Is Flights Open to the USA from India? What are the requirements?

Cheer up, travelers. Everyone has waited long enough and now the wait is finally over. Starting from November 2021 US has opened up for International Passengers to be able to come but with certain requirements to be followed. What are these requirements? Flyopedia.com has brought a detailed explanation of rules and guidelines to be followed, for a safe time in the USA.

White House issued guidelines on 15^th October 2021. The required tests; accepted COVID vaccines and other queries of people are all answered below.

Who Can Book India to USA Tickets?

From students who are looking forward to continuing their education offline to spouses who are looking to move together with their partners or everyone else that falls under these categories can plan their trip to the USA.

1. Nationals and Permanent Residents of the USA and their families including spouses (with a valid marriage certificate), Parents/Legal Guardians or Brother or sister (unmarried and younger than 21 years) of an unmarried national or permanent resident of the USA who are younger than 21 years.
2. The Child /Foster Child/Ward of a National or Permanent Resident of the USA.
3. Passengers with these visas: A-1, A-2, C-1, C-2, C-3, CR-1, CR-2, D, E-1 (as an employee of TECRO or TECO or the employee’s immediate family members), G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, IR-1, IR-4, IH-4, IV, K-1, K-2, K-3, K-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4, or NATO-6 visa.
4. Airline crew or passengers with one of these visas: C-1/D, B1, H1, L who are traveling to join an aircraft in the USA.
5. Merchant seamen, if traveling to join a ship in the USA; or with one of the following visas: C-1/D, B1, H1, L visa if traveling to join a ship in the USA.
6. Passengers engaged in Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) activity, wind farm activity, private air/sea crew, or other similar crew-member activities.
7. Passengers with a DV visa issued between 1 October 2019 and 30 September 2020.
8. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces along with their children and spouses Passengers invited by the Government of the USA to mitigate COVID-19.
9. Passengers with documents issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or U.S. Department of State stating the exemption of the passenger.
10. Students with an F-1 or M-1 visa and are participating in an academic program that started on 1 August 2021 or later can book flights to the USA. Not a fresher? No issues if you are a continuing student, who had booked last-minute flights to India before India’s lockdown, make sure you confirm the operational status of your school before getting your flights booked from India.

In case the school is operational and their policy for foreign students syncs well, you can travel to the USA. However, in this case, you will mandatorily have to carry a confirmation in writing regarding the school being open and operational. You will not be able to board the US flight if you have a valid F or M visa but don’t carry the proper documentation. Flyopedia.com is here with beneficial details and great deals for you to look forward to.

People Who Are Not Need to Be Fully Vaccinated but Can Travel Regardless

Following is the list of people who regardless of their vaccination can be granted permission to board a plane to the US is:-

1. Diplomats or Official Foreign Government Travel.
2. Children under 18 years of age.
3. People with documented medical contraindications to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.
4. Passengers in certain COVID-19 vaccine trials.
5. Persons with a humanitarian or emergency exception issuance.
6. People with valid visas (excluding B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) visas) who are citizens of a foreign country with limited COVID-19 vaccine availability.
7. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces or their spouses or children (less than 18 years of age).
8. Sea crew members traveling with a C-1 and D non-immigrant visa.
9. People whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, Secretary of Transportation, or Secretary of Homeland Security (or their designees).

Other than the aforementioned cases there’s no information for people who are not fully vaccinated and they have to follow the general procedures.

The USA Accepted COVID Vaccines

Here is the list of all vaccines that are recognized by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has accepted vaccines that are both FDA approved or authorized and those with an emergency use listed from the WHO. Sadly those who got Covaxin will have to wait for more. Provided below is a list of all the accepted vaccines:-

1. Moderna’s m-RNA-1273
2. Pfizer/BioNTech’s BNT162b2
3. Johnson & Johnson’ Ad26.COV2.S
4. Oxford/AstraZeneca’s AZD1222
5. Serum Institute of India’s Covishield
6. Sinopharm’s BBIBP-CorV (Vero Cells)
7. Sinovac’s CoronaVac.hj

NOTE: – People with a combination of these vaccines are also eligible to travel to the US but only if they are administered at least 17 days apart and AstraZeneca and Novavax trials administered in the US.

COVID Tests and Other Regulations

People who are required to show their COVID reports

Both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers are required to undergo COVID tests and show its details as and when required.

Fully vaccinated travelers need to produce a pre-departure negative COVID-19 viral test report. This test must be taken within 72 hours or three days before the flight’s departure. This is irrespective of their citizenship.

Unvaccinated air passengers also need to undergo the COVID-19 test but within one day of departure to the United States. This includes unvaccinated US citizens along with lawful permanent residents. They may have come before the lockdown of 2020 with the US to India flights or later but were stuck or didn’t want to return.

People who are exempted from the COVID-19 test

Some special cases are also exempted from providing their COVID test reports. This includes children below the age of 2 years, US Military Personnel, or someone who was tested positive in the last 90 days; along with the medical certificate, a letter issued by a health authority stating that the passenger has been cleared for travel will be needed. The test result must specify “positive” or “detected”.

Flyopedia.com wishes for your safe travels and wellness. For queries related to best US to Delhi flights, flights to the US from India, or any other feel free to contact us through our website.

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