UAE entry rule changed: ‘Single name people will be deemed inadmissible’ to the country, says Air India

NEW DELHI: Passengers with only one name will not be allowed in United Arab Emirates further, according to an advisory issued by Air India and AI Express based on new guidelines issued by the Emirate. The new rule takes effect immediately.
On November 21, AI and AI Express issued a circular titled “name appearing on passport to travel to UAE.”
It said: “According to the National Center for Advanced Information, UAE, the following guidance has been implemented with immediate effect for travel to the UAE. Any passport holder with a name (word) in the surname or given name will not be accepted by the UAE immigration authorities and the passenger will be treated as INAD.”

INAD, short for unacceptable passenger, is an aviation term used for people who are not authorized to enter the country they wish to visit. INAD passengers must be brought back to their home country by the airline.
The circular gives an example of an INAD passenger: A passenger has only the first name Praveen and no surname. Praveen is his last name and has no specific name. “Such a passenger will not be granted a visa and in the event a visa has been previously issued he will be INAD by immigration authorities,” it said.
Giving examples of people who would not be considered INADs, the circular said: Praveen Kumar with and without a surname; Praveen Kumar is a surname and has no name and Praveen is a given name and Kumar is a surname.
The new rule “applies only to passengers with family visit/entry/work visas and temporary visas and does not apply to existing visas.” Permanent resident of the United Arab Emirates cardholder,” it added.