India-UAE travel: Stranded expats jubilant as Dubai eases travel restrictions

Dubai - Residents express immense happiness after Dubai updated rules for inbound travellers.

Scores of Indian residents, who've been stranded in their home country since April 24, have expressed immense happiness after the Government of Dubai updated its rules for inbound travellers.

Rules issued by the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai allows fully vaccinated travellers to return to their homes in the UAE, effective Wednesday, June 23, the Dubai Media Office said on Saturday.

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The UAE suspended inbound passenger entry from India on April 24 amid an unusually severe second wave of Covid-19 infections. Since then, thousands of residents, including several hundred healthcare workers, have been stranded in India.

Many have been separated from their jobs, faced pay cuts, and are facing woes such as expired residency visas, Khaleej Times has learnt.

Healthcare workers have been appealing to UAE authorities to make an exception in their case as medical facilities were struggling due to a shortage of staff. Annamma John, a registered nurse with Medcare Hospital in Sharjah, said, "I arrived in India on April 13 on an emergency leave, and I've been stuck here since." She added, "I am thrilled and have been glued to the TV and websites after I heard this news. I have taken both the doses of Sinopharm vaccine. I plan to return to Dubai as soon as possible."

Dr Abdul Majeed, a doctor with Aster Hospital in Makhool, said, "I travelled to India as my brother was infected with Covid-19. I've been here for a month. I have taken both doses of the vaccination, and this news comes as a huge relief."

In an earlier interview with Khaleej Times, Fara Siddiqi, the group chief HR officer at Aster DM Healthcare, had said, "We have over 300 employees who are stuck in India due to the travel ban, with the majority of them being healthcare staff. Some of our employees were on vacation in their home country when the UAE announced flight cancellations."

Shahbaz Ali, the managing director of Reliance Aluminium and Glass LLC, said, "This was the news we have been waiting for. I took the vaccination in February – March. We faced a lot of problems as we are in the construction industry. I'm responsible for signing cheques, getting approvals and engineering-related meetings. So I need to be physically present for these things."