Karnataka makes negative COVID-19 test mandatory on arrival: A look at all states with entry restrictions

These guidelines, however, can be changed or updated by the state at any time.

Coronavirus testing: As some states report high numbers of daily COVID-19 cases amid the second wave of coronavirus, Karnataka has now announced that a mandatory negative RT-PCR report would be needed for people from outside the state to enter. The announcement was made by state Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai who said that these reports would be checked at different strategic points in the state, adding that the state is already under lockdown with various restrictions in place. This came as the southern state extended its lockdown till June 7 from its earlier deadline of May 24. The minister made it clear that with a negative RT-PCR report, people would not be allowed to enter the state.

With this, Karnataka has become the latest state to seek test reports for incoming domestic passengers. Here’s a look at all the states in India where test reports are needed to enter.

Also read | Travel outlook remains poor for next few months; wellness sector set to revive prominently: Nikhil Kapur, Atmantan Wellness

Domestic travel during COVID-19: States requiring test reports

Amid this wave, several states have closed their borders or placed restrictions on movement of people to prevent the spread of the virus apart from the normal thermal screening process. Apart from Karnataka, here are all the states that have mandated testing on arrival of passengers, as per the information enlisted by numerous airlines including Air India, Indigo and Air Vistara, as updated till May 21.

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands: All passengers arriving in the UT have to possess a negative RT-PCR report taken within 48 hours before the commencement of their journey. Moreover, the incoming passengers would also be required to undergo a mandatory rapid-antigen test. Apart from that, the passengers would also have to be in home quarantine for at least seven days even if they have a negative RT-PCR report.
• Assam: A rapid antigen test on arrival is mandatory for all passengers going to Assam. If the rapid antigen test comes out as positive, the individual would need to go for either home or institutional isolation. On the other hand, those passengers who get a negative report for the rapid antigen test would have to take an RT-PCR test at the airport itself, and would be allowed to leave the airport on the condition that they would have to remain in home isolation till the result is out. If the RT-PCR test is positive, then the individual will have to go for home or institutional quarantine. Meanwhile, if the RT-PCR test is negative, the passenger would still need to complete seven days of quarantine, and then would be able to go out in accordance with the government guidelines.
• Bihar: Bihar has mandated that passengers coming in from Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab would need to carry a negative RT-PCR report conducted within 72 hours before the journey. Moreover, specifically for Gaya, passengers from these three states and those from Delhi-NCR would need to carry a negative RT-PCR report conducted within the same time frame. For passengers coming from elsewhere, rapid antigen tests on arrival would be available. A 10-day quarantine period is mandatory in the state for passengers coming from the three states, and additionally in Gaya, for passengers incoming from Delhi-NCR as well.
• Chandigarh: The UT requires all incoming passengers to either possess a negative RT-PCR report conducted within 72 hours prior to the journey, or a vaccine certificate which is more than two weeks old certifying that at least one dose has been administered to the individual.
• Chhattisgarh: Either a vaccine final certificate (which means after the administration of both doses) or a negative RT-PCR report conducted not earlier than 96 hours before the commencement of the journey are required by the state to permit entry to passengers. In the absence of both these things, a test would be conducted on arrival, and these passengers would have to remain in isolation till the declaration of the result.
• Daman and Diu: As per information updated by the Civil Aviation Ministry in April, passengers coming from Maharashtra are required to carry a negative RT-PCR report with them, and if the report is not in possession, the individual would have to undergo a mandatory test on arrival.
• Delhi: Apart from random sample collection of incoming passengers, passengers whose journey began from any city or airport in Maharashtra would be required to possess a negative RT-PCR report done within 72 hours prior to the journey, or they would be denied the journey from the point of origin itself. On the other hand, passengers who have transit in any city of Maharashtra have also been advised to carry a negative RT-PCR report of the same time frame, or they would have to get an RT-PCR test done mandatorily upon arrival, post which, they would have to remain in home quarantine for 14 days. Passengers who are arriving at Delhi from Andhra Pradesh or Telangana would have to carry either a negative RT-PCR report taken within 72 hours before the journey or a vaccine certificate stating that both the doses have been taken. If either of these documents are brought along, the passenger would need to undergo a mandatory seven day home quarantine, but in case these documents are not brought along, the passenger would have to undergo a mandatory institutional quarantine for 14 days.
