The United Arab Emirates extends travel ban for Indians leaving expats stuck abroad

PTI, Jul 26, 2021, 10:00 AM IST

The United Arab Emirates has extended a suspension for those traveling from India and several other South Asian countries due to COVID-related guidelines. According to Etihad Airlines, the ban will be in place until July 31st. However, other airlines have said this is pending government review. The extension does not include UAE citizens, diplomats, or those holding the nation’s investor visa. Nor does it include fully vaccinated travelers that hold a residency visa and have taken three tests since June 23rd.

However, those who fall outside this bracket and hope to conduct business or travel for leisure to the UAE will have to continue to wait for the restrictions to be lifted. Since April, ex-pats in India have been left in limbo overseas, with many forced to re-evaluate their options. The need to have alternative solutions has become more apparent than ever for those facing limited mobility, not only impacting business but jeopardizing family safety.

Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been a spike in demand for second citizenship as a tool that can be leveraged to diversify assets whilst also providing a safety net during times of uncertainty. According to data, there have been as many as 5,000 high net-worth Indians who have left the country since 2020. In conjunction, there has been a sharp incline in interest for Citizenship by Investment (CBI) – a process that confers citizenship to an applicant and additional dependants once an economic contribution is made to a host country.

”As governments become more insular and impose stricter visa controls, the opportunity to travel and do business globally is considerably hampered. So, Citizenship by Investment is a wonderful way to reverse that as it gives the Indian national better access to travel and business opportunities,” says Micha Emmett, CEO of CS Global Partners – a global investor immigration firm specializing in providing citizenship solutions.

Since 1993, Dominica has welcomed Indian investors, among others, to become citizens of the Caribbean nation. The country’s CBI program offers successful applicants a trusted route to second citizenship with benefits such as increased travel freedom to over 140 destinations, access to top-tier educational institutions, and alternative business prospects. The program has also been ranked as the world’s best offering for second citizenship by an annual independent study conducted by experts at the Financial Times’ PWM.