Update: No NOCs will be issued to UAE residents in India to facilitate return

A senior UAE government official has confirmed that no objection letters will not be issued to any of its residents in India seeking to return to the UAE.

“Those who wish to return must apply through our website and secure approvals. The approval they receive is the NOC to travel to the UAE. There is no special No Objection Certificate for traveling back to the emirates,” Brigadier Khamis Al Kaabi, spokesperson for the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA), told Khaleej Times.

“Applicants can mention the reasons for their return and a special committee will go through all applications and give preference to humanitarian cases,” he added.

The clarification came a day after the UAE Embassy in New Delhi noted in a tweet that a no objection letter will be issued to its residents to travel in some humanitarian cases, provided that the applicants meet all the necessary conditions and requirements.

It urged all UAE residents in India seeking to return to apply for the mandatory ICA clearance.

It came on the same day that Etihad confirmed that it would begin operating flights to seven Indian cities from July 16 including Bengaluru, Kozhikode, Mumbai, Kochi, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Please note that UAE will issue no objection letter to travel in some humanitarian cases only that meet all conditions and requirements.
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— UAE Embassy-Newdelhi (@UAEembassyIndia) June 30, 2020

In a circular issued last week, Sunil Kumar, India’s deputy director general at the country’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) authority said in an official circular that all scheduled international commercial passenger operations will remain suspended until 11.59pm on July 15.

Read: Etihad confirms additional flights to eight countries, including India, Egypt and Germany, starting July 16

“The embassy also affirms its commitment to the decisions of the Indian authorities regarding the continued closure of airports in India, and implementation of some restrictions that do not allow foreign airlines to carry passengers,” tweeted the UAE Embassy in India.

All UAE residents seeking to return to the country must submit Covid-19 negative test results, conducted not more than 72 hours before departure.

Read: UAE says all returning residents from abroad require Covid-negative test results

Airlines such as Etihad have said that all those residents who do not possess the necessary approvals from the ICA will be denied boarding at check-in counters at their departing airport.