which city you are in canada ? how did you travel from airport to ur quarantine place, and any travel procedures imposed ?
Traveling/Flights to Canada from India during COVID 19
- Thread starter pkhare23
- Start date
So I booked the July 29th Qatar Airways flight from Delhi to Toronto through Doha. I am from Delhi itself so it was just this flight. Be sure to arrive at the airport atleast 4 hours before departure as your baggage will be sanitized by a UV machine and you have to fill a Covid declaration form. This will have two copies. One will be taken once you enter the terminal. All these will happen before you enter the Terminal so there will be a long queue. Once inside, you can check in your baggage and an airline representative will verify your eligibility to travel. Atleast that was the case for Qatar Airways.
Once that is done, the Indian immigration process takes place. The officer will again verify your documents, namely passport and CoPR. The second copy of the Covid form will also be taken here. After that, it is just the usual security check.
Once in Doha, I had a 10 hour layover. I just used one of the quiet rooms available and luckily I got a lounge chair there. These are mostly free so there is always a rush. See details below.
https://www.sleepinginairports.net/sleep-guide/sleeping-in-doha-airport.html
The second flight took off without much hassle and they do not check any other documents apart from your boarding passes. Before landing, the flight attendants will give you a declaration form which is for Covid quarantine. You have to enter your quarantine address and other details. Once you reach Toronto, you will be redirected to the Immigration Kiosks where you will need to answer some related questions, like the nature of your travel and if you are carrying any substance. It will generate a paper slip with your picture and you have to present this to the Border officer and say you are for the landing formalities. You will have to submit the Covid form with the quarantine address in a box. Then, you will be guided to the immigration office where the officer will take your immigrant visa, two COPR copies and validate them. May or may not ask about funds but will ask your plans for quarantine. I guess they can validate this from the form which you submitted. They will also take the address to which the PR card will be mailed. Then, he/she will sign and stamp the COPR copies and hand one over to you by which you become an official PR of Canada. Till you get your PR card, the stamped COPR copy is your PR proof.
After that, just baggage collection and customs declaration. You have to hand over the BSF forms if you have any accompanying goods, ie, if you plan to ship any goods to Canada from India afterwards.
Some important points:
1) They are very serious about quarantine, so plan in advance and go to the quarantine place immediately from the airport.
2) Register for ArriveCAN app. This is similar to Aarogya Setu app which is used for contact tracing. The Border officials never asked for this but it is better to register so sometimes they may ask. Similar app available in IOS as well.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ca.gc.cbsa.coronavirus&hl=en_CA
All the best and thanks for the help!
In Toronto. Currently put up in an Inn about 10 kms from the airport in a place called West Etobicoke. Got a cab from the airport. There will be many cabs waiting outside. If you have access to Uber, that will also work.
Hi, thanks for the details. One more thing, are we allowed to visit shops/kiosks at the airport or do we have to leave directly after clearing customs?
Will need a local mobile number if we are to order anything online, and can't go out during the 14-day quarantine period.
Yes, you can visit available shops but I found most of them closed. You can get a local prepaid SIM from the airport. I got a Matrix prepaid international SIM from India so I did not buy one at the airport
Many of the airlines sell in advance hoping that restrictions will be lifted. Many of the flights get cancelled later on.
Unfortunately many are booking these flights thinking they are guaranteed. They are only potential flights if restrictions are limited. Canada also doesn’t want normal airline traffic especially from covid hot spots because that is causes people to fly into Canada already infected.
I agree that people are booking flights thinking that these are normal flights but I have a bit different opinion on not welcoming the flights from Covid hit places.
Even when Europe was at peak of cases, there were flights from Europe to Canada.
Flights from USA never stopped (Worst hit country now), still going on.
I think Brazil and Mexico flights are also operating (not too sure about it)
I personally feel its India who is trying to curb the influx then Canada.
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For folks who are willing to travel on VBM flights, I believe you can still take the routes via CDG and FRA. Last time I checked (2 days ago), lots of seats were available on AI's site for these destinations. You'll have to book a separate connection flight from the layover to wherever you're headed in Canada, but as many people have shared in this thread, it's a possible route. The risk that I recall with these is you have to spend around 18 hours or so at the airport and a bigger one that you're at the mercy of AI airport staff - if they don't/can't issue boarding passes for both tickets or can't tag your luggage all the way, you'll find yourself in trouble.
If you happen to have a B1/B2 visa for US, you can also take a flight to US and then next one to Canada.
Other forum members can keep me honest, if I'm saying anything incorrect here.
If you happen to have a B1/B2 visa for US, you can also take a flight to US and then next one to Canada.
Other forum members can keep me honest, if I'm saying anything incorrect here.
Didn't check all the flights mentioned there, but the one to/fro Vancouver is using AI's VBM Paris flight for connecting with India. And the one to/fro Toronto is using Lufthansa's flights to/fro India. I think the former is safe, latter is not.
So Does it mean, COPR holders from India can book these flights? Tickets seem to be available for Delhi to Toronto for August flights?
Has anyone booked these flights yet? Ticket prices are reasonable too
I'd recommend being careful, check the details of the flight (operator, layover, transit time, etc.). If flight going out of India is AI within August and that matches up with the announced schedule of VBM-5 flights and you fulfill the transit requirements for passage through layovers, then yes, it should be safe to book.
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