UAE flights: how do returning residents get ICA approval?

Passengers must upload passport details, vaccination status and PCR test results on the ICA website

A health worker takes a nasal swab sample of a man for a Covid-19 test at City Railway station, in Bengaluru, India. The Karnataka government has made this a mandatory rule for all the travellers coming to the province.

A health worker collects a swab sample from a child arriving on an international flight at Chennai International Airport.

A health worker collects a swab sample from a passenger arriving on an international flight to test for the Covid-19 coronavirus at Chennai International Airport in Chennai, east India.

A health worker collects a swab sample for the Covid-19 test, from a passenger arriving on an international flight at a facility at Chennai International Airport.

Doctors and nurses working for NMC Healthcare celebrate as they return to Sharjah from Kochi and Trivandrum in south-west India on two specially chartered Air Arabia services. Many more will soon follow as travel rules are eased.

Members of the Netherlands and Indian Olympic teams wait for Covid-19 testing after arriving at Narita International Airport, serving Japan's capital Tokyo.

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The UAE has eased travel restrictions from six countries on its flight ban list to allow some residents, who are stuck abroad, to fly back to the Emirates.

The government said that, from August 5, all vaccinated individuals, as well as unvaccinated people in certain job categories, can seek permission to return.

The decision includes people who are in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Uganda.

But all passengers must get approval to return from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA).

The step-by-step process to get ICA clearance to board flights.

1. Fill in the applicant’s information, such as name, gender, e-mail, date and place of birth, expected date of arrival, arrival port and country of departure.

A QR code will be sent to the applicant’s e-mail.

2. The applicant must fill in his/her passport type and number, its issue and expiry date and the issuing country.

3. Fill in the complete address in the Emirates, with a local UAE mobile number.

4. All the details of the application’s vaccination are needed – the type received, the date of the first and the second dose. PCR test dates are also required.

Passengers can choose from a list of eight vaccines on the ICA website – SputnikV, Janssen (Johnson and Johnson), Moderna, Novavax, OxfordUni AstraZeneca, PfizerBioNTech, Sinopharm and Sinovac (CoronaVac).

5. The applicant must upload his/her passport photo, personal photo, and PCR test results copy. The Covid-19 vaccination card is optional.

6. Click on the declaration box, confirming that all information provided is correct, the documents are genuine and the applicant will comply with UAE laws.

7. Submit and wait for approval.

Travellers must upload their visa, Emirates ID, vaccination and PCR test details