Follow the latest updates on the Covid-19 pandemic here
Approvals are being issued for people stranded in six countries previously on a flight ban list, who will now be able to return to the Emirates after more than four months.
The UAE on Tuesday announced that it will allow vaccinated residents, and unvaccinated residents in some job categories, to fly back to the Emirates.
People from emirates other than Dubai can apply for permission on the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, but Dubai residents need approval from the ICA and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, according to immigration experts.
Many residents are concerned about the validity of entry visas because they have been overseas since before April, when flights from 16 countries were suspended to stem the spread of Covid-19.
Heads of missions from countries on the banned list have asked the UAE government to allow those on recently lapsed visas to be allowed to enter the country.
They are hopeful residents affected by the travel restrictions will be permitted to enter in a phased manner over the next few months.
We have requested the UAE government to permit all those residents whose visas expired during their enforced stay in India to also be allowed back
Pavan Kapoor,
India’s ambassador to the UAE
Pavan Kapoor, India’s ambassador to the UAE, backed the announcement.
“We welcome this decision of the UAE government to start the process of allowing Indian residents to return to the UAE,” he said.
“We have requested the UAE government to permit all those residents whose visas expired during their enforced stay in India to also be allowed back.”
The recent announcement covered flights from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Uganda.
The National spoke to Haider Hussain, partner at Fragomen, an immigration services company, to explain the options available for residents who are vaccinated and those on expired visas.
"We have checked and filed for approvals for our own staff and clients and approvals have come through in a few hours," he said.
"For our staff based in Dubai, we applied on both the ICA and Dubai links. People should be patient as things will settle down."
The rules differ for residents with valid visas that lapse or become inactive since the person was overseas for more than six months and unable to return because of the flight ban. They can apply for a re-entry permit.
Those whose visas have expired when overseas during the suspension of flights will need to apply for a new visa.
Where can I apply for permission to return?
ICA website: https://smartservices.ica.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/guest/index.html#/registerArrivals
For Dubai: https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae/Smart_OTCServicesPortal/ReturnPermitServiceForm.aspx
People with residency visas from emirates other than Dubai can apply on the ICA link given above.
To get approval they need to provide vaccination details, upload the vaccination certificate, provide resident visa details and provide a PCR test result.
People should apply on the ICA link after they get a negative PCR test prior to flying to comply with the test validity requirements.
They will also need to confirm with the airline about the 72-hour or 48-hour validity of the test before boarding, depending on the country of departure.
Dubai residents, as of now, should apply on both the GDFRA link and the ICA link.
The eligibility criteria at present is that people should have received both doses of the vaccine in the UAE.
Clarity about unvaccinated residents is expected later.
When is this effective from?
The approvals have already begun. People will be allowed re-entry from the six countries from which flights are being resumed, if they meet the requirements from August 5 onwards.
Where can I check my visa validity?
To check visa status and validity for all emirates other than Dubai, visit this website: https://smartservices.ica.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/default.html#/fileValidity
If you are a Dubai resident, check this link: https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae/Public_Th/StatusInquiry_New.aspx
Is an extension possible for people whose visas expired while overseas?
At present there is no announcement or process for extension or renewal of a residency permit for individuals affected by the travel restrictions. However, the authorities may review this and provide guidance once the travel restriction is removed from a particular country.
What are my options if my visa lapsed when I was overseas?
People who were outside the UAE for more than six months first need to check their residency validity.
A visa becomes inactive if a resident cannot enter the UAE for more than six months. In such cases, they can now file for a re-entry permit.
For Dubai: https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae/Smart_OTCServicesPortal/ReturnPermitServiceForm.aspx
For other emirates: https://smartservices.ica.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/guest/index.html#/residents-entry-confirmation
What is the next step after I file for a re-entry permit?
An inactive visa means that it is valid, but since you have been out of the country for six months, you need to file for a return or re-entry permit.
You will also need a supporting letter issued by your employer stating you are an employee of the company. You need to show this to the passport control officer at the airport or other port of entry.
Can people with expired visas enter the UAE during the one-month grace period?
The UAE government allows residents a grace period of 30 days to stay in the UAE after the expiry of their visas. People cannot enter the country during this time.
But they may apply through the ICA portal and check if they can get an approval to re-enter. The grace period applies only to a residence permit holder who is in the UAE.
What are my options if my visa expired during my stay overseas?
There is no exception. The employer, spouse or sponsor will have to cancel the existing visa and issue a new one.
