Covid-19 pandemic as hit everyone hard. And to ensure the safety of the citizens, every nation is setting a set of travel rules that others need to follow. In terms of travel rules, Dubai too updated the visa rules recently. As per the latest guidelines, every traveller needs to have a return ticket, a hotel booking or a relative’s reference, and sufficient cash to enter the Emirate. However, many tourists were unable to meet the visa requirements and are now stuck at the Dubai International Airport (DXB).
Passengers From Bangladesh, Pakistan And India Are Still At The Airport
After the recent visa update, multiple tourists weren’t allowed to enter the Emirate because they failed to fulfil the minimum criteria. In terms of passengers, hundreds of them have successfully been sent back home. Whereas, quite a lot of them are waiting for the updates and a final decision at the airport.
In terms of the passengers, around 98 Pakistani passengers failed to comply with the visa requirements are at the airport. Reports state that 1,374 people have been denied entry so far. Whereas, 1,276 of them have returned home.
The consulate of Pakistan said that the remaining of the passengers would be sent home in the next 12 hours. Ahmed Amjad Ali, Consul-General at Pakistan Consulate in Dubai, has met the authorities of Dubai Airports, immigration, dnata Management, as well as the general managers of Pakistani carriers PIA and Airblue, to resolve the issue and facilitate the stranded Pakistanis.
Out of 66, 17 Indians Have Been Flown Back Home
Well, besides Pakistan, 66 Indian passengers were stuck at the airport, out of which 17 have been flown back home. On the same, Neeraj Agarwal, Consul for Press, Information, and Culture at the Consulate General of India in Dubai said,
“The remaining are still inside the airport. We expect they will be repatriated in a day or two. On average, there are at least 4,000 passengers who are travelling to India. We are witnessing similar traffic from UAE to India, as well,” Agarwal said. “This may be happening because air travel between these countries are returning to normal and people are travelling not just for repatriation purposes, but also for short trips.”
Bangladesh Has Issued Circular To Travel Agents To Avoid The Same In The Future
Some Bangladeshis have also faced the same issue at the Dubai airport, a source at the diplomatic mission in Abu Dhabi confirmed and said,
“We have very few numbers. I can confirm there are less than 10 passengers who have arrived here on local carriers. Biman has made the rules for incoming passengers very stringent. Visit visa-holders are mandated to have confirmed return tickets and residents must have prior approval from ICA and GDRFA before departing from Bangladesh.”
To make sure that this doesn’t happen again, Bangladesh’s Biman Airlines has issued circular to all travel agents, which clearly instructs passengers to have a confirmed return ticket to avoid deportation.