The fresh guidelines will come into effect from August 8 and will be applicable for cross border passengers as well

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on Sunday issued revised guidelines for international passengers arriving in India. These will come into effect from August 8, 2020, said a report by LiveMint.

As per the updated guidelines, all travelers are required to submit a self-declaration form on the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel. It is also required to submit an undertaking on the portal that the passengers would undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days i.e. 7 days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by 7 days isolation at home, the report said, quoting the government order.

Under certain compelling reasons, for example, cases of human distress such as a death in the family, serious illness, and parents with children under the age of 10 years of below, home quarantine may be permitted for 14 days, LiveMint reported quoting the guidelines.

If travelers have a copy of a negative RTPCR test report then they may seek exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting the report. The test should have been conducted within 96 hours before undertaking the journey, said the LiveMint report.

The passengers will have to go through thermal screening in India. In case the passenger is assessed as asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic, or very mild cases, they will be allowed home isolation or in the COVID Care center accordingly, the report said.

The new guidelines advise the passengers to download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile devices. The same protocol must be followed by the passengers arriving through land borders, said the report.

LiveMint quoted the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as saying that India has extended the suspension on international commercial passenger flights till 31 August.

The government has allowed gradual movement of passenger traffic via 'Transport Bubble' signed with the USA, France, and Germany, the report said.