UAE to approve tourist visas for Indian passport holders

Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday has decided to allow tourist visas to Indian passport holders who have not been to the country in the last 14 days, FlyDubai website reported.

Besides India, the facility has been extended to Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Uganda. The passengers who have been to these six countries will not be permitted to Dubai.

Earlier, only UAE nationals and passengers in transit were allowed to travel to the UAE, to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country is now slowly opening its arrival as the situation has improved.

The carrier said RT-PCR requirements will depend on the country of departure.

“If you are a UAE resident, GCC citizen or visitor arriving in Dubai, regardless of where your journey originated, you must be able to present a negative Covid-19 PCR test result (from a test taken in the country of departure no more than 72 hours prior to the departure of your inbound flight to Dubai),” the airline stated.

Procedures for UAE residents and visitors coming to Dubai

Residents of the United Arab Emirates (with valid visas issued by Dubai) are allowed to travel to Dubai from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Uganda provided that the passengers meet the following conditions:

  • UAE residents who hold a valid visa issued by Dubai with the approval of the general directorate of residency and foreign affairs (GDRFA) will be allowed to enter Dubai.
  • A valid negative COVID-19 test certificate with QR code linked to the original report.
  • Passengers travelling from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Uganda to United Arab Emirates (UAE) can take their rapid PCR test six hours instead of four hours prior to their departure.
  • Arriving passengers will also be required to undergo an additional PCR test upon landing in Dubai.

Meanwhile, the UAE based Etihad Airways has said it will accept passengers from Pakistani airports Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore, starring from August 22. Earlier, arrivals from Pakistan were only allowed to transit passengers.