The United Arab Emirates Embassy in Islamabad has amended the COVID-19 travel guidelines for Pakistani visitors.
The changes have been made just hours after a news surfaced that Pakistani travelers may have to carry vaccination certificates attested by the UAE embassy.
In a letter dated July 14, UAE Islamabad embassy had issued new guidelines for Pakistani visitors rendering it mandatory to carry a coronavirus vaccination certificate issued by the NADRA and attested by Foreign Office and the UAE embassy in Pakistan.
However on the following day, UAE authorities withdrew these requirements.
The UAE Embassy took to twitter to clarify that currently no such requirement was in place.
“The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Islamabad, would like to clarify that the vaccination certificate of Covid-19 is not considered currently a requirement for travel to the UAE,” the tweet said.
According to the reports, the order was withdrawn after the Foreign Office took up the matter with UAE authorities. Both Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri and UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Al-Zaabi confirmed that the condition had been withdrawn.
However, travelers will still be required to carry the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) vaccination certificate, which will come into effect from August 1. The new policy will not only apply to ordinary citizens but on diplomats and their families too.
In a separate statement issued last month, UAE had suspended flights from Pakistan until July 21. A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority had said that flights from 14 countries, including Pakistan, would remain suspended until July 21, 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The countries facing the ban on flights till July 21 include Pakistan, India, Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Zambia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and South Africa.
The UAE nationals, Golden Visa holders and diplomats are exempted from these rules. Cargo flights as well as business and charter flights are also immume from this suspension.
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