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Can I go to India? Rules for travelling from the UK

By Abigail Malbon

The rules on travel to India have changed regularly during the pandemic, due to Covid variants and lockdowns. But can we go there now, and what are the entry requirements? Here's what you need to know. 

Can I travel to India now?

Technically yes, although scheduled international flights to India are currently suspended. A limited number of flights are currently operating between India and the UK under a bilateral agreement but these arrangements may be subject to change at short notice. 

What are the entry requirements for India?

From Monday 14 February 2022 those who do need to travel to India are no longer required to take a Covid test before flying, or quarantine on arrival, if they're fully vaccinated. Before flying all travellers should submit a self-declaration form on the online ‘ Air Suvidha’ portal and include proof of Covid vaccination status on the form. 

Those who are not vaccinated should take a PCR test within the 72 hours before departure and submit proof of a negative result on the portal. 

Is India still in lockdown?

Some states in India still have some restrictions and curfews in place, and are changing these restrictions constantly in response to case numbers. We advise checking updates for your specific destination before travelling as the rules can change quickly.

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UK to India travel restrictions: entry requirements explained

The e-visa has now been reinstated for uk passport holders travelling to india.

T he beaches of Goa, palaces of Rajasthan and slopes of the Himalayas reopened to foreign travellers in winter 2021. But for British travellers, the reopening hasn’t been smooth. The e-visa system introduced in 2014 was paused during the pandemic, and while it was reinstated when borders reopened, UK passport holders were not eligible to use it. Instead, travellers had to provide and present a paper visa. Fortunately, as of December 5, India’s visa policy has changed to allow UK nationals to use the e-visa service for travelling to India as well. Here’s what you need to know.

Main photo: Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan (Getty Images)

Can I travel to India now?

Yes. However, any visas issued before October 2021 are no longer valid, so you’ll need to apply for a new one. For UK passport holders, the process of applying for a tourist visa has at least been simplified as it is now possible to apply for an e-visa again (see below).

Additionally, British citizens of Pakistani origin must apply for an Indian visa on a Pakistan passport, or prove that this has been renounced or cancelled. The process may take seven or eight weeks more.

If you’re a OCI or PIO cardholder, you don’t need a visa to enter India.

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How do I apply for an Indian e-visa?

Applications for the Indian e-visa must be submitted online using the Indian government’s dedicated website .

For the tourist visa, you’ll need to apply at least four days and up to 120 days before you travel. Visas are valid for 30 days, a year or five years.

The application form will require details such as your level of education, religion, and your parents’ nationality.

You’ll also need to submit a passport-style photo with a maximum file size of 1MB, as well as a scan of your passport.

How much does an e-visa cost?

The cost of the e-visa for tourists depends on the country you’re travelling from and varies depending on the time of year you’re planning to travel to India.

For the 30-day e-visa, the fee is US$10 for entry from April to June and US$25 for entry from July to March. The one-year and five-year e-visas cost US$40 and US$80 respectively.

How long does it take to get an e-visa?

The e-visa takes up to 72 hours to process, although you may receive it more quickly than that. If you haven’t received your e-visa after 72 hours, you’re advised to contact the visa service.

What are the travel restrictions?

India has scrapped the requirement for incoming travellers to show proof of vaccination or PCR test results on arrival. However, you will have to go through thermal screening on arrival and, if symptomatic, you may be isolated and taken to a medical facility. You will also need to follow local advice when on the ground.

Most states in India are loosening restrictions related to Covid, though you should still expect to wear face masks in public places.

Is it safe to travel to India?

For most parts of India, there is no UK Foreign Office advice to avoid travel — the only areas to which all travel is advised against are the majority of contested Jammu and Kashmir, and right by the border with Pakistan, except the crossing at Wagah with its popular daily closing ceremony. It also currently advises against all but essential travel to the state of Manipur, except the state capital Imphal and the Meiti Valley areas.

