India, Nepal sign MoU for recognition of COVID vaccine certificates to ease travel

In a significant development, India and Nepal on Tuesday penned a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for reciprocal recognition of COVID vaccination certificate to considerably ease travel-related concerns for fully vaccinated citizens from the neighbouring nations. "It marks another milestone in robust COVID-19 related cooperations and coordination between India and Nepal," a statement by the Indian Embassy read.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Vinay M Kwatra signed the MoU along with Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population Secretary Roshan Pokhrel at a ceremony organized at the ministry office in Katmandu, a press release issued by the Indian Embassy in Katmandu read. Health Minister Virodh Khatiwada was also present at the programme.

"The MoU, between the health ministries of the two countries, is a significant step in easing travel for fully COVID-19 vaccinated travellers of both the countries," an Embassy of India press release said.

With this, people who are fully vaccinated with the COVID vaccine are allowed to travel to both countries by presenting the vaccination certificate, as per Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population.

As of November 19, a total of 110 nations had agreed to reciprocal recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates with India, official sources informed on November 18.

Over 110 countries mutually accept COVID vaccine certificates from India

A total of 110 countries agreed to mutual acceptance of vaccination certificates, including those that recognise Indian vaccination certificates of travellers completely vaccinated with Covishield/WHO approved/nationally approved COVID vaccine, PTI reported. Union Health Ministry guidelines provide that travellers from all such countries that grant quarantine-free entrance to Indians are allowed some relaxations on arrival on the basis of reciprocity (Category A countries).

Travellers who are fully vaccinated and travelling from a nation with which India has reciprocal agreements for mutual acceptance of WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines will be allowed to depart the airport and will not be subjected to home quarantine. They are required to self-monitor their health for 14 days following their arrival. If partially or not vaccinated, travellers must take steps such as submitting a sample for a post-arrival COVID test at the point of arrival, after which they will be allowed to leave the airport, quarantine at home for seven days, re-testing on the eighth day of arrival in India, and further self-monitoring of their health for the next seven days if negative.

The Indian Embassy in Nepal had in April advised its citizens to avoid travelling to Nepal for the purposes of onward journeys to third countries after Katmandu banned all foreign nationals from using the Himalayan nation as a transit point as part of its efforts to combat the surge in the COVID virus.

(Inputs: PTI)

(Image: TWITTER/INDIAINNEPAL/PTI)