Abu Dhabi: Indian missions in the UAE on Wednesday night opened e-registration for Indians wishing to travel back home due to various reasons during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a late night tweet, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi announced the details of data collection through the website of the Indian Consulate in Dubai.
“Public Notice for collection of data of Indians in the UAE who wish to travel to India under the present COVID 19 situation. For registration, please visit: https://cgidubai.gov.in/covid_register/” the tweet said.
In the notice, the mission stated: “All Indian nationals in the UAE are hereby informed that the Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India, Dubai, have uploaded a form for [the] collection of data to create a database of Indians who wish to travel back to India under COVID-19 situation.”
“The link for the registration is available on the website of the embassy as well as on the website of the CGI Dubai and can also be accessed directly at https://cgidubai.gov.in/covid_register/”
Technical issues
Minutes after posting the tweet, the mission deleted it citing “technical issues.” It seemed some users were having trouble accessing the page.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, the Cosulate General of India in Dubai reposted the link, warning it may take 'some time for the page to load due to high traffic'.
The Abu Dhabi mission earlier clarified that the purpose of the form is only to collect information to enable Government of India to plan for the return of Indians from abroad under the present Covid-19 situation.
This form is to be filled for a single individual at a time. Families need to fill separate forms for each member.
Similarly, for companies, a separate form has to be filled for each employee.
It was also clarified that the decision on resumption of passenger flights to India will be taken in due course.
“Any announcement in this regard will be made on our website and social media channels. All conditions for travel, to be prescribed later, will need to be followed.”
“All rules and regulations of Government of UAE on departure and Government of India on arrival will need to be strictly followed, especially those related to COVID-19.”
Apart from giving their personal particulars, applicants have to provide the “compelling reason for travelling back to India” and the “status of their COVID test” (positive, negative or test not done), the form showed.
It reiterated that filling up the form is for information collection and doesn’t automatically entitle a seat on a flight to India.
Applicants have been asked to ensure they get a “Thank you for registering with us” page to be sure that their registration in the database is successful.
“If you don’t get the message please fill your details again,” the instructions on the form added.
Several Indians in the UAE, including pregnant women, elderly patients, stranded visit visa holders and those who lost jobs, have been requesting their government to help them fly back home during the travel restrictions and lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
As first reported by Gulf News on Monday, the Indian missions were readying to compile the details of those wishing to return home following reports from India that the Indian government was making preparations to receive its citizens from abroad.
The missions were awaiting more clarifications from New Delhi regarding the details that need to be collected and “some more issues” that needed to be clarified, Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor had told Gulf News on Monday.
Tens of thousands of Indian expats are expected to register their details if the large number of Keralites who registered with their state government’s similar initiative is any indication.
Since it opened on Sunday night, more than 320,000 Keralites have registered their details through registernorkaroots.org A large number of them are from the UAE.
