You're not welcome! UAE bars entry for those with single name: Air India

Single named passengers will not be allowed entry into the UAE with immediate effect under the new guidelines

Air India and AI Express in a joint advisory have notified that the single name passengers will not be allowed entry into the UAE with immediate effect under the new guidelines issued by the Emirate.

“As per National Advance Information Center, UAE, the following guideline has been implemented with immediate effect for travel to UAE. 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,” Air India and AI Express said in its "Name as appearing on the passport for travel to UAE" circular, on November 21.

INAD that means 'inadmissible passenger', is 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 cirular said.

The circular gives an example of INAD passenger and non-INAD passengers.

1. A passenger with only 'Praveen' as his given name and no surname. 'Praveen' as his surname and no given name, will be considered and INAD passenger and thus wont be allowed entry in UAE, and if they have been issued visa prior to that, then they will become "INAD by immigration"

2. A passenger with Praveen Kumar as surname and no given name and Praveen as given name and Kumar as surname, or Praveen Kumar as surname and no given name, will be given visa.

The new rules are applicable on passengers with visit visa / visa on arrival / employment and temporary visas. This shall not apply to existing UAE Resident card holders.

According to the International Migrant Stock 2020 released by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), Indian expatriate community of approx. 3.5 millions is the largest ethnic community in UAE.