The Karnataka government has revised travel guidelines to make RT-PCR reports mandatory for all international passengers coming to the State. The notification, issued on October 25, stated that those coming from abroad must submit a self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal and upload a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report. The test should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey.
The guidelines state that each passenger must submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. Travellers coming from a country excluding those countries at risk, will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days. This is applicable to travellers from all countries including those with which reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of WHO approved COVID -19 vaccine also exist.
The government also issued a list of ‘countries at-risk’ from where travellers would have to follow additional measures on arrival in India, including post-arrival testing. At-risk countries include South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, and countries in Europe, including the United Kingdom,
If partially or not vaccinated, the passenger is required to provide samples for COVID-19 test after which they will be allowed to leave the airport. These passengers have to home-quarantine for seven days, and undertake another test on the eighth day.
