On Monday, India's Ministry of Home Affairs held a meeting to discuss the waiving requirement of rapid PCR test for fully vaccinated travellers going to Middle East nations, especially the UAE.

A senior official confirmed that it was discussed in meeting to remove compulsory PCR test for travelers to UAE. “We have requested Ministry of External Affairs to take up the matter with UAE government to exempt fully vaccinated travellers to undergo mandatory Rapid PCR test that cost around Rs4,000,” said the official.

As per current rule, a rapid PCR test six hours before departure from any Indian airport. For UAE the test has been made mandatory for passengers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Uganda.

Faisal Rafiq, a traveller to UAE noted that testing has extended their travel time, exposing them to crowd at testing centre at the airport and then waiting to receive the result. “It is an expensive test for workers who are already suffering due to slow down after Covid-19 and somehow going back to resume job. I will be happy if the UAE government ends this test for vaccinated people,” said Rafiq.

Shobit Nandy, another traveler, said that even after testing at Delhi airport, rule required them to get tested again in UAE for the expensive test and undergo quarantine in some cases. “There should be some relaxation for fully vaccinated people,” Nandy said.

The mandatory 10 days quarantine has already been lifted by UK for fully vaccinated Indian travellers.