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,
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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.