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Amid the coronavirus scare, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has temporarily suspended the visa-on-arrival facility.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on March 18 said, “The UAE has announced a temporary suspension on issuing visas upon arrival for holders of exempted passports, effective 01:00 (UAE local time) on Thursday, the 19th of March, 2020, as part of the precautionary and preventive measures adopted by the country to contain the spread of COVID-19.
According to the statement, the decision will apply to holders of exempted passports until a medical clearance process is activated at the departure country, as part of global precautionary measures being undertaken to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.
India, too, has banned visitors from the UK, Turkey, and EU from tomorrow, amid the growing coronavirus outbreak. The ban, that has been imposed till March 31, includes passengers from the European Free Trade Association. Entry is banned for those arriving from the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, and India has already suspended all visas.
According to a recent report, 276 Indians have been infected with coronavirus abroad, including 255 in Iran, 12 in the UAE and five in Italy, the government told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Indian authorities have extended the 14-day quarantine for people transiting and coming from the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.
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