The FCDO has given countrywide warnings about the risk of terrorism; for context, the threat level described for India is the same as that for France . India is a large and complex country, so the list of safety advice is a long one. It’s worth reading up on the specific regions you plan to travel to and being aware of any political disturbances.

• Do I have to wear a face mask on a plane?

Where should I go when I’m there?

Trying to take in a cross-section of India in one trip is a real challenge: the country is almost 2,000 miles from the north to its southern tip, from high-altitude glaciers to swaying coconut palms. Most visitors prefer to focus on one of a number of traditional circuits, or combine two on a longer itinerary of two or three weeks. The most popular route is a loop of Delhi, Agra (home to the Taj Mahal) and cities in Rajasthan such as Jaipur and Udaipur on a more culturally focused tour. If beaches and lusher landscapes are holiday essentials, Kerala is the star of southern India.

Other popular regions and themes to focus on include spotting tigers and other wildlife in central Madhya Pradesh, or riding mountain railways and sipping tea in the foothills of the Himalayas. You don’t have to journey to remote regions to get off the well-furrowed track: though cinematic Mumbai and spiritual Varanasi are tourism mainstays, even a city with the heritage of Kolkata is somewhat overlooked by non-Indians, as are significant states such as Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. If you’re prepared to travel away from major hubs, you’ll get to places that tug at notions of what “India” is: Nagaland with its tribal cultures, Sikkim on the borders of Tibet, and the distant and jungle-clad Andaman Islands.

• The best festivals in India • The best places to visit in India

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Travel to India: latest Covid rules and practical guidance as the country reopens to UK tourists

Fully vaccinated British tourists can visit India quarantine-free

India has now reopened to tourists. As of November 15, fully vaccinated Britons can enter on commercial airlines without needing to quarantine on arrival.

However, you must ensure you read up on the testing requirements and have all the certificates required for travel. Read on for more information on travel to India. 

Can I go to India?

Yes. As of November 15, India is now allowing tourists to visit independently on commercial airlines. Testing requirements apply (see below). Up until now, arrivals have only been able to enter on a chartered flight as part of a group tour.

To get into India, British tourists must apply for a visa on indianvisaonline.gov.in and declare their test results on the online Air Suvidha portal. It is estimated that the Indian government will issue half a million tourist visas between now and March 2022.

Are flights operating to India?

Yes. Air India, Vistara and Virgin Atlantic have direct flights to India. Other airlines are operating indirect flights.

Do I need to quarantine when I arrive?

If you are fully vaccinated, no. You simply need to ‘self monitor’ your health for 14 days. If unvaccinated, you must enter a seven-day home quarantine, with a test at the airport and another test on your eighth day after arrival.

Do I need to take tests to travel to India?

Yes. Regardless of vaccination status, you must take a PCR test within 72 hours of travel.

Is there any paperwork required?

All arrivals must submit a self-declaration form on the Air Suvidha portal before they travel, and upload your negative PCR result (taken 72 hours before travel). You will also need to print evidence of your full vaccination status.

What happens when I land in India?

All passengers will be subject to thermal screening by health officials at the airport. If you have a fever, you will be isolated and taken to a medical facility for testing. If you test positive, you will be taken to an institutional isolation facility.

Fully vaccinated arrivals will be allowed to leave the airport and must self-monitor their health for 14 days. Unvaccinated arrivals must take a Covid-19 test at the airport, and then enter a home quarantine for seven days, before self-monitoring health for a further seven days.

How is the data looking in India?

As of November 28, India averaged 4 infections per 100,000 people in the last seven days. Cases are falling down to around 2% of the peak earlier this year. 75% of the population has received a first dose of the vaccine, and 37% of the population has received a second dose. 

Will I be insured if I go?

The FCDO no longer advises against non-essential travel (i.e. holidays) to India based on its Covid risks, meaning travel insurance is easier to come by. However, some advisories are still in place for certain regions. For the full list of advisories, see gov.uk . 

Do I need to take a test before travelling back to England?

