Quarantine exemption for India travellers clarified
dubai — India-bound travellers can be exempted from institutional quarantine upon arrival as long as they provide a ‘printable’ negative RT-PCR report and have registered online, a diplomat with the Indian mission in Dubai has clarified.
Instead, the passengers are required to undergo 14 days of home quarantine or ‘self-monitoring of health’, as warranted, according to the guidelines issued by the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on November 5.
Neeraj Agarwal, Consul for Press, Information and Culture at the Consulate-General of India in Dubai, explained: “It is safe to say that India-bound passengers are now not required to undergo institutional quarantine if they have a printable Covid-19 negative test report.”
“SMS reports, like those usually provided by some testing bodies in the UAE, are not widely accepted in India,” he added.
Passengers must also register on the newdelhiairport.in portal and provide airport authorities with a registration reference number to be exempted from institutional quarantine, Agarwal explained.
The ministry has stipulated that all passengers seeking exemption from institutional quarantine
While the fresh regulations have been issued by the (federal) government, passengers are still subject to quarantine regulations set by the state government.”
Neeraj Agarwal, Consul for Press, Information and Culture, Consulate-General of India in Dubai
shall ‘self-monitor’ for symptoms. Though the ministry has not specified what the exact terms of ‘selfmonitoring’ are, it is understood that a passenger must visit a local health facility in case they show any symptoms of Covid-19.
State rules apply
Agarwal emphasised that “while the fresh regulations has been issued by the central (federal) government, passengers are still subject to quarantine regulations set by the state government”.
The regulations issued by the central ministry also says that the exemption is given to those with ‘compelling reasons’. However, all passengers are welcome to apply.