With most Indian schools in the Sultanate of Oman closing for the summer break in the coming days, many travellers are now heading to the sub-continent for annual vacation.
While all Covid-19-related protocols have been relaxed while returning to the Sultanate of Oman, some of them continue in place while travelling to India.
Airlines have urged travellers to take note of the requirements when rushing to the airport to avoid any last moment glitters, which can lead to cancellation or postponement of the journey.
As per the rules, passengers need to be either fully vaccinated or must carry a negative RT-PCR test done within 72 hours of departure. Passengers under 5 years of age are exempted from the need for a PCR test or vaccination.
It is mandatory for passengers flying to India to submit a self-declaration form online on the Air Suvidha portal 24 hours prior to departure and obtain confirmation.
Speaking to the Observer, an official of a budget airline said, “We cannot issue boarding passes if passengers do not have all documents with them. While there is a provision for the Air Suvidha form to be filled at the airport for a cost, PCR tests must be done 72 hours before departure if the traveller is not fully vaccinated.”
“Airlines to allow boarding by only those passengers who have filled in all the information in the Self Declaration Form on the Air Suvidha portal and uploaded the negative RT-PCR test report or Covid-19 vaccination certificate of having completed the primary vaccination schedule,” India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement.
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