India

Polio entry rule for arrivals from affected countries

Travelers arriving in India from Afghanistan, Cameroon, DRC, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Republic of Congo, or Syria are advised to carry an international vaccination certificate showing polio vaccination preferably 4 weeks but not more than 1 year before travel. Those without documentation may receive a dose of oral polio vaccine on arrival. Direct travel from Switzerland is not affected.

EKRM / Indian Government polio entry requirement ↗ · Updated 2026

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Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip — per the Swiss BAG schedule. These include:

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTaP, Tdap)
• Influenza (flu)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
• Polio
• COVID-19

Vaccination indicated during chikungunya outbreaks; may also be considered for countries with elevated risk (see EKRM statement).

Qdenga® vaccination currently recommended only for travelers with documented prior dengue infection who will be exposed in a region with high dengue transmission.

Recommended for all travelers to tropical and subtropical countries. Note for Swiss travelers: Hepatitis A is not part of the routine Swiss BAG childhood schedule, so most adult travelers will need vaccination. Two doses (0 and 6–12 months) provide long-term protection; a single dose is effective for short trips.

Consider per individual risk and stay duration. Routine in Swiss childhood schedule since 1998 — younger travelers usually covered.

Recommended for travelers spending >1 month in rural rice-growing areas during transmission season (mainly May–October, varies by region). Highest risk in the Terai (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar) and Northeast states. Not needed for typical urban or short-stay tourist itineraries.

Strongly consider pre-exposure vaccination for: long stays; trips with high individual risk regardless of duration (cycling/motorbike trips, hiking in remote areas, infants and children, those working with animals, cavers — bats!). India accounts for roughly one-third of global rabies deaths, and post-exposure rabies immunoglobulin can be hard to obtain locally.

Recommended for all travelers with stays longer than 1 week. India has among the highest typhoid incidence globally, and risk extends to major cities and high-end accommodation, not just rural areas.