NEW DELHI: Single name passengers will not be allowed entry into the UAE any longer, according to an advisory issued by Air India and AI Express based on new guidelines issued by the Emirate. The new rule comes into immediate effect.
On November 21, AI and AI Express issued a circular titled “name as appearing on the passport for travel to UAE.”
It says: “As per National Advance Information Center, UAE, the following guideline has been implemented with immediate effect for travel to UAE. Any passport holder with a single name (word) either in surname or given name will not be accepted by UAE immigration and the passenger will be considered as INAD.”
INAD, which stands for inadmissible passenger, is an aviation term used for people who are not allowed to enter the country that they want to travel to. INAD passengers have to be taken back to their country by the airline.
The circular gives an example of INAD passenger: A passenger with only Praveen as his given name and no surname. Praveen as his surname and no given name. “Such a passenger will not be issued a visa and in case the visa was issued previously then he will be INAD by immigration,” it says.
Giving example of who will not be considered INAD, the circular says: Praveen Kumar as given name and no surname; Praveen Kumar as surname and no given name and Praveen as given name and Kumar as surname.
The new rule “applies only to passengers with visit visa / visa on arrival / employment and temporary visas and is not applicable to existing UAE Resident card holders,” it adds.
