Travellers need to upload their Covid-19 vaccination certificate issued in India on the Air Suvidha portal
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Travelling between the UAE and India has been made easier with the lifting of some Covid-19 PCR test restrictions on travellers.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, this is the first time that PCR tests requirement has been dropped on the UAE-India route as both countries took a tough stand on travel procedures to contain the pandemic.
On Saturday, airlines announced further easing of restrictions related to PCR test requirements.
Here is an updated guide for travellers flying from UAE to India and vice-versa for a hassle-free journey.
Air India Express has allowed those passengers who have taken both the jabs of the Covid-19 vaccine in India not to carry a negative PCR test when travelling from UAE to India.
All those travellers who did not receive both the doses of coronavirus vaccine in India will have to take a negative PCR test 72 hours before the departure to India from UAE.
There are 10 Covid-19 vaccines approved in India. This includes Oxford-AstraZeneca (also known as Covishield), Covaxin, Sputnik Light, Sputnik V, Corbevax, ZyCoV-D, Johnson & Johnson, Spikevax, Vaxzevria and Covovax. And some of them were approved for emergency use.
Yes. Go First has also exempted passengers from a PCR test when flying from UAE to India. Other airlines are likely to follow suit.
Yes. Travellers need to upload their Covid-19 vaccination certificate issued in India on the Air Suvidha portal (https://www.newdelhiairport.in/airsuvidha/apho-registration).
Yes, all passengers must upload a self-declaration form on the Air Suvidha portal, including travel details of the last 14 days.
Yes. Passengers vaccinated in the UAE need to carry a negative PCR test taken 72 hours before their flight to India.
Yes. Travellers need to carry a negative PCR test taken 48-hour before the departure. In addition, they also need to take a rapid PCR test at the airport.
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Passengers flying directly from Kolkata to Dubai are exempted from rapid PCR tests at the airport, according to Emirates, flydubai, Air India and IndiGo. Emirates has also exempted a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours for passengers flying from Kolkata to Dubai.
Travel industry executives suggest that it’s a ‘pilot test’ before further relaxation of rules for travellers in the wake of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the two nations.
No. India recently scrapped seven-day mandatory home quarantine for passengers coming from abroad, including the UAE.
-waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com
Waheed Abbas is Assistant Editor, covering real estate, aviation and other business stories that directly affect the lives of UAE consumers. He frequently reports human interest stories, too.