UAE bars entry of travellers with single name on Indian passport

The United Arab Emirates has barred the entry of travellers without their full name on an Indian passport as per new guidelines. Air India and AI Express, in a joint circular, have notified that any passport holder with a single name will not be accepted by UAE immigration.

“Any passport holder with a single name (word) either in surname or given name will not be accepted by UAE immigration and the passenger will be considered as INAD,” a circular on Air India’s website read.Then such a passenger will not be issued a visa and in case the visa was issued previously then he will be INAD by immigration,” it added.

INAD means ‘inadmissible passenger’, an aviation term used for people who are not allowed entry in the country they want to travel to. Those passengers identified as INAD are taken back to their country by the airline, the circular said.

The new rule applies only to passengers with visit visa/visa on arrival/employment and temporary visas and is not applicable to existing UAE Resident card holders.