As per the new rules that came into effect on Monday, Indians that are travelling to the UAE are required to have their full names on their passport to be allowed entry to the Gulf nation, which means that both the first and last names need to be clearly declared.
Both First & Last Names to Be Declared for Travel
As per the circular shared by the IndiGo to travel agents “As per instructions from the UAE Authorities, effective 21st November 2022, passengers with a single name on their passports travelling on tourist, visit or any other type of visa shall not be allowed to travel to/from UAE.”
Exemptions to this new rules are the passengers who are travelling to the UAE on residential or employment visas.
Airlines Percolating UAE Statement
Indigo airlines added in its statement that “However, passengers with a single name on passports and in possession of a residence permit or employment visa shall be allowed to travel provided the same name is updated in the “First Name” and “Surname” columns”.
With message has also been percolated to travel agents by the Air India Express in order to ensure that the Indian passengers planning to travel to the UAE contain both their primary (First Name) and secondary (Surname/Last Name) names on their passports.
The circular issued by Air India Express states, “As per National Advanced Information Centre – UAE … “any passport holder with a single name (word) either in surname or single name will not be accepted by UAE immigration and the passenger will be considered INAD.”
Such passengers would then not be issued a visa and in case the visa was issued previously then he will be INAD (inadmissible) by immigration, it added.
After multiple airlines implemented the new instructions, a report suggests that many Indian citizens without their surnames on passports are being barred from flying out of the country.
Although the new rules are effective immediately, travel agents are requesting people to wait for further information before applying for a visa, or making any changes to their existing documents.
“We are still awaiting information from the embassy regarding this issue. So currently, we are advising people to wait 48 hours before applying for a visa,” a representative from Rayna Tours and Travels said.
He added that “As we are still waiting for details, we are asking people to wait before they make any changes to their documentation”.