Covid-19: Stranded Indian expats running out of options to return to the UAE

Covid-19: Stranded Indian expats running out of options to return to the UAE

With Armenia revoking approval on charter passenger aircrafts from India and delaying visas to Indians, and with Bahrain too imposing restrictions, Indian expats are running out of options for a third country to enter the UAE, after doing a 14-day mandatory quarantine. After Armenia got stringent, the Directorate of Monitoring and Licensing Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) also issued a circular allowing entry to the Kingdom of Bahrain only to citizens, GCC citizens, and holders of residence visas from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh Nepal and Sri Lanka, effectively from May 23, Sunday. Two charter flights to Armenia - one scheduled to take off from Mumbai on Saturday and another from Kochi later in the week, have been cancelled. “People don’t have many options to return to the UAE,” Raheesh Babu, general manager of Musafir.com, told Khaleej Times. “So many Indians are eager to return to the UAE because they have a job threat. Many are stuck in India and even the affordability of private jets makes it impossible for them to make use of this option. Families cannot afford this kind of amount,” he added. An advisory sent by the General Department of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Armenia