Lok Sabha Question No. 84 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-11-29
Subject: Reopening of Doors to Foreign Tourists
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Girish Bhalchandra Bapat, Sajda Ahmed, Kotha Prabhakar  Reddy, Rahul Ramesh Shewale, Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Geetha Viswanath Vanga, Pritam Gopinath Munde

MINISTER OF TOURISM

- (a): Yes, Sir.
- (b) and (e): Ministry of  Home Affairs had detaited deliberations/ consultations with all the stakeholders at different tevels for relaxation of visa and travel restrictions  for foreign tourists intending to visit tndia.

## GOVERNMENT  OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO. 84

## ANSWERED ON 25.11.20.21

## REOPENING OF DOORS TO FOREIGN TOURISTS

## 84. SHR! GIRISH BHALCHANDRA BAPAT:

SHRIMATI SAJDA AHMED:

SHRI I(OTHA PRABHAKAR REDDY:

SHR! RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE:

SHRI GHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU:

SHRIMATI VANGA GEETHA VISWANATH:

DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Govemment has decided to reopen its doors to foreign tourists from countries where the Covid-{9 situation is under contro!;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the names of the countries from where the tourists will be allowed;
- (c) the response received from these countries and the revenue earned so fa4
- (d) whether the Govemment has formulated specific protocols for the internationa!  tourists keeping in mind the possibilityr of third wave and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has organized inter-ministerial  talks for a calibrated  resumption  of tourist visas and if so, the details thereof; and
- (0  the steps taken by the Government to ensure to follow att required health protocols and restore confidence in tourism industry?

## ANSWER

(sHRr G. KTSHAN REDDY)

Keeping  in view the improvement in COVID situation in lndia and subject to adherence to GOVID related guidelines  of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare  [Annexure-ll  as applicable to international  travellers, it was decided that:

- AII foreign nationals  intending to visit India for tourism purposes  will be allowed to enter into lndia on e-Tourist Visa/Tourist  visa through Ghartered  flights (for group tourism only) from 15.1O.2O21a  and !.
- !!. All individual foreign nationals intending to vis:t lndia for tourism purposes will be allowed to enter into lndia on eTourist visa/Tourist  visa w.e.f. 15.11.2021.

Further,  Tourist Visa/e-Tourist  Vasa of foreign nationals intending to visit lndia for tourism  will have to be utilized within {2O days from the date of issue of such visa/Electronic Travel Authorization  (ETA). Fresh Tourist Visa/e-Tourist visa wit! remain valid for single entry for up to 3O days from the date of entry into lndia. Relaxation of visa and travel testrictions for foreign tourists is not country-specific.

- (c): The norma! tourist visa foreign tourasts have been allowed with
- effect fuom 15.11.2O21.  Therefore, the response from tourists can't be assessed in such a short time.
- (d) & (O: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW)  has issued
- detailed guidelines  for  intemationa! arrivals on 11.11.2021. The guideline contains the details of protocols/  Do's/ Dont's to be followed by the international  tourists before boarding, during the travel and on arrival. The same wil! be applicable for the intemational travellers arriying Seaports/  Land ports. A copy of the guidelines  dated 11.11.2o.21 issued by MoH&FW is annexed as Annexure-|.
- (e):  Reply given with para (b) above.
- (0: Reply given with para (d) above.

Statement  in reply to parts (b), (d) to (f) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 84 answered on 29.11.2021 regarding Reopening of Doors to Foreign

Tourists.

Guidelines  for lntemational  Arrivals issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Dated llth  November 2021  lin  supersession of all guidelines issued on the subject on and after zo> October 2O2l)

## !ntroduction

The global trajectory of GOVID-{9  pandemic  continues to decline with certain regional variations. The need to monator the continuously changing nature of virus and evolution of SARS-GoV-2 variants of concern (VOGs) must still remain in focus. The existing  guidelines (issued on l7b  February 2021 with subsequent addendums) for international  arrivals in lndia have been formulated taking a risk-based approach. ln view increasing vaccination coverage across the globe and the changing nature of the pandemic, the existing guidelines for international arrivals in lndia have been reviewed.

## Scope

This document provides protocols to be complied with internationa!

travellers as well those to be followed by airlines, points of entry (airports, seaports  and land border) for risk profiling of passengers.

This Standard Operating Procedure shat! be vatid w.e.f. l2th November 2O2{ (OO.OO HrslST} till further orders. Based on the risk assessment, this document shall be reviewed from time to time.