It depends on your vaccination status. If you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to take a pre-departure test 72 hours before arriving back in the UK. If you are not fully vaccinated, you must take a test (lateral flow ones are accepted) 72 hours before travelling home, using a Government-certified testing company. If you fail to do so, you will be denied boarding, or risk a fine of up to £500 on arrival back in the UK. You can find the Government's rules on testing before departure here , along with guidance for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

It is also compulsory to fill out a passenger locator form to present to your airline and at the border. 

Returning home 

Anyone arriving in the UK must take a lateral flow test and fill out a Passenger Locator Form. Due to concerns over the omicron variant, from 4am on November 30, all travellers (regardless of vaccination status) must take a day 2 PCR test on arrival in the UK – to be taken by the end of the second full day after arrival – and isolate until a negative result is received. Anyone who tests positive must isolate for 10 days. Unvaccinated travellers must also take a PCR test on or after day 8 and isolate until day 10 unless opting into Test to Release. You can find the Government's rules on testing before departure here .  

Note that rules change regularly. Check India's FCDO page for the latest advice.

Reader Service: Do you know what medical conditions you need to declare when you buy travel insurance ? Discover the best travel cover for diabetes and more.

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Can I travel to India from the United Kingdom?

Most visitors from the United Kingdom, regardless of vaccination status, can enter India.

Can I travel to India if I am vaccinated?

Fully vaccinated visitors from the United Kingdom can enter India without restrictions.

Can I travel to India without being vaccinated?

Unvaccinated visitors from the United Kingdom can enter India without restrictions.

Do I need a COVID test to enter India?

Visitors from the United Kingdom are not required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test or antigen result upon entering India.

Can I travel to India without quarantine?

Travellers from the United Kingdom are not required to quarantine.

Do I need to wear a mask in India?

Mask usage in India is not required in public spaces.

Are the restaurants and bars open in India?

Restaurants in India are open. Bars in India are .

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Can I travel to India from UK? Entry requirements and quarantine rules as it moves to amber list from red

On wednesday evening the uk government confirmed that four countries would move from the red list of countries to amber, including india.

Despite a difficult few months battling Covid, India has been removed from the red list and is open for more travellers.

This will affect many in the UK , particularly those with family in the country .

But when will the rules change? Here’s everything you need to know.

When does India go on the amber list?

On Wednesday evening the UK Government confirmed that four countries would move from the red list of countries – which require hotel quarantine on arrival in the UK – to amber, including India.

These changes will come into effect from 4am on Sunday 8 August and initially apply only to England, although the rest of the UK has tended to follow suit on travel.

This means double vaccinated Britons can now travel there without quarantining on their return.

Which countries are on the amber list? Travel update changes in full as India and the UAE leave red list

India’s seven-day infection rate is 20 per 100,000 people – well below many destinations that are currently on the amber list.

Infections have been steady all month, mostly remaining between 35,000 and 45,000 per day.

However, less than 8 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated.

Importing cases of the Delta variant is no longer the concern it once was, since Delta is the dominant strain in the UK.

The Delta variant originated in India, and has since spread across the world. It is dominant in much of Europe and the US.

What are the UK’s travel restrictions? The traffic light system is decided based on the following criteria: The percentage of a country’s population that have been vaccinated The rate of infection The prevalence of variants of concern The country’s access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing There are now five traffic-light categories, two more than when transport secretary Grant Shapps first announced the system in May 2021. Green: Arrivals must take a pre-departure test three days before returning to the UK as well as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on or before day two of their return. Quarantine does not apply (unless the Covid test returns positive) and there is no requirement for additional tests. Green watchlist: The same rules as Green list. However, countries on this list are “at risk of moving from green to amber”, potentially at very short notice. Amber: All travellers must take a pre-departure test three days before return as well as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on or before day two of their return. Unvaccinated travellers must also self isolate for 10 days and take a second PCR test on day eight. An optional extra day five test can be taken, with a negative result allowing unvaccinated travellers to “test out” of quarantine. The day eight PCR test must still be taken regardless of the result of the optional day five PCR test. Amber plus: All travellers must take a pre-departure test three days before return as well as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on or before day two of their return and must self-isolate at home for 10 days. An optional extra PCR test can be taken on day five, with a negative result allowing unvaccinated travellers to “test out” of quarantine. The day eight PCR test must still be taken regardless of the result of the optional day five PCR test. Red: Arrivals from red list countries must undertake a 10-day stay in a managed quarantine hotel at a cost of £1,750 per person, pre-departure testing and mandatory PCR testing on or before day two and on or after day eight.

