The curbs on tourist visas and visit visas for Indians who want to go to the United Arab Emirates have come as a big setback for hundreds of Non-Resident Keralites (NoRKs) as their relatives in Kerala will not be able to visit the seven emirates.
The restrictions by the Centre are despite granting permission to Indian and UAE nationals having resident visas and fresh job visas and student visas to travel on flights operated by the Air India Group, Air India Express and charter flights to the UAE as per an agreement reached by the two governments.
With COVID-19 situation improving in the UAE, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai has started issuing new visit visas for Indians. Tourists can apply for visas in advance or get visa stamped on arrival if they hold a passport from one of 70 countries as per the pre-pandemic norms. But, the Centre’s curbs on visit and tourist visas have deprived families of NoRKs a chance to visit the emirates during Onam vacation.
“There is uncertainty about our travel to the UAE during the forthcoming holidays. Airlines say they cannot fly those with tourist and visit visas and transit passengers beyond the UAE. Why can’t the government relax the curbs,” says a Thiruvananthapuram-based woman who is planning to visit her husband in Dubai.
An official of an airline operating to Dubai said they were getting several calls daily from the NoRKs and there was heavy demand from those proceeding to the UAE with tourist and visit visas.
