The world is finally opening up as COVID cases are dropping and the
situation seems to be improving by the day. While many countries still haven't
opened doors for Indian travellers, some of the nations have stepped up and
eased the restrictions for India.
However, countries that had recently relaxed
tourist visa rules for Indians including the Maldives, Nepal and the
UAE, have put a ban again on Indian holidaymakers for the time-being. Below is
a list of countries allowing travellers from India as of yet, with certain
conditions.
1. Maldives
Flight operations to Maldives, one of the most preferred tourist
destinations in the world, is about to begin next week from July 15. If you’re
planning to fly from India, then please note that Go First, which was GoAir
before, will be operating flights from Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai to Malé from
July 15th onwards.
The flight will be available twice a week on every Thursdays and
Sundays. Subsequently, from August 4, more flights will operate on Wednesdays
and Saturdays. And if everything goes well, then from September 3 onwards, the
flights between the two countries will start functioning on a daily basis.
2. Canada
From next week, Indians will be allowed to enter Canada by taking
connecting flights as direct flights remain prohibited till July 21. The Indian
travellers will have to produce a negative Covid-19 test result taken at the
final point of departure to Canada.
"Fully vaccinated travellers allowed to enter Canada may be
exempted from federal quarantine and day 8 testing starting July 5. Only
vaccines approved by the Government of Canada will be accepted," Public
Health Agency of Canada tweeted last week.
Canada has so far approved the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Astra
Zeneca/Covishield, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. However, Canada has not
approved Covaxin from Bharat Biotech and Sputnik V from the Russian Gamaleya
Center.
Restrictions will remain in place for those not fully vaccinated or
vaccinated with a jab not authorised in Canada. Such travellers will have to
complete the three-day quarantine at a hotel while awaiting results of their
tests, submit to a second test on day eight of their arrival and complete the
full 14-day period of self-isolation.
However, fully vaccinated individuals will be allowed to skip the
mandatory three-day institutional isolation in Canada. Vaccination status will
have to be uploaded on the Canadian government’s ArriveCan app before reaching
Canada.
Canada eased travel restrictions will be for permanent residents,
international students and temporary workers with a valid work
permit.
3. Germany
In the case of Germany, the country's health agency Robert Koch
Institute has lifted its ban on travellers from five countries hit by the Delta
strain COVID-19, including India, UK, Russia, Nepal, and Portugal.
Germany reclassified India under the "high-incidence areas"
from "virus variant countries". The change eases a ban on entry for
travellers who are not German residents or citizens. Germany had introduced
"virus variant country" travel category to prevent the entry of the
Delta coronavirus variant.
4. South Korea
In South Korea, Indian travellers don't need to quarantine themselves
for two weeks if they have received both doses of
the Covishield vaccine. However, those who have received Covaxin
would need to quarantine themselves for two weeks as the Bharat Biotech vaccine
is yet to get the World Health Organisation (WHO) approval.
5. Russia
Russia is among one of the few countries that is allowing Indians to
arrive at tourist visas but with fewer flights operating at present, the
outbound traffic isn't worth writing home about. Also, promises of 'vaccine
holidays' are turning out to be false, because Russian authorities have confirmed to India Today Television that the
country isn't inoculating tourists.
6. Turkey
Turkey is welcoming Indian tourists but it mandates 14-days quarantine
upon landing. Travelers will have to undergo an RT-PCR test on the fourteenth
day and only on testing negative, will they be allowed to leave the quarantine
facility.
7. Egypt
Egypt is a destination open to Indian tourists too, but all those
arriving in the country will have to take a rapid
DNA test upon arrival. If found positive, travelers will either be
asked to return to their point of departure or will be isolated for at least 14
days.
8. Switzerland
In a statement issued by the Swiss government, entry from a country with
a “variant of the virus of concern“ will also be allowed with certain
conditions, which includes countries in the “high-risk” category like India, reported India Today.
“Persons who have been vaccinated or who have recovered from the disease
will be permitted to enter Switzerland from these countries or regions without
having to be tested or to quarantine as long as it is certain that the
vaccination offers good protection. Those who have neither been vaccinated nor
have recovered must present a negative PCR test or rapid antigen test and go
into quarantine on entry,” the Swiss government's statement said.
9. South Africa
South Africa hasn't imposed any travel restriction on Indian tourists
since the beginning of the pandemic but flight options remain limited as do
ports of entry. South Africa is currently under Level 1 curfew, which amounts
to travelling under restrictions, possibly not amenable to holidaymakers.
The second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in
India brought a host of flight bans to foreign countries. These include
preferred holiday destinations such as the United Kingdom, United States, Europe,
United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Thailand and Sri Lanka among others.
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