As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decline, several countries are slowly lifting bans on travellers from India. Recently, Canada, Germany, and the Maldives have announced that they will open up their borders for Indians after they banned flights from India. If you are planning to visit any of these countries, here’s everything you should know.
Canada
Indians can travel to Canada by connecting flights as direct flights remain banned till July 21. However, you will need to carry an RT-PCR test report before to Canada. If you are fully vaccinated, you may be exempted from federal quarantine and day 8 testing starting. That said, only vaccines approved by the Government of Canada will be accepted that includes the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Astra Zeneca/Covishield, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Canada has not approved Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Russia’s Sputnik V yet.
Those who have not taken the vaccine will have to complete the three-day quarantine at a hotel while awaiting the results of their tests. They will also have to undergo a second test on day eight of their arrival as well as complete the 14-day isolation period. On the other hand, vaccinated passengers will be allowed to skip the mandatory three-day institutional quarantine. You must upload your vaccination status on the Canadian government’s ArriveCan app before arriving in Canada.
Germany
Germany lifted a ban on travellers from India, the UK, and three other countries, where the Delta variant of coronavirus has been found in the samples of Covid-19 patients. Delta variant is the dominant one found in the UK. India, Nepal, Russia, Portugal, and the UK have been downgraded to ‘high-incidence areas’ from the current categorisation of ‘areas of variant concern’ which would make it easy for travellers to enter the country. Travellers from ‘high-incidence areas’ will be allowed to enter Germany only if they produce a negative test report and quarantine on arrival for 10 days.
Maldives
Good news for all those who are missing the beaches and the clear blue waters! The Maldives has announced that it will allow tourists from South Asian countries including India from July 15. If you’re planning to travel to the Maldives anytime soon, you must carry a negative COVID-19 PCR test report before entry to the island nation. IndiGo and Go First have already announced flights to Malé from four Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru & Kochi.
Go First formerly known as GoAir, will operate flights from Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai to Malé starting 15 July. Go First will operate flights on Thursday and Sunday from each of these cities every week. The airline will also start two more flights on Wednesday and Saturday from 4 August and finally run daily flights from 3 September.
IndiGo has also announced direct flights from Mumbai, Kochi, and Bengaluru from 15 July on Thursdays. The airline will run direct flights from Kochi & Bengaluru only on Thursdays. However, IndiGo will run daily flights to Male from Mumbai starting 20 July. Flights from all three cities will arrive in Malé between 1 pm and 4 pm local time.
Also read: India To Maldives Flights Are Back; Here’s The Schedule
Watch this space for the updated travel information.