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Holders of valid entry permits and visit visas have not yet received the green light for travel
Many entry permit holders-including families and people who have found a new job in the country-hope that they will be allowed to fly to the UAE as soon as possible.
Despite obtaining entry permits, since UAE flights are limited to residents and other special categories, there are still some passengers stranded in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Uganda.
Some foreigners with expired residence visas have been allowed to automatically renew their visas for three months, but those with valid entry permits and visit visas have not yet received the green light for travel.
Zoheb Khan is an Indian expat holding a valid entry permit. He has been desperately waiting for travel approval so that he can start his new job in the UAE.
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“I received two doses of Covishield vaccine from India. I have a valid employment permit, which was issued by my employer and expired on September 8. I should have joined the new workplace immediately; However, I have been unable to do so,” Khan told Khaleej Times.
“I can’t register my entry information on the GDRFA portal because it requires a’residence number’. I don’t have it because I am going to Dubai for the first time.”
Permit holders like Khan worry that if they do not travel before the expiration date of their permit, they may lose their job opportunities.
In response to many questions posted by entry permit holders on Twitter, Emirates said: “According to the latest news, passengers with a Dubai residence visa stamped on their passports can travel to Dubai. All e-visa and entry permit holders cannot travel yet .”
Navin Ghule, a business owner who holds an entry permit for his wife and children, has not seen his family since April this year. “They go to India for a holiday after their visa expires. My plan is to bring them a new visa. I have their entry permit, but they cannot travel. This is very frustrating.”
Rare exception
According to travel agencies, in “rare cases”, some entry permit holders are allowed to enter the country due to humanitarian exemptions.
“However, these exemptions are only available to a very small number of passengers,” said Afi Ahmed, managing director of Smart Travels.
Rashid Abbas, Managing Director of Arooha Travels, added: “These passengers have already landed at Sharjah Airport and Dubai. They need to obtain valid ICA approval. However, the approval process for these passengers is extremely complicated, so we cannot provide for many such passengers. help.”
When entry permits and visit visa holders obtain travel permits, agents expect inbound travel demand to quadruple.
“At present, Air India offers a one-way ticket (India to UAE) ranging from 600 to 800 dirhams depending on the destination. However, the price charged by Emirates is higher. Whenever all categories of passengers can travel, I doubt it will There is an influx of inbound tourists from South Asian countries,” Ahmed said.
What is the difference between entry permit and residence visa?
> Issued by the Federal Agency for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) or the General Directorate of Residence and Aliens Affairs (GDRFA), an entry permit is a document that allows foreigners to legally enter and stay in the UAE for a period of time.
> Residence visas are issued to foreigners who are already in the country.
Entry permits can be in physical form or electronic form. They have a validity period, that is, the period they must be used. Most entry permits are valid for two months and cannot be extended.
The duration of stay for each entry permit varies according to its type. For example, the transit entry permit allows the person to stay in the country for four days, while the employment entry permit allows the employee to stay in the country for two months, during which the guarantor must convert the employee’s status to a residence visa, or otherwise he must Leave before the document expires.
Danusha Gukulan
Dhanusha Gokulan is from India and has been working as a journalist for more than ten years. For Khaleej Times, she reports on NRI affairs, civil aviation and immigration issues. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism, economics and English literature from Mangalore University in 2008 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in contemporary media leadership and innovation at the American University in Dubai. In her spare time, she gets involved in singing/song writing, loves food, and is the mother of an over-enthusiastic Labrador Retriever. On her Twitter @shootsprintrite.
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