96 countries accept India’s Covid vaccination certificates, says health minister

As per a recent travel update, 96 countries have agreed to mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates with India, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the UK government has announced that India-made Covaxin would be added to the list of authorised vaccinations.

As a result, travellers who have been vaccinated with Covaxin can enter the nation without being subjected to quarantine.

The new regulation will be implemented on November 22nd. 

A statement released by the health ministry said, "At present, 96 countries have agreed to mutual recognition of vaccination certificates and also those who recognise Indian vaccination certificates of travellers fully vaccinated with COVISHIELD/WHO approved/nationally approved vaccines. Consecutively, persons travelling from these countries are provided certain relaxations as enunciated in Union Health Ministry’s Guidelines on International Arrivals…" 

Mandaviya said in a statement that the government is continuing to communicate with the rest of the globe in order for beneficiaries of the world's biggest COVID-19 vaccination campaign to be accepted and recognised, simplifying travel for education, business, and tourist purposes. 

As a result, those travelling from certain countries are granted some exemptions, as stated in the Union Health Ministry's instructions on foreign arrivals, which were announced on October 20, 2021.

According to the ministry, the international travel vaccination certificate may also be accessed via the Co-WIN site for anyone who desires to go abroad. 

Among the 96 countries are Canada, the US, the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Bangladesh, Mali, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Angola, Nigeria, Benin, Chad, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Finland, Estonia, Romania, Moldova, Albania, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Austria, Montenegro, and Iceland.

Eswatini, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia, Kyrgyz Republic, Belarus, Armenia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Georgia, Andorra, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Maldives, Comoros, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Peru, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Brazil have also agreed to mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates with India.

Guyana, Antigua & Barbuda, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Columbia, Trinidad & Tobago, Commonwealth of Dominica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nepal, Iran, Lebanon, State of Palestine, Syria, South Sudan, Tunisia, Sudan, Egypt, Australia, Mongolia, and Philippines are the other countries.

(With inputs from agencies)