Covid vaccine certificate not mandatory for Pakistani travellers: UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has clarified that Covid-19 vaccination certificate is not mandatory for passengers travelling from Pakistan to the Gulf country.

“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 embassy said in a statement on Thursday.

The clarification comes amid reports that UAE has made it mandatory for passengers travelling from Pakistan to UAE to carry attested Covid-19 certificates.

The Covid-19 vaccination certificates must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan and then by the UAE Embassy in Islamabad or the Consulate General in Karachi, according to a report published in Gulf News.

The report further claimed that the new rule for Pakistani travellers will come into effect from August 1. Even diplomats, officials and golden visa holders are not exempted, it added.

The UAE last month had extended the travel ban on passengers from Pakistan and other 13 countries until at least July 21.

UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority, in a notice issued to Airmen (NOTAM), said flights from Pakistan and 13 other countries, including Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic Of Congo, Uganda, Zambia, Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and South Africa, will remain suspended until 23:59 hours of July 21, 2021.

"Cargo flights, as well as business and charter flights, would be exempted from the restrictions," the notification added.