UAE to approve tourist visas for India, Pakistan passport holders as Covid cases fall

Passengers will have to take a rapid PCR test at the airport six hours before the flight and then again at the arrival at Dubai International airport.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will offer tourist visas to Indian passport holders who have not been to the country in the last 14 days,flydubai said on its website.

In addition to India, the facility will also be extended to citizens of Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Uganda. This comes as the UAE is looking to slowly ease travel restrictions. 

As per the new guidelines, all flyers will be required to undergo a Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR) test on the day of arrival and nine days after that as well. travel restrictions. 

Travellers should have approval from the GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs) and also present a printed copy of a negative Covid-19 PCR test with a QR code in English or Arabic taken no more than 48 hours before the flight 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 before the departure of your inbound flight to Dubai),” it said.

However, this does not apply to members of diplomatic, economic and scientific missions, UAE nationals, holders of a UAE Golden Visa and those passengers exempted and/or granted permission to enter the UAE by the appropriate authorities.

Covid test, quarantine rules in UAE

The fresh guidelines that come a day after the UAE on Saturday said that Indian passengers can take a rapid PCR test six hours before their departure instead of four hours now. The UAE has made this test mandatory for passengers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Uganda.

The UAE has also resumed visas on arrival for only those Indians nationals who have a visa or residence permit issued by the USA, United Kingdom or an EU Member State.

For passengers arriving at Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Ras al-Khaimah Airports (RKT), 10 days home quarantine upon arrival in RKT and 12 days home/institutional quarantine in AUH is mandatory. 

Further, passengers would be required to wear a medically approved wristband, provided by the authorities at the airport after clearing immigration.

Passengers are mandated to download and register on the Alhosn app, using the UID and phone number.