UAE travel ban extended to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has extended its travel ban to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka starting Wednesday night due to worsening COVID-19 situation in these mentioned countries.

The decision was announced by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) UAE on Tuesday.

According to the statement by NCEMA UAE, the travel ban will go into effect from 11.59pm on 12 May 2021 (Wednesday). The decision affects incoming flights and all carriers, excluding transit services.

“The General Authority of Civil Aviation and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority announced the suspension of entry for travelers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka on all flights on national and foreign carriers, as well as for transit passengers coming from these countries, starting Wednesday May 12, 2021 at 23:59, with the exception of transit flights traveling to the UAE and bound for these countries.” NCEMA said

“This decision also includes extending the suspension of entry for travelers who were in these four countries in the 14-day period prior to arrival in the UAE.

“Flights between the four countries will continue to allow the transport of passengers from the UAE to Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka and the transfer of exempted groups from these countries to the UAE who have applied for exemption. 

“Exempted travelers, including UAE citizens, those on diplomatic missions accredited by the four countries, official delegations, those traveling on business planes, and golden residence holders, will be subject to precautionary measures that include a 10-day quarantine and PCR testing at the airport and on the fourth and eighth days after entering the country.

“The required PCR testing period prior to travel has been reduced from 72 to 48 hours, and all tests must be administered by accredited laboratories that issue results carrying a QR code.

“The General Authority of Civil Aviation confirmed that travelers coming the four countries through other countries are required to provide proof of a period of stay in those countries of no less than 14 days in order to be allowed to enter the UAE. Cargo flights will continue to operate between the four countries.

“The General Authority of Civil Aviation called upon all travelers affected by the decision to contact the relevant airlines to reschedule their flights and ensure their safe return to their final destinations without delay.” NCEMA concluded.

It bears mentioning that UAE also announced a travel ban for India last month in order to guard against the spread of the highly contagious Indian variant of the COVID-19 virus.

It should be noted that Malaysia also announced a travel ban for citizens of Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and stopping the new variants of the virus from entering the country.

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