In the aftermath of UK's decision to ban direct flights from the UAE, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has announced the extension of visit visas of British travellers.

As per the latest announcement made by the ministry, the visas will be extended for free for passengers.

In this regard, the ministry affirmed that the UAE will continue to serve as an important hub for travel and logistics while following the highest standards of health and safety to protect everyone amid the pandemic crisis.

The UAE has been tackling with mutual challenges posed by the pandemic by ensuring collective global effort. The UAE authorities have been handling the COVID-19 pandemic in a science-informed and measured manner while engaging in constant dialogue with experts and policymakers around the world.

Hend Al Otaiba, Director of Strategic Communications at the Ministry, highlighted that the foundation of UAE's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has been PCR testing. With its national efforts, UAE has emerged with the highest testing rate per capita globally.

In the wake of the emergence of new Coronavirus variants in other parts of the world, the UAE also intensified its efforts to mitigate the increasing risks, Al Otaiba added.

Hend Al Otaiba noted that new measures included mandatory PCR tests for incoming travellers, limiting gathering, restrictions on entertainment venues, and amplifying awareness campaigns for the general public to ensure that they are informed about COVID-19 precautions in a transparent and open manner.

Al Otaiba further expressed confidence in the UAE's ambitious vaccination programme that has achieved the second rank globally in terms of doses administered per capita. She also expressed confidence in the UAE's medical infrastructure and efforts of frontline workers to address the pandemic crisis.