COVID-19 Guidelines and Categories of International Passengers Allowed to Travel to Pakistan

Discuss issues and news related to PIA, Pakistani airlines and Pakistan's civil & military aviation.
baberblues
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by baberblues »

ahmed.malik wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:25 pm As Heathrow is now offering pre-depature rapid saliva swab tests (Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification) to detect presence of covid-19 in passengers, can we use this test to enter Pakistan or is it still have to be PCR test for covid19?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54604100
PCR tests only, even then the saliva ones are for hong kong and italy only
ahmed.malik
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by ahmed.malik »

True, more details at https://www.airlive.net/rapid-covid-19- ... w-airport/

Will reach out to BA to confirm, as citydoc (the lab that BA approves) has really bad reviews - https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/citydoc.org.uk
Blackbird
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by Blackbird »

I'm flying from MAN to ISB via LHR on Thursday ISA. Got a COVID swab done privately yesterday for £149. Reported negative today so hopefully will be able to travel smoothly. Quarantine for two weeks on return though :(
Nothing is constant except change
ahmed.malik
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by ahmed.malik »

Where did you get the test done?
I'm really scapticle about using citydoc, I might use medicspot or London doctors clinic.

Have safe flight
Blackbird
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by Blackbird »

Vivoclinic.com They have branches in large cities including in Manchester Deansgate.
Nothing is constant except change
t_kaay
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by t_kaay »

ahmed.malik wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:28 pm Where did you get the test done?
I'm really scapticle about using citydoc, I might use medicspot or London doctors clinic.

Have safe flight
Just used citydoc, as I'm travelling to Islamabad on Friday with BA. £93 for the home test kit, result and travel certificate received within 32 hours after they got my sample. Impressive. I'd recommend them. Easy to do at home.
ahmed.malik
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by ahmed.malik »

How was the experience pre-departure at heathrow, in flight and then on arrival?
(I would envisage with everybody carrying negative covid19 cert, everyone would be at ease in the flight)
misrar787
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by misrar787 »

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/ne ... 41636.html

Why O Why? they will make it hard for others.

:o :o :o :o :o :o
baberblues
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by baberblues »

misrar787 wrote: Mon Oct 26, 2020 5:22 pm https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/ne ... 41636.html

Why O Why? they will make it hard for others.

:o :o :o :o :o :o
Absolutely shocking, and incredibly selfish. Imagine you passing corona onto others on the plane because you gamed the system.
ahmed.malik
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by ahmed.malik »

shocking :shock:

Can't understand, why it has to be one of us (a Pakistani) always in this kind of news where system is being gamed :(

I would strongly recommend pre-departure tests or some kind of entry in the passport that the test was taken and the result was negative to close any loophole.
ammad
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by ammad »

Any body have idea how is the CoVid -Ve PCR Test requirement is implemented at Karachi Airport?

What if passenger arrives and he don't have test result at all. Any body been to this situation or testing requirement is being relaxed Airports. I am asking specifically for Karachi Airport.
Fortune favours brave.
ahmed.malik
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by ahmed.malik »

I highly doubt if you will be allowed to even board the flight to Pakistan if you don't have the Covid19 PCR negative certificate (provided Pak CAA has now imposed some fine on Turkish & Qatar after they brought in passengers with no Covid19 negative certificate). Better to double check with the airline.

Also, I was checking PassTrack app last night and a snap of negative Covid19 PCR test needs to be uploaded when registering your arrival details.
Blackbird
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by Blackbird »

I checked in at MAN on 22 Oct for BA flight to ISB via LHR. Saw around 6 to 7 other Pak families checking in also. This was 15:50 flight to LHR maybe more pax from MAN travelled to LHR on the later 19:10 flight.
Bit disappointed with check in as I queued for one full hour. All BA destinations had single check in at MAN. I had business class ticket but amazingly no separate check in counter. They were very particular about Pass Track app. Family in front didn’t have it downloaded on iPhone so they were given instructions on downloading and asked to come back to counter after downloading it. I already had it but also carried hard copy of COVID test certificate. The guy looked at it to check Covid-19 negative status.
Arrived at LHR around 16:45. Spent time in the lounge.
Boarding was not according to class but started from seats at the back of aircraft. So I was last to board.
Push back was 2 minutes ahead of schedule (21:28) and landed at IBD 40 min ahead of schedule.
Nice fully flat bed with good IFE. Meals very disappointing as BA have stopped hot meal service for now. So cold English meal was handed out in boxes. I read today that hot meals are being reintroduced from tomorrow. Will see on my return next week.
At IBD they were collecting the health questionnaire which we had filled in on board. One guy was checking to see if ppl had the App downloaded on their phones but he did not open the app at all so obvious khana puri .
Business class had plenty of passengers surprisingly. Economy had around 150 passengers.
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Abbas Ali
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by Abbas Ali »

Updated lists of countries for Category A and B have been approved by the competent authority for international passenger/chartered/private flight operations from November 6 to December 31, 2020.

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Category A

International travelers from following countries do not require COVID-19 RT-PCR/PCR test for entry into Pakistan.
  1. Australia
  2. China
  3. Cuba
  4. Estonia
  5. Ghana
  6. Japan
  7. Kazakhstan
  8. Malawi
  9. New Zealand
  10. Norway
  11. Rwanda
  12. South Korea
  13. Saudi Arabia
  14. Senegal
  15. Singapore
  16. Sri Lanka
  17. Thailand
  18. Togo
  19. Turkey
  20. Uruguay
  21. Vietnam
  22. Zambia
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Category B

International travelers from countries not specified in 'Category A' require COVID-19 RT-PCR/PCR test before commencement of travel to Pakistan. Test has to be taken within 96 hours of the travel date.

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Abbas
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Abbas Ali
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Re: International Passengers to Pakistan Required to Carry Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test Result

Post by Abbas Ali »

Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Notification Issued on November 3, 2020.

International scheduled passenger, chartered and private aircraft flights to Pakistan

Under instructions received from Pakistan's National Institute of Health (NIH) - Islamabad under the Ministry of Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination (NHRC), following tests will be considered as equivalent to PCR based test for COVID-19.
  1. Real time RT-PCR for COVID-19
  2. Real time RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2
  3. RT-PCR for COVID-19
  4. RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2
  5. PCR for COVID-19
  6. PCR for SARS-CoV-2
  7. Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV-2 GeneXpert
Passengers holding negative certificates/reports for any of the above tests may be considered as fulfilling requirement of mandatory RT-PCR testing for international scheduled passenger, chartered and private aircraft flights to Pakistan

All airline/aircraft operators/ground handling agents/authorized flights permission agents are to ensure full compliance and inform passengers wishing to travel to Pakistan.

Abbas
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