Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to resume tourist visas to vaccinated travellers from all countries, starting from August 30, the state news agency (WAM) reported on Saturday.
This decision includes countries from which entry was previously prohibited are—India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lankan, Nigeria, and Uganda.
The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA), Federal Authority For Identity And Citizenship (ICA) jointly announced the opening of receiving applications for tourist visas for vaccinated tourists from all countries who have received full doses of the COVID-19 vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).
This comes in line with the state’s strategy in creating a balance between public health and various vital sectors and in support of national efforts to achieve sustainable recovery and revive the economic sector.
Vaccinated travellers will also need to do a mandatory rapid PCR laboratory examination at the airport, provided that the previous requirements remain valid for non-vaccinated groups, including the excluded non-vaccinated groups.
Travellers with tourist visas can register their accination certificate, through the platform of the ICA and the Al-Hosn application.
The tourist visa is granted for either 30 days or 90 days, and usually applies for people who are not eligible for visa-on-arrival in the UAE. On March 21, the UAE Cabinet had also approved a five-year multiple entry tourist visa for all nationalities.
The Dubai-based airline suspended flights from India since April 24, after the second deadly wave of the COVID-19 outbreak.
On August 5, the UAE lifted the ban for transit travellers for six countries including India.
Earlier on August 22, 2021, the UAE allowed passengers carrying passports of India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Uganda with tourist visas with certain conditions.
These passengers must not have entered or been to these six countries for at least for 14 days before arriving in the UAE.