Several travel agents have denied the authenticity of a circular related to the United Arab Emirates visa that has been making rounds on WhatsApp, Khaleej Times reported.
The unverified circular, dated February 28, claimed that travellers with a visa issued from Dubai cannot enter the country from Abu Dhabi or Sharjah and added that such passengers have been deported.
But travel agents were not sure that any such rule was in place. “This news has been circulating for a few days and nothing has been announced officially. I don’t think this is possible as visa holders can enter any airport in the UAE,” said Bharath Aidasani, the managing partner at Pluto Travels, told the media outlet.
According to many agents, they have received a lot of queries from travellers concerned after the viral circular.
Firoz Maliyakkal, the founder of Tahira Tours and Travels, stated that intending travellers were concerned, but the information was not accurate.
“There is no substantial evidence to support the claims of deportation and we are advising clients to exercise caution before believing such information,” he added.
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Indian tourist Akram Ahmed, who entered the UAE from Kochi via Sharjah International Airport on Wednesday, said that he faced no issues at the airport despite having a Dubai issued visa.
“My travel agent back in India also mentioned that ‘fake news’ about deportation and assured me that I would not face any problems,” Ahmed added.
Some of the travel agents have also approached authorities to seek clarification on the same. “We want to assure the public that we are actively investigating the matter and have found no concrete evidence to validate the deportation claims mentioned in the circular,” said Libin Varghese, Rooh Travel and Tourism.
