Dubai: Indian carrier Air India Express (AIE) on Wednesday night announced that copies of COVID-19 PCR test reports submitted by Dubai-bound passengers from India must have a QR code linking to their original test report.
“Also, the time of sample collection (date and time of sample collection) and sample reporting (date and time of test result) must be mentioned accurately,” the airline said in the latest COVID-related travel updates posted on Twitter.
The airline said the move follows an advisory from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
Gulf News could not immediately get comments from the DHA.
The airline also did not immediately respond to passengers’ questions on when the rule would come into effect and if it no longer required test reports in the original letterhead of the laboratory issuing the result, along with its seal and signs, as previously.
As per the latest rules, passengers from India, at the time of boarding, must produce a negative COVID-19 PCR test report issued not more than 72 hours prior to the departure of the flight to Dubai.
Children under the age of 12 and passengers who have a moderate or severe disability are exempt.
Rules about PCR reports
Earlier, AIE had stated that the negative COVID-19 test result should only be taken from laboratories approved by the Indian Council for Medical Research or Pure Health.
“The test result should be issued, duly signed and stamped in the original letterhead of the testing lab. The test result should not be handwritten or have corrections. Kindly note that photocopies of the results will NOT be accepted,” the airline had said.
However, Dubai airlines Emirates and flydubai had not announced the new QR code requirement at the time of publishing this report.
According to the latest updates from Emirates, only PCR test reports are accepted in Dubai. “Other test certificates including antibody tests and home testing kits are not accepted in Dubai. Travellers must bring an official, printed certificate in English or Arabic to check in. SMS and digital certificates are not accepted. PCR certificates in other languages are acceptable if they can be validated at the originating station,” theEmirates website states.
The latest updates from flydubai said “passengers must be able to present a printed copy of the negative result in English or Arabic to be accepted for travel. Soft copies on mobile phones and handwritten test results will not be accepted. The test must be taken at a UAE government approved laboratory or one of the laboratories listed here.”
