Coronavirus: Indian expats returning to the UAE need another layer of approvals

While residents across the globe are returning to their homes in the UAE, there seem to be no respite for expats stranded in India since March.

UAE residents stranded in India have appealed to the Indian government to provide facilities to help them return to their families and jobs.
Passengers wishing to travel on residency or work permits would further require special authorisation, apart from the approvals from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) and General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA), India's national carrier Air India announced on Wednesday.

According to the airline, passengers would need to have specific approvals from the UAE Embassy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) to travel from India to the Gulf country on repatriation flights. However, how to attain these travel approvals is not yet clear.

Furthermore, the UAE has asked Air India to not carry passengers to the UAE aboard the repatriation flights being operated under the Vande Bharat Mission. As per the guidelines issued by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority Safety Decision 2020-01 (Issue 17) on June 23, transportation of passengers (UAE nationals and non-UAE nationals) to the UAE on the repatriation flights are not allowed.
"All passengers, including the Indian nationals who are holding valid UAE residence visa and have procured the ICA and the GDRFA approvals need to have specific approval from the UAE Embassy in New Delhi and the MoFAIC to travel from India on these repatriation flights," the announcement said.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai
• India

Dhanusha Gokulan

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com