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ok to board everything you need to know about otb for emirates visa 2024

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OK to Board: Everything you need to know about OTB for Emirates Visa

If you are planning a trip to the Emirates, you should know everything about Ok to Board also known as OTB. While travelling to the Emirates, Indian citizens do not only need to get their Visas approved but also need the ‘OK to Board’ approval.

You must be hassled by reading so many technical words. We urge you not to be. We will be jotting down all the required information you need to know and understand regarding the concept of emirates otb.

Table Of Content
  1. Concept of OK to board
  2. Countries that require an OK to Board
  3. Before takeoff, update your Emirates Ok To Board Online
  4. Why is an OK to Board required?
  5. OTB required Documents
  6. Application and Process of OTB
  7. Emirates ok to board
  8. How to check OK to Board status?

Concept of OK to board 

OK to board is an airline requirement that is required to board your flight to the Emirates. The very first step, in order to visit the Emirates, is obviously to Apply Emirates Visa. Once your Emirates Visa is approved and is granted to you, it is shared with the airline authorities, with whom you have booked your flight tickets. The airline further scans your Emirates Visa and if no objections are raised, then they mark OK to Board on your flight PNR.

Countries that require an OK to Board

Countries like:

  • India
  • Sri Lanka
  • Bangladesh
  • Pakistan

Indian Passport holders travelling to the Emirates who require OK To Board are categories into the following:

  • Passengers holding ECR (Emigration Check Required) passports.
  • Passengers who are travelling with a print-out of Labor & Work e-visa are required OK to Board 

Indian Passport holders travelling to the Emirates who do not require OK To Board are categories into the following

  • Passengers who hold a Resident Permit or have their passport stamped with Resident Visa.
  • Passengers who have the facility to use ‘Visa on Arrival’ do not require OK to Board
  • Passengers with an ECNR passport.

Travellers travelling to the GCC countries too require the OK to Board approval to continue with their journey. The following are the categories of Indian Passport holders who require and do not require the OK to Board in the GCC countries (Qatar).

Read Also: Emirates 14 Days Visa

Following are the categories of Indian Passport holders who are travelling to Qatar require OK To Board:

  • Passengers travelling through the Indigo Airlines, Air India, Air India Express with ECR (Emigration Check Required) passport.
  • Passengers who are travelling with a print-out of Labor & Work e-visa.
  • All passengers travelling through Oman Air, Spice, SriLankan Airlines.

Following are the categories of Indian Passport holders who are travelling to Qatar and do not require ‘OK to Board’:

  • Travellers who hold a Resident Permit or have their passport stamped with a Resident Visa.
  • Passengers who have the facility to use ‘Visa on Arrival’, do not require OK to Board.
  • Passengers travelling through the following airlines holding an ECNR (Emigration Check Not Required)
  • Airlines, Air India, Air India Express

Read Also: Emirates Visa for Indian Passport Holders

Before takeoff, update your Emirates Ok To Board Online

  • email your return airline ticket, passport front and back page, and copy of your visa to contact@emiratesvisaonline.com or call us -+971 523727853 If you want to apply for visa and get quick approval visit Emirates Visa Online
  • Pay the required fees for ok to board
  • We will update your ok to board notification within three to twenty-four hours of receiving payment.

Why is an OK to Board required?

Due to the ongoing rise of the scam involving the forgery and fraudulent activities by making fake or forged visas, a lot of people are being deported by their respective countries. To reduce and eventually get rid of this Visa scam the airline authorities have started checking the Visas before the departure of the flight.

OTB required Documents

To apply for an OK to Board, you are required to submit the following documents:

  • A Scan copy of the applicant’s passport's first & last page (the Bio page)
  • A scan of the applicant’s Visa copy
  • A copy of the applicants confirmed onward & return ticket
  • Pan card or any Identification proof copy of the applicants

Application and Process of OTB

Application and the process of OK to Board is no longer a hassle. All you are required to do is, submit all the required documents (passport size photograph with white background, passport front and last page scan copies and return air ticket) and fill the application form on Emirates Visa Online for applying for Emirates Visa.

Once your Visa is approved and granted, the visa copy along with your return air tickets will be sent to the respective airline to get OK to Board in your PNR. Here on you can enjoy a worry-free trip to the Emirates.

Emirates ok to board

"Emirates Ok to Board" (OTB) is a process where passengers travelling to certain countries must have their visa and other travel documents checked and approved by the airline before they are allowed to board the flight. The OTB process is mandatory for travellers from certain countries, such as India and Pakistan, who are travelling to the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait, among others.


The airline will verify the passenger's visa and other travel documents to ensure that they are valid and meet the requirements of the destination country. Once the documents are approved, the airline will update the passenger's booking with an "Ok to Board" status, which allows the passenger to board the flight. It's important for passengers to check with their airline whether an OTB process is required for their travel and to ensure they have all the necessary documents in order before departure.

How to check OK to Board status?

You no longer need to be dependent on your travel agents to check you’re OK to Board status; you need to coordinate with the Airline through which you’ve booked your flight. You are required to call the airlines 48 hours before your scheduled flight.

