No ICA, GDRFA approval needed for passengers from Ethiopia, says flydubai

Dubai - Travellers from the country must take a Covid-19 PCR test 48 hours prior to departure

Waheed Abbas

Published: Mon 6 Sep 2021, 3:13 AM

Passengers coming from Ethiopia to Dubai do not require prior approval from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) or the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), flydubai said on its website.

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The budget announced said passengers from Ethiopia need to take a Covid-19 PCR test 48 hours before the departure of the flight and a rapid PCR test within six hours of boarding the aircraft.

In an update on its website, the budget carrier announced that the Ethiopian passengers also need to submit a Covid-19 PCR test report with a QR code.

These new rules came into effect on September 4, 2021.

The UAE has eased travel restrictions on many countries in the Indian Sub-continent and Africa as the new Covid-19 drop. The increased vaccination is also bringing confidence into the global travel industry.

The Dubai-based carrier announced that passengers must also present a printed copy of a negative Covid-19 PCR test result in English or Arabic taken from an approved healthcare centre.

It asked all the passengers to check in seven hours prior to the departure of their flight and also carry 1,200 Ethiopian birrs (Dh96.5) to pay for the rapid PCR test.

In addition, they must do another test upon arrival at Dubai International airport. However, children under the age of 12 and passengers with moderate to severe disabilities are exempt from Covid-19 tests.

Last week, flydubai announced that passengers booking a ticket from September 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022 to travel to Dubai from October 1, 2021 to March 1, 2022, will be eligible for a complimentary Expo 2020 one-day ticket.

-waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com