Abu Dhabi: The General Directorate of Residence and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA), Dubai has extended the expiry date of residence visas for nationals of India, and five other countries who are stranded abroad amid COVID-19 travel restriction, Dubai-based carrier Flydubai said on its website.
The residence visas for India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lankan, Nigeria, and Uganda nationals have been extended automatically till November 10, 2021, the airline said.
“This applies to Dubai-issued UAE resident visas which have expired or will expire between April 20, 2021 and November 9, 2021,” the airline stated.
In addition, when stranded residents enter the country, the system will give them a period of 30 days from the date of entry to change their visas and renew them.
The expatriate residents who stay abroad for more than six months—180 days continuously will have their residency visas canceled automatically. This means that they will have to apply for a new entry permit to enter UAE.
Those wishing to travel to the UAE can check their visa status on the website.
On August 22, 2021, the UAE allowed passengers carrying passports of India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Uganda with tourist visas with certain conditions.
These passengers must not have entered or been to these six countries for at least for 14 days before arriving in the UAE. They must produce a negative PCR test taken from the country of their departure. UAE residents who have been in India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Uganda in the previous 14 days must comply with the following conditions to enter Dubai:
- Valid GDRFA approval to return to Dubai.
- Negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken in the country of departure by an approved health service no more than 48 hours prior to the departure of their inbound flight to Dubai.
- RT-PCR test at the airport within six hours of boarding the aircraft in their country of departure.
- Must undergo a PCR test on arrival in Dubai.
- Children under 12 years and UAE nationals are exempt from PCR testing and vaccination requirements