Read Also: Emirates Visa for Sri Lanka

 

Frequently Asked Questions

    1. Visit the Emirates Airlines Or Emirates Visa Online website: Navigate to the Emirates Airlines website. or email your return airline ticket, passport front and final page, and copy of your visa to contact@emiratesvisaonline.com or call us -+971 523727853 If you want to apply for visa and get quick approval visit Emirates Visa Online
    2. Access the Help Section: Once on the website, locate and click on the "Help" section.
    3. Find the "OK to Board" Option: Within the Help section, look for the "OK to Board" option.
    4. Verify Visa Issued Location: Check the location from which your visa is issued. If the visa is issued in Dubai, no Ok to Board is required.
    5. For Visas from Other Emirates: If the visa is issued from an Emirates other than Dubai, follow the provided instructions.
    6. Upload eVisa on the Website: Upload the electronic visa (eVisa) on the Emirates Airlines website as instructed.
    7. Submit the eVisa: Complete the submission process for the uploaded eVisa.
    8. Receive Ok to Board: Upon successful submission, you should receive the Ok to Board clearance.

OTB" typically stands for "OK to Board," it is a process or requirement imposed by some airlines and not the UAE immigration authorities. The OK to Board is a verification step that some airlines may require before allowing passengers to board flights bound for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In travel to the UAE, especially for specific visa categories, airlines might request passengers to obtain an OK to Board clearance. This is a check to ensure the traveller's visa or entry permit has been properly processed and approved by the UAE immigration authorities.
It's crucial to check with the airline you are flying with to confirm whether they require an OK to Board clearance for your specific travel circumstances. Additionally, always verify the most current requirements with the airline and the UAE immigration authorities, as policies can change.

If your PNR does not reflect OK to Board, you may not be allowed to enter the aircraft, to proceed with your journey. The airline has the authority to ask you not to take the flight. in such cases, you can speak to the airline authorities, and they can get the issue solved.

To check your Ok to Board status with Emirates Airlines, you will need to follow these steps:

  1. Visit the Emirates Airlines website at emirates.
  2. Click on the "Manage" tab at the top of the page and select "Manage Booking" from the dropdown menu.
  3. Enter your booking details, including your booking reference number and last name, and click "Retrieve Booking".
  4. Once your booking is retrieved, you should see the status of your Ok to Board on the page.

If your Ok to Board status is not yet confirmed, you will need to provide additional documents to Emirates Airlines to confirm your travel plans. You may need to provide a valid visa, a return ticket, and other relevant documents depending on your destination country and nationality. It's important to check the specific requirements for your destination country before your trip to ensure that you have all the necessary documents in order.

You need to submit a clear scanned copy of the first bio page and last page of your national valid passport to airlines. Submission of approved Emirates visa must be done too. Copy of the flight tickets from both sides for confirmation. Copy of your ID proof which can be an adhaar card copy or pan card copy.

Yes, ok to board is required for passengers traveling to Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi through any airlines. The approval is only required for some Asian countries only. 

The details of the ok to board status is sent 48 hours before the flight arrival. Passengers will be informed through their contact number or mail id. If your PNR status has not been updated with ok to board status. Then probably the entry of this passenger will be denied.

Yes, every airlines ask for ok to board requirement for selected countries. Passengers traveling to the United Arab Emirates from India with Emirates airlines require ok to board. There is no need to pay extra charges or any service fee to get ok to board status on your PNR ticket. But, few airlines do charge some fees to get ok to board status. The cost of getting ok to board status when flying through indigo airlines is around AED 40. 

The OTB status is the requirement especially for those passengers whose Emirates visa is sponsored or sometimes for tourist visa holders. Indian nationals traveling to UAE for employment, have to apply for a work visa that is sponsored by the employer. After approval, your sponsor will send all the necessary documents and valid Emirates work visa to you. Your sponsor needs to share your UAE visa details, flight tickets details, and PNR number with the airlines you are traveling from. The airline authorities will go through your UAE visa details again for verification. After scanning properly they update your PNR status with ok to board. 

Yes, the airline's authority is responsible for the entry process. So they can cancel your ticket or deny your entry into the plane without ok to board status. Even if you have a valid tourist visa or entry permit for UAE, the access to board a flight can be canceled in the absence of ok to board status.

No, many confuse airlines requirements with UAE immigration department requirements. The ok to board updated one is the important requirement of the airlines one is traveling to UAE. All the tourists and visitors or even foreign nationals traveling to UAE on newly received work visas and entry permits.

The main purpose of ok to board status is to know about the authenticity and validity of the Emirates visa one carries. Indian citizens do require proof which is required to be presented and assure that they have a valid and original visa for the United Arab Emirates. This is required to check that no visitors from foreign countries are traveling on fake and invalid Emirates visas. 

Only selected nations especially Asian countries are required to apply for ok to board airlines for the United Arab Emirates. Tourists and Visitors from Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India should know whether they are ok to board status is updated or not. If not then they should apply for ok to board and update their ticket. If you are holding an employment entry visa for the United Arab Emirates, then this requirement is mandatory and must be fulfilled before traveling.

Okay to board status or OTB status must be known before boarding flight to Emirates. You can know about your okay-to-board status through the flight you are flying through. The easiest way to know about it is to contact your relevant airlines. Notification of ok to board approval or denial is sent through text message. Those who have applied for a visa or ok to board through different travel agencies. Then the notification is sent to them either at their email ID or directly to their contact number. 

Ok to board can be explained as additional processing or verification of passengers Emirates visa details and document details. The whole process can be carried out by the immigration department of the United Arab Emirates or by the flight you are traveling through. After foreign nationals receive approved Emirates visas. It should be shared with the airlines so they can further scan all the documents and provide ok to board the passengers.

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