COVID-19: UAE extends entry ban for travellers from India indefinitely

The suspension of flights from India to the UAE has been extended until further notice in the wake of the raging rise in coronavirus cases in India, UAE's National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) and General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced on Tuesday. The ban was initially imposed for 10 days, till May 4, and then extended to May 14 and now, indefinitely.

All passengers who have stayed in India in 14 days and transited through India will be barred from entry into the Emirates. However, UAE citizens, diplomats, official delegations, golden residency visa holders and chartered flights of businessmen are exempted from the entry ban, given that they present a negative Covid PCR certificate valid within 48 hours of travel. Those exempted are also to follow other covid precautionary measures such as 10-days quarantine and a mandatory PCR test on the first day, fourth and eighth day of entering the country.

UAE-India passenger flights and two-way cargo flights will continue to operate, as directed earlier. GACA advised all travellers affected by the decision to contact the relevant airlines to reschedule their flights.

As for travellers coming from India through other green listed countries, they are to present documents indicating their stay in those countries upon entry to the UAE, NCEMA noted.

Taiwan and US are the latest countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Philippines, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Netherlands and Singapore to tighten travel restrictions for travellers from India.