Is there an FCDO warning for India?

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) advises against all travel to:

• The immediate vicinity of the border with Pakistan, other than at Wagah (currently closed due to coronavirus)
• Jammu and Kashmir, except for (i) travel within the city of Jammu, (ii) travel by air to the city of Jammu, and (iii) travel within the Union Territory of Ladakh

The tourist destinations of Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg, the city of Srinagar and the Jammu-Srinagar national highway are within the areas where the FCDO advises against all travel.

For more information, see  Local travel  and  Terrorism

Portugal entry rules: quarantine set to be scrapped for UK travellers with Indian-made AstraZeneca vaccine

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to all other parts of India, based on the current assessment of Covid-19 risks.

The FCDO advice is separate to the Department for Transport’s (DfT) traffic-light system for international travel, first introduced in May.

This is usually the advice that most travel insurers will base their decisions on.

India’s entry requirements

All travellers must submit self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal before the scheduled travel (ii) upload a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR report.

This test should have been conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey

Thermal testing will also take place upon arrival.

Can I travel to the US from the UK? What the changes to amber list rules mean – and US travel ban explained

The FCDO writes: “All regularly scheduled international flights remain suspended. However, under a bilateral agreement between the UK and Indian governments, a limited number of flights between India and the UK continue to operate.

“All land borders with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal in East and North East India are closed for movement of people, except returning Indian nationals.”

When is the next travel update?

Reviews of the UK’s traffic light travel restrictions take place every three weeks, with the last update from the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps coming on Wednesday 4 August.

That announcement broke with what has become an established tradition of the changes being unveiled on Thursdays.

It means the findings of the next review should be announced on either Wednesday 25 or Thursday 26 August , with any changes coming into effect the following Monday.

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Please check the travel advice for all countries in your itinerary .

Entry requirements

You must check all requirements before heading to the airport.

All foreign nationals and some foreign vistors can enter India on a new e-Tourist Visa/Tourist Visa. A list of the 156 eligible countries can be found on  Indian Visas Online.  Please check to ensure your eligbilty for travel. 

For e-Tourist Visa (30 days), the validity would be 30 days from the date of your first arrival in India. Double entries will be granted within the e-Visa validity period stamped on your passport. Your first arrival must be between the date of issue and expiry of ETA.

e-Tourist Visas (30 days), can be applied for 30 days in advance of your proposed travel date, up to a minimum of 4 days prior to your scheduled arrival date.

Please ensure you have the correct visa for your travels. 

Please visit the  Ministry of Health and Family Welfare- Guidelines for International Arrivals  for detailed advice and requirements for entering India.

For fully vaccinated travellers

Covid-19 testing.

With the increase in Covid-19 cases globally, the Ministry of Civil Aviation in India in coordination with Ministry of Health & Family Welfare introduced from 10:00am 24th December 2022 random Covid-19 testing on arrival. These include thermal screening and 2% of arriving passengers on each flight will be selected randomly to undergo a RT-PCR test.

Once the sample is collected these customers will be able to leave the airport. The test will be free of cost.

Proof of Vaccination

If you are fully vaccinated, it is recommended that you carry with you proof of vaccination (such as an NHS Covid Pass,original US CDC card; or EU Digital COVID Certificate), although you do not need to be vaccinated to travel to India.

Pre-departure form

There is no longer a requirement to complete the Air Suvidha Self Declaration Form.

