Update: No need for ‘attested’ COVID-19 vaccination certificate for travel from Pakistan to UAE
UAE Embassy in Islamabad withdraws its letter regarding the new travel rule
Dubai: Good news for Pakistanis as they are not required to carry the attested COVID-19 vaccination certificate to enter the UAE as was reported earlier, Gulf News can reveal.
The UAE Embassy in Islamabad has withdrawn a decision issued yesterday that Pakistanis travelling to UAE would require to get COVID-19 vaccination certificate attested from the UAE Embassy before travelling to the UAE.
“There is no need for attested COVID-19 vaccine certificate for passengers travelling from Pakistan to UAE. We have intimated the Pakistan Foreign Affairs about the revised decision,” Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al-Zaabi told Gulf News over the phone from Islamabad. He added that passenger currently can continue to travel without any such ‘restriction.’
Flight suspension
UAE had suspended regular passengers flights from Pakistan on May 13 amid surging Covid-19 cases in Pakistan. Currently, only diplomats, golden visa holders, UAE nationals and officials are allowed to travel to UAE from Pakistan. Also, passengers coming on chartered flights with prior special permission can enter the UAE.
UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority has earlier issued a notification that the flights will remain suspended until July 21. UAE and Pakistani airlines have already opened flight bookings from July 21. However, official announcement regarding resumption of flights is still awaited.
Earlier report:
Earlier UAE had made it mandatory for passengers travelling from Pakistan to UAE to carry attested Covid-19 certificates.
The earlier notification said the COVID-19 vaccination certificates must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan and then by the UAE Embassy in Islamabad or the Consulate General in Karachi. It was also said the new rule for Pakistani travellers will come into effect from August 1.
However, Pakistani expats who are residents of UAE were exempted from the new travel restrictions if they have taken their COVID-19 vaccine jab from the UAE. They must have Al Hosn App to prove their vaccination status.