Tourist Visa Holders will be permitted to travel to UAE to attend the Indian Premier League (IPL). The IPL is being held outside the Indian subcontinent for the second time since its inception.

The official clearance received from BCCI to host the IPL in UAE from September 19th to November 10th has been confirmed by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB). The announcement came after the IPL Chairman, Birjesh Patel, told PTI that BCCI has received all required clearances from the Indian Government to host the league in the UAE. Before intensifying its preparations for the tournament, the ECB had been waiting for BCCI’s final go-ahead.  

Due to India’s general election in 2014, the UAE had partially hosted the event. BCCI picked UAE to host the entire event, compromising 60 games since the Covid-19 situation in the Emirates is under control. Also, UAE is among the few nations that allow tourists to visit their country, while all non-essential travel has been banned by most countries including India.

Under the bilateral Air Bubble agreement, all type of visa holders are allowed to travel 

The Ministry of Civil Aviation, in a letter to DGCA, confirmed that air travelers holding valid Visa, including tourist, business, student, and transit visas, are allowed to travel to the US, UK, Canada, and UAE under the bilateral Air bubble agreement.

The bilateral Air bubble agreement between the two countries is to ease the flow of air travelers by opening air routes for all airlines and all types of visa holders. Hence, this agreement with the UAE allows Indian nationals to fly to the UAE to watch the IPL matches in the stadium. But the number of spectators allowed inside the stadium has not been decided.

Currently from the Gulf countries, Indigo and GoAir are carrying out repatriation flights while long haul flights to the US, Canada, and European Nations are being operated by AirIndia and SpiceJet.

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