If you are a UK passport holder visiting India, your passport must have 2 blank pages for your visa and must be valid for a minimum of 180 days at the time of your visa application. This guidance is for UK passport holders only. Passengers from other countries should check with the necessary Government department for travel information.

India's entry requirements differ depending on your nationality and the reason for your visit. If you're not an Indian national, you will usually need a visa to enter the country, which you should get before you travel.

For more information and advice, contact the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs and visit the  FRRO website

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Information for visitors returning to India within 2 months

If you’re planning on returning to India within two months of your last visit, you will need special permission from a local Mission Post or Embassy (such as the Indian High Commission in London). Without this permission you could be denied entry, and returned to your country of origin at your own expense.

For non vaccinated travellers

With the increase in Covid-19 cases globally, the Ministry of Civil Aviation in India in coordination with Ministry of Health & Family Welfare introduced from 10:00am 24th December 2022 random Covid-19 testing on arrival. These include thermal screening and 2% of arriving passengers on each flight will be selected randomly to undergo a RT-PCR test.

Pre departure forms

Routes where face masks onboard must be worn:

For all services operating to or from the United States, where the federal mask mandate on aircraft has been extended until 18 April, customers aged 2 and above must still maintain masks at all times, unless exempt.

For the following routes to or from the UK, masks are still required for customers aged 12 and above until further notice:  Islamabad, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Lahore, Lagos. There are some exemptions that apply to the wearing of face masks or face coverings:

• If you can't put on, wear, or remove a face covering without severe distress, or due to any physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability (within the meaning of section 6 of the Equality Act 2010)
• If you're travelling with, or providing assistance to, another person who relies on lip reading to communicate
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On our Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru routes, we spray the inside of the aircraft with insecticides, which is recommended under the WHO based on their safety and effectiveness.

The spray we use onboard is Phenothrin (1R-trans phenothrin), which dissipates within a few minutes after being sprayed in the cabin.    

Our cabin crew will make an onboard announcement when the spraying of insecticides is about to take place. We encourage customers to use this opportunity to cover their nose, eyes and mouth if they wish to do so. 

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Covid-19: No 10 defends India travel ban timing amid variant fears

• Published 16 May 2021
• Coronavirus

No 10 has defended its decision not to ban travel from India sooner, amid concern that the coronavirus variant first discovered there is now spreading quickly in parts of the UK.

India was reporting more than 100,000 cases a day by 5 April, but was not added to the red list until 23 April.

The government said the UK has "some of the toughest border measures".

It comes after the British Medical Association raised concerns about Monday's relaxation of Covid rules.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that the B.1.617.2 Indian variant could pose "serious disruption" to the final stage of lockdown easing in England on 21 June - but insisted Monday's easing would go ahead as planned.

Scientists advising the government are confident the Indian variant spreads more easily, with cases of it nearly tripling to 1,313 in the past week in England.

Asked why the borders were not closed sooner, a government spokesman told the BBC: "We took precautionary action to ban travel from India on 23 April, six days before this variant was put under investigation and two weeks before it was labelled as of concern.

"Prior to India being placed on the red list in April anyone coming to the UK had to test negative and quarantine for 10 days."

By the time the travel ban came into force, daily Covid cases in India had risen above 330,000.

• How much faster does the Indian variant spread?
• Plea to get the jab in variant hotspot areas

Why was India not on the red list sooner?

Surge testing is now taking place in targeted areas across England where virus variants have been found , including postcodes within Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen, several London boroughs, Sefton, Worcestershire, and Nottingham.

Despite concern about the Indian variant, coronavirus restrictions across England, Scotland and Wales are due to be relaxed from Monday.

Curbs lifting across the devolved nations vary, but there will be a greater degree of indoor mixing allowed and more hospitality venues will be able to reopen.

Northern Ireland is due to review its restrictions later this month.

On Saturday, the British Medical Association (BMA) said it had serious concerns about the decision to continue with the easing of lockdown restrictions.

