UAE-based NRIs stuck in India with valid residency and work permit to the Gulf nation, might soon be able to fly back, but only after ICA approval and a COVID-19 PCR test. By Tanvi Jain
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India is likely to soon operate some flights to the UAE for Indians with valid residency and work permit for UAE — ambassador Ahmed Al Banna recently stated as per media reports. Soon after India suspended all international flights from March 23, social media platforms were flooded with demands of resuming flights both to UAE as well as other countries, especially by those who are stuck in India with valid UAE residency and work permits.
Addressing these queries at a webinar organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce, Banna, assured of the ongoing talks with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and that soon these Indians with all valid documents will be able to travel to the UAE. He, however, made it clear that residents and visitors will be allowed in the country only if they have an ICA approval and a COVID-19 PCR test needs to be taken within four days from their date of arrival in the UAE.
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As of now, India has just been operating repatriation flights to the UAE under Vande Bharat Mission, which started on May 6 to bring back stranded Indians. Similarly, the UAE has also been operating only cargo flights to India. Apart from this, there are no commercial flights operating between the two countries at the moment. Same goes for other countries as well.
However, as per the Airports Authority of India, the country is even planning to build an individual bilateral bubble with the US, Canada, few European and the Gulf countries. Last month, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said that the Government will think of restarting international commercial passenger flights only after the domestic traffic reaches 50 to 55 per cent of the pre-COVID-19 level.
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Meanwhile, the DGCA had recently barred UAE based airlines from operating charter flights, which were supposed to fly NRIs stuck in India back to UAE, after the latter had earlier announced that only Emirates, Etihad and FlyDubai could fly NRIs back to the country.
Related: #StepAhead: The UAE Is All Set To Fully Reopen Its Borders Soon
