Sharjah residents do not need ICA approval for UAE entry
SHARJAH: Indians travelling to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah will be allowed entry into the country without ICA approval, the Air India Express said on its website.
The airline said, “For Resident Permit Holders Returning to UAE – residents returning to Sharjah and Abu Dhabi are permited entry without ICA approval. All residence visa holders returning to Dubai must get a return approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-dubai (GDRFA).”
The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) has recommended Resident Permit Holders returning to UAE to upload their data on the uaeentry.ica.gov.ae to verify the authenticity of travel documents.
Passengers to Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Sharjah must download the following mobile applications on their phone.
For Dubai, download “DXB Smart App,” and for Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, download “ALHOSN Mobile Smart App.”
For Indians with Tourist Visa/ any Valid Visa of UAE and travelling to UAE – Passport and related documents accepted for entry must have a minimum 6-month validity from the arrival date. Health insurance covering COVID-19 is mandatory.
All passengers are required to check the UAE Government Authority Website for the latest updates on travel.
The airline also stated that for all passengers 12 years old and above, a valid Negative COVID – 19 PCR test report in the printed form, from a government-approved laboratory in India (ICMR) or a Certified designated laboratory which is available on screening.purehealth.ae website is required.
Passengers are required to take a COVID-19 PCR test not more than 96 hours before departure.
Meanwhile, the UAE’S Phase III COVID-19 Inactivated Vaccine Trial achieved its target of 15,000 volunteers within less than a month, marking a major milestone towards developing the first tested, safe vaccine.
People of 107 nationalities participated in the trials, reflecting the diversity of the population and widespread national support for the UAE leadership’s commitment to overcoming the pandemic through a global collaborative effort.
Volunteers will receive their second vaccine shot in the coming weeks, and undergo regular health checks with full ongoing support from over 140 doctors, 300 nurses, and many more support staff involved in the trials.
The Health Department said, “Thanks to the overwhelming response for volunteer registrations for the #4humanity vaccination programme, we have temporarily suspended all new registrations until Sunday 16 August. Both ADNEC and Al Qarain Center continue to remain open for existing volunteer scheduled appointments daily. Volunteers can still register through the portal www.4humanity.ae.”
Commenting on the achievement of this milestone, Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, said, “This is a very proud day for everyone associated with these trials and we are looking forward to continuing to play an integral role in the work to come in the months ahead.”
“Securing this milestone is a testament to the commitment and partnership of the relevant authorities working together to conduct the largest possible number of medical tests and providing the necessary care for those infected, while simultaneously strengthening the UAE’S cooperation with international partners to develop a safe vaccine against the disease.”
The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) on Thursday said it carried out over 68,964 additional COVID-19 tests in the country over the last 24 hours.
The Ministry reported 277 new cases of various nationalities.
This brings the total number of official cases recorded in the UAE to 63,489.
It also announced the recovery of an additional 179 individuals from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 57,372.
MOHAP said no new deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours.
In India, another record jump of surging coronavirus cases reported with nearly 67,000 new infections, among them a religious leader who shared a stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a ceremony to launch construction of a grand temple.
Nritya Gopal Das, an 82-year-old Hindu priest, was the latest public figure to test positive ater a string of Modi’s top cabinet colleagues were stricken with COVID-19, including interior minister Amit Shah.
With Thursday’s jump of 66,999 cases India now has nearly 2.4 million infections, according to the Health Ministry, behind only the United States and Brazil. For the last fortnight, it has been reporting 50,000 cases or more each day as it opens up the country ater a months-long lockdown. Its COVID-19 death toll stands at 47,033.
On the other hand, the World Health Organisation downplayed the danger of the coronavirus latching on to food packaging and urged people not to be afraid of the virus entering the food chain.