Covid-19: UAE extends ban on travellers from India

The UAE has extended the suspension of entry on inbound travellers from India on all national and foreign carriers’ flights.

Passengers coming from India are also not permitted to transit through the UAE en route to foreign destinations.

However, passengers will be allowed to transit through the UAE on flights coming in from foreign destinations and bound for India, the General Civil Aviation Authority and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority have announced.

This decision also includes those who were in India in the 14-day period prior to arrival into the UAE.

#الطوارئ_والأزمات والطيران المدني: تعليق دخول المسافرين القادمين من الهند على جميع الرحلات الجوية للناقلات الوطنية والأجنبية، وكذلك ركاب الترانزيت القادمين منها، باستثناء رحلات الترانزيت القادمة للدولة والمتجهة إلى الهند.https://t.co/I3D4brfPup#يدا_بيد_نتعافى pic.twitter.com/kBOOUrzTuG

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) May 4, 2021

Flights between the two countries will transport passengers from the UAE to India as well as those from India to the UAE that have applied for exemption.

Exempted travelers, including UAE citizens, those on diplomatic missions accredited by the two countries, official delegations, those traveling on business planes, and golden residence holders. However, they will be subject to a 10-day quarantine and PCR testing at the airport and on the fourth and eighth day after entering the country, official news agency WAM reported.

The required PCR testing period prior to travel has been reduced from 72 to 48 hours, and all tests must be administered by accredited laboratories that issue results carrying a QR code.

The aviation authority has confirmed that travelers coming from India through other countries must provide a proof of a period of stay in those countries of no less than 14 days in order to be allowed to entry into the country.

Meanwhile, cargo flights will continue to operate between the two countries.

Flights from India to the UAE were originally suspended for 10 days starting Saturday, April 24, amid a massive surge in the number of Covid-19 cases across the South Asian country.

Read: Covid-19: Flights from India to the UAE to be suspended for 10 days

India today reported more than 357,000 new infections, bringing the total official tally to more than 20 million cases, and an additional 3,449 deaths.

India’s cricketing regulator also suspended the Indian Premier League after multiple players contracted Covid-19.

With inputs from Bloomberg