Indian missions in UAE issue advisory for expats and visitors

Abu Dhabi/ Dubai: The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai and Northern Emirates have issued an advisory asking Indian nationals travelling to or living in the UAE to make sure they hold adequate medical insurance.

The missions said they have been receiving several instances of Indian nationals meeting with unforeseen illnesses or medical emergencies.

In these cases, the patients had inadequate insurance cover, leaving them with huge medical bills that were beyond the capacity of the patient or their family members to bear.

Advice for visitors

All Indian nationals travelling to the UAE for visit or tourism purposes are advised to take adequate and appropriate medical insurance before their journey begins.

The cover should also include cashless facilities, along with the cost of medical repatriation to India in the event of an unforeseen medical emergency.

Advice for residents

Indians residing in the UAE on an employment visa, as well as their dependents, are advised to verify that their medical insurance is adequate.

It should cover all medical expenses in the UAE and medical repatriation to India, the missions stated.

The UAE is home to around 4.5 million Indian expats.

The Indian Consulate posted the advisory on social media on Tuesday.

The mission posted the advisory in multiple languages: English, Hindi, Malayalam and Telugu.

The Indian missions in the UAE have repeatedly urged Indian nationals visiting the country to obtain adequate medical insurance before travelling, warning that unexpected medical emergencies can result in substantial expenses.

Life Protection Plan

The Consulate has also facilitated affordable insurance schemes for Indian expatriate workers, particularly those in blue-collar jobs. Two years ago, it helped launch a Life Protection Plan in partnership with UAE-based insurance providers, offering financial benefits to employees’ families in the event of natural or accidental death, as well as coverage for accidental disability and repatriation expenses.

The Consulate encouraged employers to enrol their workers in the scheme to strengthen financial protection for their families.

The scheme was expanded in 2025. The expanded Life Protection Plan covered workers aged from 18 to 69 years for a sum assured at Dh35,000 for a premium of Dh32 for 12 months.