Indian Coronavirus vaccine certificates accepted by 96 nations announces Union Health Minister

In a major relief for travellers, India and 96 countries have agreed to mutually recognise COVID 19 vaccination certificates. The Union Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya had announced about it on Tuesday. In addition to this report, the United Kingdom Government has also announced that India's Covaxin will be added to its list of approved COVID 19 vaccines for entry of international passengers into the country without having to self-isolate on arrival. The changes will be implemented from November 22, 2021.

The Union health ministry's statement read as, "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." However, the government is in talks with the rest of the countries. Recently, the United States of America also reopened its borders for vaccinated travellers after 20 months.

The countries that have recognised Indian COVID-19 vaccines are as follows- Canada, The United States of America, Bangladesh, Mali, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Angola, Nigeria, Benin, Chad, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, The S1ovak Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Finland, Estonia, Romania, Moldova, Albania, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Austria, Montenegro, Iceland, Eswatini, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia, Kyrgyz Republic, Belarus, Armenia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Georgia, The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Andorra, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Maldives, Comoros, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Peru, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Brazil, 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, Philippines.