, 2021, 2:56 pm
#57
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Under the Cone of Silence
Programs: UA Gold; AA Dirt; HH Diamond; National Emerald; CONTROL SecretAgent Platinum; KAOS EvilFlyer Gold
Posts: 1,499
Well, it helps to read the instructions... the self reporting form needs to be filed 72 h before departure, the exemption form once you have the PCR test result. See below. Both the self reporting and exemption form can be amended. YOu can even either correct the printout of the self reporting form when you land or hand over the manually filled health form they hand out in the aircraft before landing if you want to make sure the contact tracing will work as it should. Of course to assume that anyone in India will do anything with the data your form that you have handed in on arrival is hillarious...
https://boi.gov.in/content/advisory-...ted-covid-19-1
https://boi.gov.in/content/advisory-...ted-covid-19-1
I'm looking at a possible short-notice trip around Jan 30 for roughly 1 week, from USA to Vadodara (BDQ). From what I gather, the process would be as follows:
1. Fill out the self-declaration form via newdelhiairport.in (Air Suvidha) portal.
2. Upon getting a negative PCR test, fill out the 'apply for exemption' section via that same portal.
3. This would allow me to transit through Delhi and take a connecting flight to BDQ.
Since I can't get past the first page on that portal without entering all the info (which I don't have yet), can anyone give me the gist of what info will be needed (beyond normal travel details, passport info, etc.)
Does the same portal get used if arriving into another airport (BOM for example)? Strange that the portal is specifically via DEL's website.
Unfortunately connecting via DEL means 18 hours overnight at the airport before the BDQ flight.
My other option would be to fly to BOM, stay with relatives overnight, then take a train the following morning (Shatabdi Express) but don't know the practicalities of that given travel restrictions between Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Jan 25, 2021, 4:17 pm
#58
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 46
Can't say what's changed exactly but to answer your question about the portal being used at other airports - it's the same portal used by every airport, just seems to be hosted on DEL website.
You can find a paper version of the SRF here: http://www.airindia.in/images/pdf/SE...PASSENGERS.pdf
There was a PDF of the Exemption form too but can't seem to find it online anymore, you'd need to note how you'll be travelling to your home state and driver's details if any, not much else is needed. I have a PDF copy saved if you need it.
Regards to train/road travel between GJ and MH, when I was there in December, they were doing rapid tests on arrivals into MH at train stations and on road checkpoints but spoke with someone there today - that seems to have all been scrapped and no longer any restrictions on travel between the two states by train or car. He travelled between GJ and MH by road on Saturday without any questions, not sure if there's still any restrictions by air though.
Hope that helps.
You can find a paper version of the SRF here: http://www.airindia.in/images/pdf/SE...PASSENGERS.pdf
There was a PDF of the Exemption form too but can't seem to find it online anymore, you'd need to note how you'll be travelling to your home state and driver's details if any, not much else is needed. I have a PDF copy saved if you need it.
Regards to train/road travel between GJ and MH, when I was there in December, they were doing rapid tests on arrivals into MH at train stations and on road checkpoints but spoke with someone there today - that seems to have all been scrapped and no longer any restrictions on travel between the two states by train or car. He travelled between GJ and MH by road on Saturday without any questions, not sure if there's still any restrictions by air though.
Hope that helps.
Jan 25, 2021, 7:33 pm
#59
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Under the Cone of Silence
Programs: UA Gold; AA Dirt; HH Diamond; National Emerald; CONTROL SecretAgent Platinum; KAOS EvilFlyer Gold
Posts: 1,499
Can't say what's changed exactly but to answer your question about the portal being used at other airports - it's the same portal used by every airport, just seems to be hosted on DEL website.
You can find a paper version of the SRF here: http://www.airindia.in/images/pdf/SE...PASSENGERS.pdf
There was a PDF of the Exemption form too but can't seem to find it online anymore, you'd need to note how you'll be travelling to your home state and driver's details if any, not much else is needed. I have a PDF copy saved if you need it.
Regards to train/road travel between GJ and MH, when I was there in December, they were doing rapid tests on arrivals into MH at train stations and on road checkpoints but spoke with someone there today - that seems to have all been scrapped and no longer any restrictions on travel between the two states by train or car. He travelled between GJ and MH by road on Saturday without any questions, not sure if there's still any restrictions by air though.
Hope that helps.
You can find a paper version of the SRF here: http://www.airindia.in/images/pdf/SE...PASSENGERS.pdf
There was a PDF of the Exemption form too but can't seem to find it online anymore, you'd need to note how you'll be travelling to your home state and driver's details if any, not much else is needed. I have a PDF copy saved if you need it.
Regards to train/road travel between GJ and MH, when I was there in December, they were doing rapid tests on arrivals into MH at train stations and on road checkpoints but spoke with someone there today - that seems to have all been scrapped and no longer any restrictions on travel between the two states by train or car. He travelled between GJ and MH by road on Saturday without any questions, not sure if there's still any restrictions by air though.
Hope that helps.
I was fortunate enough to snag a $650 roundtrip JFK-DEL-BDQ-DEL-EWR earlier this evening, departing this Sunday and returning the following Monday, all on Air India, with only 4 hour layovers in DEL each way, so need to worry about planning train travel etc.
Jan 26, 2021, 8:42 am
#60
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Under the Cone of Silence
Programs: UA Gold; AA Dirt; HH Diamond; National Emerald; CONTROL SecretAgent Platinum; KAOS EvilFlyer Gold
Posts: 1,499
How strict are they on the "within 72 hours of travel" rule for the PCR test?
My flight is scheduled to depart from JFK at noon on Sunday, do I need to schedule my PCR test after noon Thursday, or would it be okay to do it in the morning, or for that matter how about if I do it Wednesday afternoon?
I'd like to do it as early as I can to ensure I get the results in hand before travel so I can upload the exemption request.
My flight is scheduled to depart from JFK at noon on Sunday, do I need to schedule my PCR test after noon Thursday, or would it be okay to do it in the morning, or for that matter how about if I do it Wednesday afternoon?
I'd like to do it as early as I can to ensure I get the results in hand before travel so I can upload the exemption request.