Travel Guidelines for UAE Residents flying to India
Summer vacation is nearly here! The two month long summer vacation in UAE starts on July 1st, depending on the school and will reopen on 29th August 2022.
Residents in the UAE are all geared up for the much awaited summer break. After two years of continuous travel restrictions in UAE due to COVID-19, it has all been relaxed this year. Hence majority of the UAE residents have planned to return to their home country and reunite with their family.
Below are the travel guidelines for UAE Residents flying to India. Please note that the requirements are bound to change at any time without prior notice, so make sure to check the latest updates regularly.
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Covid-19 travel rules for UAE Residents
The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has issued a new set of guidelines for UAE residents travelling out of the country:
Check out the Covid-19 prevention guidelines for travellers. ✈️#MoHAP_UAE pic.twitter.com/9osnf54Xmg
— وزارة الصحة ووقاية المجتمع – MOHAP UAE (@mohapuae) May 31, 2022
UAE Residents travelling out of UAE and arriving in India
Here’s the comprehensive overview on the COVID-19 requirements for travelling from UAE to India:
1. Residents do not need the UAE government’s approval to travel out of the UAE.
2. All UAE Residents must carry their Emirates ID. It is required at the airport when you travel back to the UAE.
3. Make sure you are vaccinated, and complete any additional recommended doses, at least 14 days before your departure.
3. Passengers must provide complete and factual information on Self‑declaration form (SDF) on the online Air Suvidha portal before their scheduled travel, including their travel history in the last 14 days. Select ‘Air Suvidha’ at the right top corner of the online portal. You have to upload any one of the following two requirements:
- a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report conducted within 72hours prior to undertaking the journey, it must be issued by an approved health service provider and contain a QR code, OR
- a certificate of completing full primary vaccination schedule of COVID-19 vaccination.
Age Group That Must Undergo Mandatory PCR Test to Fly
For children below 5 years, only self declaration form on Air Suvidha needs to be submitted. They are exempted from the pre-departure RT-PCR test. But, if they are symptomatic for COVID-19 upon arrival in India or during the self-monitoring period, they will be required to undergo testing and will be treated as per the protocols.
For children above 5 years, they either have to:
- be vaccinated. Vaccinations acquired in the UAE will be accepted in India, according to a list released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on February 28, 2022 and show that he/she has completed the entire basic COVID-19 vaccine schedule, OR
- conduct a RT-PCR test 72 hours prior to the flight’s departure.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination has been available to children over the age of five since February this year, according to the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) and local health organisations in each emirate.
For children above the age of three, health authorities give PCR tests. The centers may also have the option of taking a saliva instead of a nasal swab. For additional information on PCR test for youngsters, contact the Dubai Health Authority at 800 342 in Dubai. The Department of Health in Abu Dhabi can be reached at 02 4493333. In other emirates, dial 04 665 0000 to reach the Emirates Health Services helpline.
Documents to be carried before heading to the airport
All passengers must carry a copy of the below documents (other than your passport and emirates ID) which are verified at the airport – both in the UAE before departure and in India upon arrival:
- Digital or hard copy of Self declaration form (SDF) with reference number.
- Digital or hard copy of a valid vaccination certificate that reflects the completion of doses of vaccine, provided with QR code system.
- If not vaccinated, digital or hard copy of negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test certificate conducted within 72hours prior to undertaking the journey, it must be issued by an approved health service provider and contain a QR code.
Additional requirement for travelling to Hyderabad (HYD)
All passengers must complete the RT-PCR test form prior to arrival in Hyderabad. The form can be downloaded at http://mapmygenome.in/pub/media/docs/COVID-19/Covisafe-Form.pdf. Passengers must carry 2 printed copies of the Air Suvidha form.
