Attested vaccination certificate not mandatory for Pakistanis travelling to UAE

DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has withdrawn its requirement binding all Pakistanis to get their COVID-19 vaccination certificates attested by the Foreign Office and the UAE embassy starting August 1.

The development came hours after news of the condition became public. According to details, the order was withdrawn after the Foreign Office took up the matter with UAE authorities.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri and UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi has confirmed the development. “Attestation of vaccination certificates by the FO and the UAE embassy will not be mandatory for Pakistani travelers”, Al-Zaabi told a private newspaper.

The UAE Ambassador said the travellers would be required to carry only the vaccination certificate issued by the National Database & Registration Authority (Nadra) once the flight operation from Pakistan is resumed.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that UAE authorities had conveyed to the Government of Pakistan to required all visitors from August 1 to get their vaccination certificates attested by the FO and the UAE embassy before proceeding with other paperwork.

“It is mandatory to carry a UAE embassy attested vaccine certificate for COVID-19 issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) along with Counsellor Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, before travelling to the UAE,” a notification issued by the UAE embassy in Islamabad said.

The FO spokesman confirmed the authenticity of the letter, saying that Pakistan would extend all-out cooperation to the UAE, adding that the FO would also provide assistance to Pakistanis to get their COVID-19 certificates attested.

In its order issued last month, the UAE had extended a ban on inbound flights from 14 countries including Pakistan till July 21, 2021. However, it added that cargo flights, as well as business and charter flights, would be exempted from the suspension.

The countries facing the ban on flights till July 21 included Pakistan, India, Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Zambia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and South Africa.