## A.{. Planninq for Travel

## i. Al! travellers  should

- a. Submit self-declaration form on the online  Air Suvidha portal www.newdelhiairport.in)  before the scheduled travel
- b. Upload a negative GOVID-19 RT-PGR report*. This test should have been conducted  within 72 hrs praor to undertaking  the journey.
- c. Each passenger  shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticiQr  of the repoil and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise
4. It. They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to Ministry  of Givil Aviation, Government 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 undergo  home quarantine/  self-health  monitoring, as warranted.
5. Gontinuing  with the earlier approach, travellers from certain specified  Gountries  (based on epidemiological  situation of GOVID-i9 in those Gountries) are identified for additional follow up. These include need for additional measures  as detailed in para (xv) below. The listing of such specified Gountries is a dynamic exercise based on evolving situation of GOVID-19  across the world and will be made available  on the websites of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, (mohfw.gov.in) and the link of the same will be available  at website of Ministry  of Extemal  Affairs and Air Suvidha  Portal. llt.
- lv. There are Gountries which have agreement with lndia on mutual recognition  of vaccination certificates of Nationally  recognised or WHO recognised vaccines. Similarly, there are Countries which presently  do not have such an agreement with lndia, but they exempt lndian citizens fully vaccinated  with Nationally recognised or WHO recognised vaccines. On the basis of reciprocity, the travellers from all such Gountries which proyide quarantine-free entry to lndians are allowed certain relaxations on arrival (Gategory A Gountries). The listing of such Gountries is available on websites of Ministry  of Health & Family Welfare (mohfirr.gov.in)  and the lank of the same will be available at website of Ministry of External  Affairs and Air Suvidha Portal. This is also a dynamic list and will be updated from time to time. The trayellers from Gategory A Gountries shall upload their fully vaccinated** certificate  on the Air Suvidha  portal.

## A.2, Before Boardinq

- v Do's and Don'ts shall be provided along with ticket to the travellers
- by the airlines/agencies  concerned.
- Airlines to allow boarding by only those passengers  who have filled in the Self Declaration  Form on the Air Suvidha portal, uploaded the v!.
- negative  RT-PGR test report ..  .
- At the time of boarding the flight, only asymptomatic travelters wilt vtl.
- be allowed to board after thermal screening.
- All passengers  shall be advised to download AarogyaSetu app on their mobile devices. v  t-

## A.3. Durinq Travel

- !x. ln-flight announcement  about COVID-19 including precautionary measures to be followed shall be made at airports and in flights and during transit.
- During in-flight crew shall ensure that GOVID appropriate behaviour is followed at al! times. x.
- xl. lf any passenger  reports symptoms of GOVID-{9  during flight, he/she
- shall be isolated as per protocol.

## 4.4. On arriva!

- xll. Deboarding should be done ensuring physical  distancing.
2. xllI. Thermal screening  would be carried out in respect of all the passengers by the health ofticaals present at the airport. The selfdeclaration  form filled online shall be shown to the airport health staff.
3. xtv. The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening  shal! be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol.  lf tested positive, their contacts shall be identified and
4. managed as per laid down protocotr,
- xv. Travellers from specified Gountries  at risk (as mentioned in para (iii)
6. above) will follow the protocol as detailed below:
7. a lf traveller  is coming from a Gountry with which lndia has reciproca! arangements  for mutual acceptance of WHO approved COVID-i9 vaccines (Gategory A):
8. ai.  lf fully vaccinated**:  They shall be allowed to leave the aarport  and
9. shall self-monitor  their health lot 14 days' post arrival.
- iii. !f  partially/not  vaccinated: The travellers need to undertake the
11. following measures:
12. . Submission of sample for post-arrival GOVID-{9 test* at the point of artival after which they will be allowed to leave the airport,
13. .
14. . Home quarantine for 7 days,
15. Re-test on the 8th day of arrival in lndiat and if negative, further selfmonitor of their health for next 7 days.
- b. lf traveller as coming from a Country excluding those covered under Gategory A, they would be required to undergo the measures as mentioned  in para  a (ii) above, irrespective  of their COVTD-I9
17. vaccination status.
- xvl. Travellers from Gountries excluding those Gountries at risk, will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor  their health lor 14 days' post arrival. This is applicable to travellers  from all Gountries including Gountries with which reciprocal  arangements for mutua!
19. acceptance of WHO approved COVID-19  vaccines also exist.
- xvll. Travellers under home quarantane or self-health monitoring, if develop signs and symptoms suggestive of GOVID-{9 or test positive for GOVID-i9  on re-testing, they will immediately  self-isolate and report to their nearest health facility or call National helpline number (f O75y State Helpline Number.

## lnternational  travellers  arriving at seaports/land  ports

- xviii. lnternational  travellers arrivang through seaports/land  ports will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, except that faciliQr for online registration  is not available for such passengers  currently.
- xix. Such travellers shall submit the selt-declaration form to  the concemed authorities of Government of lndia at seaports/land  potts on arrival.
*  Ghildren under 5 years of age are exempted from both pre- and postarrival testing. However, if found symptomatic for GOVID-19  on arrival or during home quarantine period, they shall undergo testing and treated as per laid down protocol.
4. t*  15 days must have elapsed since completion of  GOVID-19 vaccination schedule
5. xx
6. # Gontacts of the suspect case are the co-passengers  seated in the same tow, 3 rows in front and 3 rows behind along with identified Gabin Grew. AIso, all the community contacts of those travellers who have tested positive (during home quarantine  period)  would be subiected to quarantine  for 14 days and tested as per IGMR protocol.