The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has enforced numerous countries to implement additional safety measures to protect the health of the general public.

One of such safety measures was the introduction of online health and travel registrations mandatory for all incoming visitors, often even citizens of said countries.

This health registration is often called Passenger Locator Form, while some countries implement their own unique names, such as:

• India Air Suvidha Form,
• Saudi Arabia Arrival Registration,
• Colombian Check-MIG,
• Canadian ArriveCAN,
• Mexican Forma Migratoria Múltiple,
• Kenya Health Surveillance Form,
• Tanzania Health Surveillance Form,
• Croatian Enter Croatia Form,
• Italian dPLF,
• Malta dPLF,
• Spanish Formulairo de Control Sanitario,
• Turkey Entry Form,
• Sri Lanka Health Declaration,
• The Bahamas Travel Health Visa,
• The Netherlands Health Declaration Form,
• Vietnam Health Declaration.
• Singapore Arrival Card
• Cambodia e-Arrival Card
• Malaysia Digital Arrival Card
• Sri Lanka Arrival Card

There's also:

• France Passenger Locator Form
• Portugal Passenger Locator Form

Are Passenger Locator Forms mandatory

In most cases, completing the Passenger Locator Form is mandatory unless otherwise stated by the country traveler plans on visiting or their specific situation.

PLFs are now included in the list of the required documents for many countries worldwide and should be presented upon crossing the border.

Some destinations consider not completing the PLF when required an offense and impose fines for not adhering to the latest regulations.

Most of the time, the country that requires completing an online health declaration issues a QR code or a PDF confirmation of completing the PLF and requires presenting said confirmation or code upon arrival, sometimes even in paper form.

To check if you will need a PLF before arrival at your selected destination, check the most recent entry requirements of said country.

Requirements to complete a Passenger Locator Form

There are minimal requirements needed to be met to complete a PLF in a selected country.

Since PLFs are available online, travelers simply need to have:

• An active email address
• A valid passport/ID
• Connection to the internet
• Working device to complete the PLF (phone/laptop/PC/tablet)

Moreover, you’ll need basic details of your upcoming trip abroad, such as the address for the stay, dates of departure and arrival, your travel companions, the purpose of visit, and more.

Other required details include your personal and contact information, such as your name, surname, date of birth, address in one’s home country, phone number, and email address.

Some PLFs require answering a few health-related questions to provide the traveler’s health status and evaluate their situation on the basis of one’s answers. The questions may relate to experiencing specific symptoms, such as coughing or fever, or if the traveler was in touch with any person possibly infected with Covid-19 recently.

In some cases you may also need:

• Your vaccination certificate
• A negative Covid-19 test result

How to apply for a PLF

Passenger Locator Forms are available online and can be easily completed within minutes from home using any preferred device connected to the internet.

All you have to do is:

1. Choose the country you plan on visiting
2. Provide the required details into an online application form within the required time frame (usually 72 hours of arrival)
3. Double-check the given information to make sure it’s correct and up-to-date
4. Cover the service fee
5. Wait for approval

Once your Health Declaration application has been processed, you will receive a PDF confirmation via email, most of the time with a unique QR code issued as well.

Countries that require completing a Passenger Locator Form before departure

The following countries require travelers to complete a PLF online before their departure and present confirmation of its completion on arrival to grant a successful entry:

• Canada
• Croatia
• France
• India
• Italy
• Kenya
• Malta
• Portugal
• Saudi Arabia
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• Tanzania
• The Bahamas
• The Netherlands
• Turkey
• Vietnam