UAE Residents Advised To Bring Emirates ID While Traveling To India

Indian expats who are flying to their home country are advised to bring their new Emirates ID cards to avoid airport delays. The notice comes after visa stamps on passports have been abolished as a requirement for UAE residents.

Based on a circular issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP) back in April, the new Emirates ID could now serve as proof of residency as it contains all relevant details that are used to be printed on the visa stamp. This means immigration counters at airports will be able to read the data on the ID.

Expats who recently traveled from the UAE to India said failure to bring actual Emirates ID could cause processing problems at Indian airports.

Nita Nandi, who traveled with her son back to New Delhi, said she encountered delays at Delhi Airport because she didn't carry her son's Emirates ID.

"My son's visa expired when I was in Delhi. But we had started processing the new visa well within the time before we left the UAE. However, I was stopped at the immigration in Delhi because I only had a picture of the new Emirates ID that my house help sent later via WhatsApp. I didn't have the original one as it had arrived much after we had left for India, through courier," she told Khaleej Times.

Nandi said she was stopped at the airline's check-in counter and was asked to wait when she tried to explain the situation. "The wait somehow lasted for over an hour, as the airline checked with the authorities and sought their approvals to allow us to board," she added, noting that they were sent to the immigration department of the Delhi Airport to sign a disclaimer that if her son was sent back to India from the UAE, the Airport would not be responsible for it.

"I understand that it's part of their protocol, but after this experience, I want to reiterate the importance of carrying the original Emirates ID while traveling abroad, especially since the new rule has kicked in," she further said.

She added that the new Emirates ID now acts like a visa for re-entry to the country and is as important as the passport.