New guidelines for International Travel: Who Can Travel?

India has recently established air bubble agreement with 13 more countries, while more such agreements are on the cards. As of now India has ‘air bubble’ arrangements with the USA, UK, France, Germany, UAE, Qatar, Maldives, Afghanistan, Bahrain,Canada, Iraq,Japan and Nigeria.

Air bubbles, also known as travel bridges or green corridors, remove the waiting period for travelers from certain countries, by allowing the countries to operate their respective carriers.The air bubbles arrangement between the two countries help airlines to operate international flights with certain restrictions.

Moreover,the civil aviation ministry has released a detailed guideline on who can travel to these countries from India along with the criteria for travelling to India from these countries.

United States of America (USA)

From India to USA

i. US citizens, legal permanent residents, and foreign nationals holding valid US visas;

ii. Any Indian national holding any type of valid US visa.

iii. Seamen of foreign nationalities; Seamen holding Indian passports would be allowed subject to clearance from the Ministry of Shipping

From USA to India

i. Stranded Indian nationals

ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding US passports; and

iii. Foreigners (including diplomats), who are eligible to enter India.

Canada

From India to Canada

i. Stranded Canadian nationals/residents and foreigners with valid Canadian visa eligible to enter Canada;

ii. Indian nationals with valid visas eligible to enter Canada. The airlines concerned will ensure that there is no travel restriction for Indian nationals.

iii. Seamen of foreign nationalities, seamen holding Indian passports would be allowed subject to clearance from the ministry of shipping

From Canada to India

i. Stranded Indian nationals

ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding Canadian passports; and

iii. Foreigners (including diplomats), who are eligible to enter India as per MHA guidelines.

United Kingdom (UK)

From India to UK

i. Stranded UK nationals/residents, foreign nationals transiting through UK or spouses of these persons, whether accompanying or otherwise.

ii. Any Indian national holding any type of valid UK visa and destined for UK only.

iii. Seamen of foreign nationalities; Seamen holding Indian passports would be allowed subject to clearance from the Ministry of Shipping.

From UK to India

i. Stranded Indian nationals

ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding UK passports; and

iii. Foreigners (including diplomats), who are eligible to enter India.

Germany

From India to Germany

i. Indian nationals who are permitted to travel abroad as per MHA guidelines dated 01.07.2020 and destined for EU;

ii. Stranded EU nationals/residents, foreign nationals destined for Europe and transiting through Germany or spouses of these persons, whether accompanying or otherwise; and

iii. Seamen of foreign nationalities; Seamen holding Indian passports would be allowed subject to clearance from the Ministry of Shipping.

From Germany to India

i. Stranded Indian nationals;

ii. Foreigners (including diplomats and OCI card holders), who are eligible to enter India as per Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines.

France

From India to France

i. Indian nationals who are permitted to travel abroad as per MHA guidelines dated 01.07.2020 and destined for EU;

ii. Stranded EU nationals/residents, foreign nationals destined for Europe and transiting through France or spouses of these persons, whether accompanying or otherwise; and

iii. Seamen of foreign nationalities; Seamen holding Indian passports would be allowed subject to clearance from the Ministry of Shipping.

From France to India

i. Stranded Indian nationals;

ii. Foreigners (including diplomats and OCI card holders), who are eligible to enter India as per Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines .

Afghanistan

From India to Afghanistan

i. Afghanistan nationals/residents and foreign nationals holding valid Afghanistan visas, if required; and

ii. Any Indian national, holding any type of valid visa from Afghanistan and destined for Afghanistan only. “It would be for the airlines concerned to ensure that there is no travel restriction for Indian nationals to enter Afghanistan with the particular visa category before issue of ticket/ boarding pass to the Indian passenger,” the ministry’s document said.

From Afghanistan to India

i. Indian nationals stranded in Afghanistan;

ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding Afghanistan passports

iii. Foreigners (including diplomats) holding valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines dated June 30 as amended from time to time, the document said.

Bahrain

From India to Bahrain

i. Bahraini nationals/residents

ii. Any Indian national holding any type of valid visa from the Kingdom of Bahrain and destined for Bahrain only. It would be for the airlines concerned to ensure that there is no travel restriction for Indian nationals to enter Bahrain with the particular visa category before issue of ticket/ boarding pass to the Indian passenger.

From Bahrain to India

i. Indian nationals stranded in Bahrain

ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding Bahraini passports; and

iii. Bahraini nationals (including diplomats) holding valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines.

Iraq

From India to Iraq

i. Nationals/residents of Iraq;

ii. Any Indian national holding any type of valid visa from Iraq and destined for Iraq only.

From Iraq to India

i. Indian nationals stranded in Iraq;

ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding passports of Iraq; and

iii. Nationals of Iraq (including diplomats), holding valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under (MHA) guidelines.

Japan

From India to Japan

i. Stranded nationals/residents of Japan and foreign nationals holding valid Japanese visas subject to the border measures and travel restrictions imposed by the government of Japan at the time of travel; and

ii. Any Indian national holding any type of valid visa from Japan subject to the border measures and travel restrictions imposed by the government of Japan at the time of travel.

From Japan to India

i. Stranded Indian nationals;

ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding passports of Japan; and

iii. Foreigners (including diplomats), holding valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under MHA guidelines.

Maldives

From India to Maldives

i. Maldivian nationals/residents and foreign nationals holding valid Maldivian visas, if required;

ii. Any Indian national.

From Maldives to India

i. Indian nationals

ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding Maldivian passports, and

iii. Foreigners (including diplomats) holding valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under MHA guidelines.

Nigeria

From India to Nigeria

i. Stranded Nigerian nationals/residents, foreign nationals destined for Africa and transiting through Nigeria or spouses of these persons, whether accompanying or otherwise;

ii. Any Indian national holding any type of valid Nigerian visa and destined for any country in Africa.

iii. Seamen of foreign nationalities; Seamen holding Indian passports would be allowed subject to clearance from the Ministry of Shipping.

From Nigeria to India

i. Indian nationals stranded in any country in Africa;

ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding Nigerian passports;

iii. Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding passports issued by any country in Africa who are eligible to enter India as per MHA guidelines.

iv. Foreigners (including diplomats) holding valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under MHA guidelines

Qatar

From India to Qatar

i. Qatari nationals

ii. Any Indian national holding any type of valid Qatar visa and destined for Qatar only.

From Qatar to India

i. Indian nationals stranded in Qatar;

ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding Qatari passports, and

iii. Qatari nationals (including diplomats) holding valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under MHA guidelines.

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

From India to UAE

i. UAE nationals.

ii. ICA-approved UAE residents destined for UAE only.

iii. Any Indian national holding any type of valid UAE visa and destined for UAE only.

From UAE to India

i. Stranded Indian nationals

ii. All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding UAE passports; and

iii. UAE nationals (including diplomats) holding valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under MHA guidelines