"It is a real worry that when further measures lift on 17 May, the majority of younger people, who are often highly socially mobile and could therefore be most at risk of a more infectious strain, are not yet vaccinated," said the BMA's Dr Richard Jarvis.

Minutes from a meeting of government scientific advisers, held on Thursday, said that "an even faster increase can be expected if measures are relaxed" in areas where the Indian variant is already spreading.

And if the variant was 40-50% more transmissible than the current dominant type, they warned proceeding to step three of England's roadmap on Monday would likely "lead to a substantial resurgence of hospitalisations (similar to, or larger than, previous peaks)".

Speaking on Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there was a "high degree of confidence" that the current vaccines worked against the Indian variant, which meant the government could "stay on course with our strategy of using the vaccine to deal with the pandemic and opening up carefully and cautiously".

He said it was "appropriate" to continue with the major easing of restrictions in England on Monday, adding that a decision on whether all legal restrictions could be ended next month would be made on 14 June.

Labour's Yvette Cooper told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that the government should be "much more cautious" about lifting international travel restrictions, saying that the home quarantine system and surveillance system needed to be much stronger than they were.

On Monday in England, and on time, is step three of the government's easing of coronavirus restrictions - the reopening of indoor hospitality and entertainment venues, the reopening of our homes to friends, the lifting of most social contact rules outside, the return of hugs.

But the prospect of all of this collides with huge questions about the so-called Indian variant, and just how easily it is spread.

Some of the government's scientific advisers fret that its potential transmissibility, coupled with a lot more socialising, could have grave consequences, although it's acknowledged much is still unknown; the data is partial.

But ministers are keen to push back on claims they acted too late in restricting travel from India, pointing out that it was six days after the country was put on the red list that the variant now causing alarm was first put under investigation and a week after that before it was labelled a "variant of concern".

A spokesman said the decision to add countries to the red list was based on what they called "extensive consideration of the type of cases that are imported, rather than the amount".

Prof John Edmunds, who sits on the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, told the BBC's Andrew Marr people should be "concerned but not panicking" about the new variant.

"We are in a much, much better position than we were when the Kent variant started spreading," he said, pointing to hospitals having few Covid patients and the vaccine programme being in place.

He said he did not think that the spread of the Indian variant could have been avoided by adding the country to the red list sooner, but said "we could have delayed things a little bit".

Prof Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said even though rules were being eased in most parts of the UK on Monday people should be cautious about mixing.

He added that speeding up the delivery of second doses would help boost the immune response of more vulnerable people.

"We really do need to think carefully about how we use those doses most effectively to avert this problem turning in to a disaster," he said.

In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said initial research suggested an outbreak in the south side of Glasgow was being driven by the Indian variant - as she delayed the easing of restrictions there and in Moray.

Which rules are changing on Monday?

In England , six people or two households can meet indoors, with pubs, restaurants and cafes allowed to serve customers inside. Up to 30 people can meet outdoors. Museums, cinemas, theatres and sports stadiums can reopen, and indoor exercises resume. People can travel abroad to green list countries without needing to quarantine when they return.

Up to six people from a maximum of three households can socialise indoors in Scotland , and entertainment venues such as cinemas, theatres and bingo halls can reopen. Alcohol can be served indoors in hospitality venues until 22:30, and international travel will be allowed in line with England's rules.

In Wales , pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants reopen for indoor service, with groups of up to six from six households permitted to meet. All holiday accommodation can reopen fully, as can indoor visitor attractions, such as galleries and museums. International travel can resume in line with the traffic light system.

Northern Ireland is reviewing its restrictions on 20 May, with the hope more restrictions will be lifted on 24 May.

You can read more about the changes across the UK here.

Meanwhile, there has been a "surge" in vaccination bookings in England ahead of the rule changes, according to the NHS, with more than 600,000 people booking appointments in the past two days.

The rise in bookings comes after it was announced that those in their late 30s with no underlying health conditions can now book their jabs in England.

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