‘Indians eligible to return to UAE can do so from July 12 -26’

NEW DELHI: In a major relief for Indians who need to return to their work, homes or families in the UAE, India and UAE have allowed their airlines to carry people authorised to travel between the two countries.
Air India on Thursday said: “ICA approved UAE residents (returning to UAE from India)” can travel on Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) flights operated by it and AI Express on India-UAE sector from July 12 to 26. A senior official of a UAE carrier said airlines of UAE have been allowed to fly eligible passengers “both ways from July 12 to 27.”
AI on Thursday said that as per an agreement between Civil Aviation Authorities of India and UAE, “AI and AI Express operating evacuation flights to bring Indian citizens from UAE to India will carry ICA approved UAE residents (returning to UAE from India) on the outward journey from India to UAE.”

“On the India to UAE journey, all these flights will carry only those passengers who destined for the UAE. This arrangement will be operational for 15 days from July 12 to 26, 2020,” AI added.
A senior Indian government official had on Wednesday said that arrangements are being made to fly Indians to the Gulf. UAE ambassador to India, Ahmed Al Banna, had said during a webinar on Wednesday that some flights could operate from India to the UAE “very soon” for Indians having valid residency or work permits.
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“One question is asked on what about the Indian nationals who are in India and they have valid residency and valid work permits for the UAE? When can they fly back from India to the UAE? The problem is not in the UAE. The problem actually, or the point, is in India. India has not opened up their airports. They do not allow the foreign carriers to fly into India,” Al Banna had said during a webinar organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce.
UAE has been in talks with India’s external affairs and aviation ministries. “Hopefully, very soon, we will be able to overcome that and there will be some operations dedicated to those Indians, who are in India with valid residency and work permit and ICA (Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship) approval and COVID-19 PCR test, to be able to travel from India to the UAE,” he added.
UAE has opened its airports. “We allow visitors and residents back into the UAE on two conditions: One is that they need to have an ICA approval. They have to apply online. It is very simple,” he said. Secondly, they will need to have COVID-19 PCR test done no more than 96 hours from the date of their arrival in the UAE, Al Banna had said.