No other test from any other clinic within India will be accepted under new Canada travel guidelines
As borders across the world continue to open and adapt to make traveling feasible in the post pandemic world, it is also common for countries to keep updating their travel requirements.
After the US opened up travel for Indians belonging to all visa categories, recently Canada too introduced a few new requirements for travelers from India.
Leena Bhatt, New Jersey based travel agent from Shivam Travels says, “We recently got an update that Government of Canada’s requirements for boarding a flight from India to Canada have now changed.”
Read: And now India to Canada via Belgrade (August 19, 2021)
“As a responsible travel agency, every time we receive any important travel information we inform our clients and travelers so that they can make the necessary arrangements.
“In a rapidly changing travel scenario it is important that both the traveler and the travel agent stays abreast of any travel updates until the last minute of boarding the flight,” Bhatt says.
According to the Air Canada website, the new regulations required for travelers from India are RT-PCR or Rapid PCR tests before entering Canada. “Please note that the Government of Canada’s requirements for boarding a flight from India to Canada have now changed,” it says.
“The only accepted Covid-19 tests are an RT-PCR test or a rapid PCR test that must be taken, no more than 18 hours before your departing Air Canada flight to Canada, at the Covid-19 Testing Centre & Lounge across from Terminal 3 at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.
“The new regulations also state that the Government of Canada requires either of these specific tests as no other test from any other clinic within India will be accepted, even if you are connecting from a different city.
“All travelers must take note that in order to process their results on time, they must complete their Covid-19 test no less than 10 hours (RT-PCR test) or 6 hours (rapid PCR test) before your scheduled departure time.
“Once the traveler receives their negative results by email, you then need to upload them along with your proof of vaccination using the ArriveCAN app, before you check in to your flight.”
Read: You can enter Canada only if you have a COVID test from this Delhi lab (September 21, 2021)
It may also be noted that fully vaccinated travelers eligible to enter Canada do not have to quarantine upon arrival, which came into effect on Aug. 9 for American travelers and Sept. 7 for other international travelers.