India-UAE flights: Indian airports where passengers can take rapid PCR tests for travel

Rush of UAE residents expected when flights to the Emirates resume from August 5

A health worker takes a nasal swab sample of a man for a Covid-19 test at City Railway station, in Bengaluru, India. The Karnataka government has made this a mandatory rule for all the travellers coming to the province.

A health worker collects a swab sample from a child arriving on an international flight at Chennai International Airport.

A health worker collects a swab sample from a passenger arriving on an international flight to test for the Covid-19 coronavirus at Chennai International Airport in Chennai, east India.

A health worker collects a swab sample for the Covid-19 test, from a passenger arriving on an international flight at a facility at Chennai International Airport.

Doctors and nurses working for NMC Healthcare celebrate as they return to Sharjah from Kochi and Trivandrum in south-west India on two specially chartered Air Arabia services. Many more will soon follow as travel rules are eased.

Members of the Netherlands and Indian Olympic teams wait for Covid-19 testing after arriving at Narita International Airport, serving Japan's capital Tokyo.

This is an updated story

The UAE has eased travel restrictions from six countries on its flight ban list to allow some residents, who are stuck abroad, to fly back to the Emirates.

The government said all vaccinated individuals, as well as unvaccinated people in certain job categories, can seek permission to return from August 5.

The decision includes people who are in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Uganda.

Travellers must have a valid UAE residency and have proof of having received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine in the Emirates.

Residents of all emirates other than Dubai must apply for permission to return on the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) website. Dubai residents need ICA approval and another from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.

People should apply on the ICA link after they get a negative PCR test prior to flying to comply with the test validity requirements.

They will also need to confirm with the airline about the 72-hour or 48-hour validity of the test before boarding, depending on the country of departure.

Many airports in India have rapid PCR testing booths to help handle a surge of travellers to Dubai when flights resume.

The rapid testing booths can return results in four hours.

Here is a list of major airports in India that offer rapid PCR tests:

Mumbai International Airport: The test costs Dh90 (4,500 Indian rupees) with results given within two hours. Tests can be booked online.

Delhi International Airport: The test costs Dh39 and results are given within four to six hours. Passengers are advised to book an appointment four to six hours before departure.

Bengaluru International Airport: Test results are available in less than 15 minutes. There are two testing units, while passengers can also be tested at Aster Airport Medical Centre.

Kolkata International Airport: Test results are available within eight hours and cost Dh74. Unlike other airports, passengers can only be tested between 10am and 6pm and need to collect their results from the testing centre.

Kochi International Airport: Passengers can get their test results within 24 hours. The cost is Dh84.

Ahmedabad International Airport: The testing centre at the airport offers RT-Lamp (reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification) tests, which are the equivalent of a rapid PCR test. The results are given in 30 minutes and the test costs Dh223.

Of 34 international airports in India, a third operate flights to Dubai.

International airports in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, cities in Kerala, also offer rapid PCR tests.

The airports will also outsource testing to private healthcare providers for quick results, Indian media reported.