In some cases, people whose visas were about to expire took a long route and returned to the UAE after spending the quarantine period in a third country through which travel is permitted. They got back to the UAE in time to renew their visas.
People in counties without direct flights to the UAE returned after completing 14 days in a country deemed safe for travel, including Armenia, Maldives, Tashkent, Kyrgyzstan, Ethiopia, Qatar and Serbia.
What can I do if my visa has expired?
Your employer, spouse or sponsor will need to cancel the existing visa and apply for a new employment permit.
You will also need to apply for an entry permit approval before you enter. This is a standard process whether you are based in or outside the free zones.
Once you have entry permit approval, you do not require any other clearance.
Can I enter the UAE on a tourist visa if I am a citizen of a country on the flight ban list?
The ban is on travel directly from that country and not on nationality.
If you have a valid tourist visa you can enter the UAE but not directly from the country on the restricted list.
People on business trips can go to a third country, complete their work and then arrive in the UAE from the country that is not on the banned list.
Tourists cannot enter the UAE directly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Nepal unless they have been out of those countries for at least 14 days. They can enter after quarantine in a green-listed or approved country.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
The five pillars of Islam
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The%20specs
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
NEW%20PRICING%20SCHEME%20FOR%20APPLE%20MUSIC%2C%20TV%2B%20AND%20ONE
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Law%2041.9.4%20of%20men%E2%80%99s%20T20I%20playing%20conditions
%3Cp%3EThe%20fielding%20side%20shall%20be%20ready%20to%20start%20each%20over%20within%2060%20seconds%20of%20the%20previous%20over%20being%20completed.%0D%3Cbr%3EAn%20electronic%20clock%20will%20be%20displayed%20at%20the%20ground%20that%20counts%20down%20seconds%20from%2060%20to%20zero.%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20clock%20is%20not%20required%20or%2C%20if%20already%20started%2C%20can%20be%20cancelled%20if%3A%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%09A%20new%20batter%20comes%20to%20the%20wicket%20between%20overs.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%09An%20official%20drinks%20interval%20has%20been%20called.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%09The%20umpires%20have%20approved%20the%20on%20field%20treatment%20of%20an%20injury%20to%20a%20batter%20or%20fielder.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%09The%20time%20lost%20is%20for%20any%20circumstances%20beyond%20the%20control%20of%20the%20fielding%20side.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%09The%20third%20umpire%20starts%20the%20clock%20either%20when%20the%20ball%20has%20become%20dead%20at%20the%20end%20of%20the%20previous%20over%2C%20or%20a%20review%20has%20been%20completed.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%09The%20team%20gets%20two%20warnings%20if%20they%20are%20not%20ready%20to%20start%20overs%20after%20the%20clock%20reaches%20zero.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%09On%20the%20third%20and%20any%20subsequent%20occasion%20in%20an%20innings%2C%20the%20bowler%E2%80%99s%20end%20umpire%20awards%20five%20runs.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Fight card
1. Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) v Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
2. Featherweight: Hussein Salim (IRQ) v Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
3. Catchweight 80kg: Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Khamza Yamadaev (RUS)
4. Lightweight: Ho Taek-oh (KOR) v Ronald Girones (CUB)
5. Lightweight: Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) v Damien Lapilus (FRA)
6. Bantamweight: Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) v Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
7. Featherweight: Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
8. Flyweight: Shannon Ross (TUR) v Donovon Freelow (USA)
9. Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Dan Collins (GBR)
10. Catchweight 73kg: Islam Mamedov (RUS) v Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM)
11. Bantamweight World title: Jaures Dea (CAM) v Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
12. Flyweight World title: Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The five pillars of Islam
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Fixtures (all in UAE time)
Friday
Everton v Burnley 11pm
Saturday
Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur 3.30pm
West Ham United v Southampton 6pm
Wolves v Fulham 6pm
Cardiff City v Crystal Palace 8.30pm
Newcastle United v Liverpool 10.45pm
Sunday
Chelsea v Watford 5pm
Huddersfield v Manchester United 5pm
Arsenal v Brighton 7.30pm
Monday
Manchester City v Leicester City 11pm
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Maestro
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PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
Bournemouth 1 Manchester City 2
Watford 0 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Newcastle United 3 West Ham United 0
Huddersfield Town 0 Southampton 0
Crystal Palace 0 Swansea City 2
Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0
West Bromwich Albion 1 Stoke City 1
Chelsea 2 Everton 0
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Burnley 1
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 0
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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