In a move that comes as a huge relief for Non-Resident Indians who have been stranded in their home states owing to the COVID-19 travel curbs, the United Arab Emirates is allowing resident visa holders from six countries to return to the Emirates. The countries, apart from India, are Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Uganda. The easing of curbs will come into effect on Thursday, August 5. Travellers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and hold valid residency permits will be allowed to board flights and return. This announcement was made by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) and the General Civil Aviation Authority. The travellers will also have to get a negative RT-PCR test result within 48 hours of their time of travel. They will have to undergo a Rapid Antigen test before boarding the flight and a further RT-PCR testing and home quarantine on arrival in the UAE. Flights to the UAE from many countries were suspended because of the pandemic and a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases. Flights are expected to restart on August 7, but this is likely to be extended further.
Further exemption on vaccination was made for medical staff, including doctors, nurses and technicians working in the UAE, as well as for expats working in the education sector. Students in various educational institutes in the country and those with humanitarian issues and workers in federal and local government agencies are also allowed in. The above can return to the country irrespective of whether they are vaccinated. Those coming to the UAE to complete their medical treatment are also in the excluded category. Participants in the Expo 2020 in Dubai are also allowed to enter.
All travellers need to apply online through the website of the Federal Authority for Identity Citizenship and attach their vaccination certificates approved by competent authorities to get the necessary approvals. They also need to submit the pre-travel negative RT-PCR test result from accredited laboratories with a QR Code. Earlier, only UAE citizens and their first-degree relatives, diplomatic personnel, official delegations, and UAE residents with gold or silver residency permits were among the eight categories that were allowed to travel from these countries.
With IANS inputs