KEY STORY
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Dubai tightened the entry of travellers from India due to fear of rising Covid cases. Passengers travelling from India to Dubai will now need to show a negative Covid report from a test done within 48 hours of departure from April 22.
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The time limit for showing a negative report has been reduced from 72 hours to 48 hours of departure to the UAE.
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The reports must also have a QR code linked to the original report for verification by the airline. It will be verified by Dubai health authorities on arrival as well.
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In wake of the severe Covid surge in India, Dubai has put in place stricter entry requirements for Indian travellers from 12:01 am on April 22. The test report must have the “time of sample collection,” Air India Express said in a tweet.
Attention passengers travelling from India to Dubai⚠️@cgidubai pic.twitter.com/maXMKSUCkY
— Air India Express (@FlyWithIX) April 19, 2021
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Note that Delhi-Dubai and Mumbai-Dubai have been among the world’s busiest international sectors during the pandemic, with the former often topping that list in the last few months. This is not the first time Dubai has tightened rules for Indians.
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Last year also when travel between both nations resumed under air bubble, Dubai required passengers to take a test within 96 hours of boarding a flight from India.
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Just a few months back this requirement was reduced to 72 hours and from Thursday onwards, it will be 48 hours.
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This order comes at a time when getting test results is taking much longer in many Indian cities due to the massive surge in Covid cases.
CONCLUSION
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Meanwhile, various countries have now started tightening norms for travel from India due to the Covid surge. New Zealand has barred entry of travellers from India, including its own citizens, from April 11-28.
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Hong Kong has also barred passenger flights from India, Pakistan and the Philippines for 14 days from April 20 over Coronavirus fears. Oman has also asked its citizens not to travel to India unless absolutely necessary.