• Goa: Goa also requires all incoming passengers to either carry a negative RT-PCR report done within 72 hours prior to the journey, or a vaccine certificate received on administration of both the doses. Passengers who are coming in an ambulance or during a medical emergency are exempted from this upon production of proof of such an emergency, and people coming in goods vehicles carrying essential supplies are also exempted, but they shall not carry any passenger who is not related to the supply of such materials.
• In Gujarat, while the need for passengers to carry a negative RT-PCR report has been eliminated, all incoming symptomatic passengers would have to take the test at the airport on arrival.
• Himachal Pradesh: As per the recent orders, before a passenger coming from high-load states of Punjab, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi can check into a hotel, they are required to present before the staff a negative RT-PCR test report issued within 72 hours before the arrival of the passengers.
• Jammu and Kashmir has made it mandatory for all arriving passengers, except defence personnel, to undergo a mandatory RT-PCR test upon arrival, and they would have to be in home isolation till the results. Moreover, if a passenger tests positive, they would have to remain in home quarantine for 14 days.
• Jharkhand: Passengers need to carry a negative RT-PCR or TRUENAT report conducted within 72 hours before the journey. In case a passenger does not possess this, they would mandatorily have to undergo an RT-PCR test on arrival. Moreover, all arriving passengers have to undergo seven days of home quarantine.
• Kerala requires all incoming passengers to carry a negative RT-PCR report conducted within 72 hours before the journey. In case this report is not in possession of the passenger, they would have to get an RT-PCR test done upon arrival or they would have to undergo a home quarantine for 14 days. However, for people coming in for a short period for business, court cases, etc, would need to mandatorily carry a negative RT-PCR test conducted within 48 hours prior to the journey.
• Ladakh: Passengers would need to carry a negative RT-PCR test, conducted within 96 hours, and failure to do so would result in passengers having to undergo home quarantine for seven days. A test could be conducted for such passengers after the quarantine period ends.
• Madhya Pradesh: Passengers coming from Maharashtra are required to present a negative RT-PCR test, or they would have to undergo an RT-PCR test on arrival. For all other asymptomatic incoming passengers, the state has not placed any quarantine restrictions, but has advised monitoring their health for 14 days.
• Maharashtra: Carrying a negative RT-PCR test report issued within 48 hours before the journey is mandatory to enter Maharashtra, and all passengers would also have to undergo a 14-day quarantine unless they are in the state for less than seven days.
• All passengers going to Manipur would need to present a negative RT-PCR/rapid antigen/TRUENAT/CB-NAAT on arrival, and the test should be not older than 72 hours before arrival.
• Meghalaya: Passengers would have to undergo mandatory testing upon arrival if they are not carrying a negative RT-PCR test report with them.
• Passengers arriving at Mizoram would need to carry a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report not older than 96 hours before the arrival, or they would have to undergo a rapid antigen test on arrival.
• Nagaland requires passengers to present a negative test report not older than 72 hours or a COVID-19 final vaccination certificate, without which they would have to undergo a rapid antigen test on arrival. If the RAT is positive, they would have to go for institutional or home isolation, and if it is negative, they would have to get tested for RT-PCR there itself.
• Odisha: Passengers must possess either a negative RT-PCR test report or a complete vaccination certificate to be able to leave from the place of origin for Odisha.
• Negative RT-PCR report or a vaccination certificate for complete dosage is required for entry into Punjab. Moreover, all asymptomatic passengers would also have to undergo home quarantine for 14 days.
• Rajasthan: Arriving passengers need to carry a negative RT-PCR test report not older than 72 hours. In case this is not followed, they would have to undergo a mandatory RT-PCR test on arrival and remain isolated till the test results are out. Moreover, if the passenger tests positive, they would have to remain in home isolation for 14 days.
• In Tamil Nadu, symptomatic passengers from Maharashtra and Kerala would be tested on arrival, and if they are found positive, they would have to remain in home or institutional isolation. In Coimbatore, a negative test is required for all passengers, or they would be able to take the RT-PCR test on arrival.
• Tripura mandates all incoming passengers to present a negative RT-PCR/True NAAT/CBNAAT report not older than 72 hours, or they would have to undergo a test on arrival.
• Uttarakhand: Mandatory negative RT-PCR test report is needed from all passengers, and it should not be older than 72 hours. Moreover, upon arrival, passengers from Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana would have to undergo COVID-19 test.
• Uttar Pradesh requires that passengers coming from Maharashtra and Kerala present a negative RT-PCR report conducted within 72 hours before the journey. In Lucknow, however, all passengers have to possess a negative report.
• In West Bengal, passengers from all states must possess a negative RT-PCR test for entering the state. Passengers who do not present this report would need to undergo a 14-day quarantine.

These guidelines, however, can be changed or updated by the state at any time.