TBM Staff - Mumbai According to a report by The Indian Express, Indians travelling to the UAE are required to have their full names on their passport to be allowed entry to the Gulf nation, as per new rules that came into effect on Monday. This means that both first and last names need to be clearly declared.
A circular sent by IndiGo to travel agents on Monday states, “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.”
Passengers travelling to the UAE on residential or employment visas are, however, exempted from the rule. “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,” the statement by Indigo airlines added.
Other airline services such as Air India Express and SpiceJet have reportedly advised UAE travellers to ensure that their passports contain both their primary (First Name) and secondary (Surname/Last Name) names.
According to a report by Dubai-based Khaleej Times, several Indian citizens without their surnames on passports are being barred from flying out of the country, after multiple airlines implemented the new instructions.
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 told Khaleej Times. “As we are still waiting for details, we are asking people to wait before they make any changes to their documentation,” he added.
