Dubai: Budget carrier flydubai said Dubai residents from nine Indian cities are being allowed to fly back into the emirate.
These include UAE residents holding valid Dubai-issued visas who can fly from Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Mumbai and Thiruvanthapuram. The flying of UAE residents holding Dubai-issued visas from other airports in India and Pakistan and from Nepal and Sri Lanka remains suspended until further notice.
The UAE had announced on August 3 that it would allow its resident visa holders stranded in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Uganda to enter the UAE, effective August 5. As per the announcement, only residency-visa holders who got vaccinated in the UAE and have vaccination certificates issued by the UAE authorities will be allowed to travel from these countries. (Some categories of residents such as medical health workers and students have been exempted from this requirement.)
flydubai further clarified that UAE residents holding a valid Dubai-issued visa together with a GDRFA approval issued on or after August 5 will be allowed to enter Dubai. Entry permissions granted by the GDRFA before August 5 will not be accepted.
India rules
UAE residents with a Dubai-issued visa travelling from the permitted airports in India will only be granted permission to enter Dubai if they can comply with the following conditions:
- They have been fully vaccinated in the UAE and completed 14 days after the 2nd dose and hold a vaccination card issued by a medical institution in the UAE (including a vaccine certificate made available through the official apps of government medical entities in the UAE);
- They must be able to present a printed copy of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result (displaying a QR code) in English or Arabic from a test taken by an approved health service no more than 48 hours prior to the departure of their inbound flight to Dubai;
- They must undergo a rapid PCR, RT PCR, ID NOW or molecular test for detection of nucleic acid for SARS COV2 four hours before boarding the aircraft in their country of departure; they must undergo a PCR test on arrival in Dubai.
- Holders of a valid Dubai-issued UAE resident visa who have been fully vaccinated in the UAE and completed 14 days after the second dose must submit the vaccination card/certificate through the website of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.
Children under 12 years and UAE nationals are exempt from PCR testing and vaccination requirements.
• 'Return Permit for resident outside UAE form' which is issued to the passengers from the GDRFA
• A valid negative COVID-19 test certificate that is issued within the valid time frame, (48) hours from the time of collecting the sample and from an ICMR approved laboratory
• A rapid PCR test report conducted at the airport prior to four hours of departure
Sialkot travel
Flydubai said starting from tomorrow (August 10), the carriage of UAE residents (holding valid Dubai-issued visas) to Dubai from Sialkot in Pakistan will be permitted subject to passengers meeting the following conditions:
- They must have been fully vaccinated in the UAE and completed 14 days after the 2nd dose and hold a vaccination card issued by a medical institution in the UAE (including a vaccine certificate made available through the official apps of government medical entities in the UAE);
- They must be able to present a printed copy of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result (displaying a QR code) in English or Arabic from a test taken by an approved health service no more than 48 hours prior to the departure of their inbound flight to Dubai;
- They must undergo a rapid PCR, RT PCR, ID NOW or molecular test for detection of nucleic acid for SARS COV2 four hours before boarding the aircraft in their country of departure; they must undergo a PCR test on arrival in Dubai.
- Holders of a valid Dubai-issued UAE resident visa who have been fully vaccinated in the UAE and completed 14 days after the 2nd dose must submit the vaccination card/certificate through the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.
The following categories of passenger will be granted permission to enter Dubai subject to compliance with certain conditions:
- Members of medical staff including doctors, nurses and medical technicians (whether vaccinated or unvaccinated);
- Educational sector employees including professors and teachers working at universities, colleges, schools and institutions in the UAE (whether vaccinated or unvaccinated);
- Students currently studying in the UAE (whether vaccinated or unvaccinated) – children 12 years and above with a valid UAE resident visa can be accepted under this category if they can comply with all entry requirements;
- Holders of a valid visa issued on humanitarian grounds (whether vaccinated or unvaccinated);
- Employees of local and federal government entities (whether vaccinated or unvaccinated);
- Passengers undergoing medical treatment in the UAE (whether vaccinated or unvaccinated).
