BackFlying to Qatar from India? Check out the new travel rules
The air bubble arrangement with Qatar is valid till 31st OctoberUnder a bilateral air bubble pact, airlines of both countries can operate international flights with certain restrictions
PremiumIndia has bilateral air bubble agreements in place with several countries to facilitate travel for passengers. The Ministry of Civil Aviation took to microblogging site Twitter to announce the travel eligibility for passengers travelling from India to Qatar and Qatar to India. Both countries have signed a bilateral air bubble pact, allowing airlines of both countries to operate international flights under restrictive conditions.
"India has bilateral air travel arrangements in place with several countries to facilitate travel for passengers. Take a look at the eligibility of passengers planning to travel from India to Qatar and Qatar to India," Ministry of Civil Aviation tweeted.
The air bubble arrangement with Qatar is valid till 31st October. Indian carriers and Qatar Airways can carry the following categories of persons on such flights
From India to Qatar:
- Qatari nationals.
- Any Indian national holding any type of valid Qatar visa and destined for Qatar only. It would be for the airlines concerned to ensure that there is no travel restriction for Indian nationals to enter Qatar with the particular visa category before the issue of ticket/ boarding pass to the Indian passenger
From Qatar to India
- Indian nationals stranded in Qatar.
- All Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders holding Qatari passports, and
- Qatari nationals (including diplomats) holding a valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines dated 30.06.2020 as amended from time to time.
What is an air bubble agreement?
Under an air bubble pact between the two countries, special international passenger flights can be operated by their airlines into each other's territories under restrictive conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
India has air bubble agreement with 17 countries
Till now, India had formed such arrangements with 16 countries - Ukraine, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Oman, Canada, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, the Maldives, Nigeria, Qatar, the UAE, Kenya, Bhutan, the UK and the USA.
International flights suspended in India
Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, special international passenger flights have been operating in India under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble arrangements formed between India and other countries since July.
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