COVID-19: UAE clarifies travel-to-India rules
The 2 countries will continue to operate flights, allowing travel from UAE to India
Abu Dhabi: The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) and the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) clarified rules about travel to and from India on Friday.
They said travel for passengers from India will be suspended for all incoming flights on national and foreign carriers.
Flights carrying transit passengers will also be barred from coming to the UAE with the exception of transit flights coming to the UAE and heading onward to India.
This decision includes the entry of travellers who were in India in the last 14 days prior to coming to the UAE.
In the latest travel updates, the two entities stressed that flights between the 2 countries will continue to operate allowing the transportation of passengers from the UAE to India. It will also allow the transfer of exempted groups from India to the UAE with the application of the aforementioned precautionary measures.
These groups include Emirati citizens, diplomatic missions appointed by the two countries, official delegations, those on business men chartered flights, and those holding golden residency provided that they undertake preventive measures that include quarantine for 10 days and a PCR test at the airport, as well as on the fourth and eighth days following entry into the country.
Moreover, the required PCR test period has been reduced from 72 hours to 48 hours prior to travel from accredited laboratories that issue test results carrying a QR code.
The authority also confirmed that it is required for those coming from India through other countries to stay in those countries for at least 14 days before being allowed to enter the country, starting from 23:59 on Saturday April 24, 2021.
These regulations will apply for a period of 10 days, which can be extended, while cargo flights continue to operate between the two countries.
The authority called upon all travelers affected by the decision to follow up with the relevant airlines to change or reschedule their flights and to ensure their safe return to their final destinations without delay.