All You Need to Know About Travelling From India to Dubai: Travel Guidelines, India to Dubai Flights & More

As UAE eases travel restrictions for Indian travellers, a massive surge in demand for India to Dubai travel has been recorded. Fully vaccinated tourist visa holders can now travel to Dubai, further to mega events such as the IPL 2021 starting September 19, followed by Dubai Expo 2020 scheduled to begin from October 1, and the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 starting October 17. 

In addition to the exciting lineup of events, Dubai has always been considered as a popular favourite among Indian travellers who aspire to holiday internationally. And now, not only do they have the opportunity to experience Dubai at its best, but also live the Middle Eastern opulence at Vista’s ultra indulgent collection of properties in some of the most exciting neighbourhoods of Dubai city. 

Explore Vista’s Dubai Collection

We’ve put together a list of Dubai travel tips and everything you need to know about travelling to Dubai:

Which flights are currently operational from India to Dubai?

The following India to Dubai flights have resumed operations effective 30th August, 2021. 

• Emirates – From Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata
• Air India Express – From Mumbai, New Delhi, Lucknow, Indore, Hyderabad, Surat
• Indigo – From Mumbai, New Delhi, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Pune, Nagpur
• SpiceJet – From Mumbai, New Delhi, Kochi, Mangalore, Jaipur, Surat, Pune
• Vistara – From Mumbai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Hyderabad

The maximum flights from India to Dubai depart from:

• Mumbai to Dubai flights – Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air India Express, Qatar Airways, Vistara, SpiceJet and Indigo 
• Delhi to Dubai flights – Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air India, Air Arabia, Vistara, Fly Dubai, SpiceJet and Indigo

India to Dubai visa requirements

VFS Global, the official body that processes visa applications in India for the UAE and Dubai, has resumed its visa services for Indian citizens from August 30 onward. 

Indian passengers who wish to obtain a tourist visa for Dubai from India can apply on http://www.emirates.com or at any of the Dubai Visa Processing Centers in: New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Kolkata, which are currently operating only on limited days of the week. 

Is it mandatory to get a visa prior to departure?

All Indian nationals travelling to Dubai must obtain a visa prior to departure, however, those who have a tourist visa or residence permit issued by the United States, United Kingdom or an EU Member State, can obtain a visa on arrival in Dubai for a maximum period of 14 days, provided the visa from the respective countries is valid for a minimum of six months.

Click here for a comprehensive list of visa requirements.

COVID test requirements for passengers arriving from India

Tourists travelling from India to Dubai no longer require approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) or the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship  (ICA). 

Requirements for Dubai travel from India: 

• A valid negative COVID‑19 PCR test certificate with a QR code mandatory (in printed form), issued within 48 hours of the time the sample was collected from a government-approved laboratory in India (ICMR) or a certified designated laboratory which is available on https://www.icmr.gov.in/issued. 
• The certificate issued must only be in English or Arabic and duly signed/stamped by relevant authorities. Handwritten certificates will not be accepted.  
• Passengers arriving from India will also mandatorily be required to undergo a rapid PCR test within 6 hours of departure at the Dubai airport. 

Will there be another test upon arrival at the Dubai airport?

As per current guidelines, yes. 

A rapid PCR test within 6 hours of arrival at the airport will be conducted.

What is the maximum duration one can stay in Dubai?

• The duration is subjective to the type of visa. 
• The maximum duration for a tourist visa is 14 days.

Do fully vaccinated passengers require to be tested?

Yes. A valid negative COVID‑19 PCR test certificate with a QR code is mandatory for all Indian passengers.

Which vaccines are approved for travel to the UAE?

Tourists from India must have been fully vaccinated in order to travel to Dubai or any part of UAE, and must have received the second dose of vaccine at least 14 days before travel. 

Currently, Covishield is the UAE-acceptable vaccine for travellers arriving from India.

Are there any apps that I should download for Covid Care in Dubai?

A lot like the Aarogya Setu app in India, tourists arriving at the Dubai Airport must download and register on the COVID-19 DXB Smart App.

Is there a mandatory quarantine plan once I enter Dubai?

As per the current guidelines related to Dubai quarantine information, there is no mandatory quarantine imposed on travellers arriving in Dubai from India.

How long is the flight from India to Dubai?

Most direct India to Dubai flights are of an average duration of 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Travelling back to India from Dubai?

• Dubai to India flights that are currently operational: Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air India Express, Indigo, SpiceJet, Air Arabia, Fly Dubai
• Dubai to India flights arrive in the following cities in India: Mumbai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chennai, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, Kannur, Mangalore, Pune, Kolkata, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Coimbatore, Visakhapatnam. 
• Travellers arriving from Middle East countries are required to provide RT PCR negative reports upon arrival. However, passengers are advised to check the respective state restrictions for any additional COVID protocols. 
• Here’s a list of authorised COVID‑19 test laboratories in Dubai. 

As Dubai is now open to tourists once again, we hope we have tried to answer most of the questions you may have related to things to know about Dubai, travel guidelines and the do’s and don’ts of Dubai travel. 

If you are travelling to Dubai for the first time, we recommend checking out our list of the best luxury apartments for rent in Dubai.