Can I Travel To India?

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As Covid-19 transmission concerns continue, countries have taken different measures to try to prevent the spread. Many countries have completely shut down their borders while others are sticking with tighter restrictions on travel for the time being. As the situation continues to evolve, the rules are short to change, possibly on short notice. Here’s what we know now about travel to India.

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Can You Travel to India?

The answer: yes, and it’s getting easier to do so.

India reopened its borders to vaccinated international travelers, but because of the Omicron strain, there are several restrictions in hopes to slow the spread. U.S. citizens will need to adhere to various criteria, which we will cover later on.

Currently, India is classified as a Level 3—or high—travel risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This determination means passengers should be fully vaccinated and ideally boosted before traveling to India based on a number of factors, including cumulative new cases, testing rates and test-to-case ratios.

Testing and Vaccination Requirements to Enter India

As of February 14, 2022, India has loosened its entry requirements to allow several options for travelers.

Vaccinated travelers now have the option of uploading proof of Covid-19 vaccination instead of needing a negative test result. This courtesy has been extended to anyone who received their vaccines in one of 87 eligible countries, including the United States.

Your vaccination information needs to be provided prior to travel via the Air Suvidha portal or you could be denied boarding for your flight. Unvaccinated travelers will need to upload a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to departure as an alternate acceptable method for entry.

There is still some risk of your trip not going to plan, even if vaccinated, though. India is testing all passengers displaying potential symptoms of Covid-19 as well as another 2% of arriving passengers at random. Note that on a 300 person flight, this means that six or more people will be required to test at their own expense. More significantly, if you’re tested and the results come back positive, you’ll be sent to isolation at a designated facility.

Related: When should I use a home Covid test?

Testing and Vaccination Requirements to Enter the United States From India

As of June 12, U.S. citizens returning from France to the United States no longer need to provide a negative Covid-19 test in order to return home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lifted the mandate that had required travelers to supply a negative Covid test or documentation of recovery in order to re-enter the U.S.

Since December 2021, the U.S. government had mandated that passengers age 2 and over traveling into the U.S. share negative Covid-19 tests with their airline no sooner than one calendar day before departure.

If you’re not a U.S. citizen or are on an immigrant visa, you’ll still need to show proof of vaccination to fly to the U.S. from India.

Get Travel Insurance Before Your Next Trip Requirements When Transiting India

For the most part, you can transit through India but there could still be hoops to jump through. If you have transited through a “high risk” country, you will be required to undergo the same protocol as all other passengers.

Passengers who have entered from a non-high risk country will not be subject to further testing or requirements.

Other Important Things to Know

The U.S. Embassy in India notes a face mask requirement in public, but news reports show compliance varying widely across the country. Some states are imposing a curfew or other restrictions on public gatherings. Travel from one state to the next may also require you to provide proof of vaccination and negative test results. Here are the recommendations from the Indian government to help keep you and others safe from Covid-19.

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HOW TO TRAVEL TO INDIA | The Journey to Delhi