Airport

Egypt plans to build new airport terminal

State-run Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation (Ehcaan) plans to establish a new terminal for Borg El Arab Airport, with a capacity of up to four million passengers a year, said a report.

The $150-million project is being funded by Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), reported Amwal Alghad.

The company plans to start work on the new terminal by July next year, it added.

Dubai: Airports fees approved

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, has approved Executive Council Resolution No (8) of 2016 pertaining to the collection of fees from passengers using airport facilities in Dubai.

India: Reminder - PIO card holders are advised to switch to OCI in lieu of PIO cards

Following the merger of the Person of India Origin (PIO) card and the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card in January 2015, PIO card holders are advised to apply for OCI in lieu of PIO cards prior to March 31, 2016 in the absence of clear guidelines from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

UK: Registered Traveller service expanded

The Home Office has announced the expansion of the Registered Traveller service to eligible foreign nationals from Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. Additionally, Registered Traveller members will be able to use ePassport Gates and EU/UK lanes at Bristol and Cardiff Airports in the coming months.  

Background

The Registered Traveller service was introduced in April 2015 to travellers from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States who hold a UK visa or have visited the United Kingdom at least four times in the previous two years.

Applications are submitted online and once accepted, travellers with biometric passports can use ePassport Gates and EU/UK lanes at Eurostar terminals at Paris, Brussels and Lille and the following airports

UAE: GCC residents can now apply online for UAE entry permits

Expatriates who reside in GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) can now apply online for entry permits to visit UAE through Dubai. The service aims to expedite passenger movement at airports and relieve GCC residents of the hassle of waiting in queues for their visit visas, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs announced on Wednesday.

The online visa application system also features an online payment method which will help passengers avoid the long queues to pay visa fees. As of now, the online system is not compulsory but merely an option for those who would like to complete the visa issuance procedure before arriving to the country.