Nima Wangdi

Except for those flying to Singapore, outbound travellers are not required to produce RT-PCR negative test results at Paro airport and other exit points. However, travellers should check the requirements at their transit and destination countries before travel.

According to a Singaporean government website, only PCR test results are accepted and travellers are required to have tested negative on RT-PCR in the country they are departing from three days before.

Other test types like antigen test and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) will not be accepted according to the website.

The health ministry, in their notification stated that if the transit and destination countries do not require RT-PCR reports, people need not come for Covid-19 test for travel purpose. “Travels coming to Bhutan are not required to have RT-PCR negative test results at any entry point.”

With the phasing out of the Covid-19 travel restrictions, many countries have different travel requirements.

Australia is one of the most common travel destinations for Bhutanese.

Thimphu residents at a flu clinic yesterday

According to the travel advisory from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a traveller is required to produce proof of double vaccination against Covid-19.

Further changes to the requirements for travel into and out of Australia come into effect from April 18 according to the Australian government.

“Anyone travelling to Bangladesh is required to produce a fully vaccinated certificate or RT-PCR negative test result with the validity of 72 hours if not fully vaccinated. India has no requirements,” the travel advisory stated.

Thailand has a number of requirements for travellers. People travelling to Thailand are required to undergo RT-PCR test upon arrival in Thailand and take self-administered ATK test on day five. Travellers will also have to provide certificate of Covid-19 vaccination and; Thailand pass (applied online); Travellers need an insurance policy with coverage no less than USD20,000. The traveller should also have hotel-booking confirmation.

People travelling to the US are required to be two years of age or above and the test must be done one day before they travel. Documentation of having recovered from Covid within 90 days is also required according to the travel advisory.

The travel advisory stated that people travelling to Finland, France, Nepal, Maldives, UAE, United Kingdom, Japan, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea and Romania require fully vaccinated documents.

People visiting Afghanistan should produce RT-PCR negative test results not older than 72 hours. Travellers to Germany should have RT-PCR negative test result three days before travel.

Russia and Sweden require RT-PCR negative test results issued no less than 48 hours before departure.

Canada requires the travellers to be fully vaccinated.

According to the news reports, people visiting the Philippines and the Filipinos returning home can now enter the country with lab-based antigen test upon arrival in the country. Travellers were required to produce RT-PCR negative test results initially.

People arriving in Bhutan should undergo five-days mandatory quarantine.