How many Kyrgyz citizens are stranded in Dubai? Response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department » Gazeta.kg

Today, March 2, at a briefing, a representative of the consular department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the Department of Tourism of the UAE has ordered an extension of stay for foreign tourists in hotels without charge. However, in practice, not all hotels are following this directive, which has forced consular staff to travel to locations to resolve issues with hotel management.

At the moment, flights have been suspended, resulting in approximately 1,000 Kyrgyz citizens being stranded in hotels in Dubai.

“Our staff has compiled lists of citizens and are going to the locations to negotiate with hotels for extending their stay without payment,” noted the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Among the passengers who were unable to depart, 20 people were on transit flights. They were accommodated in hotels; however, two of them could not find housing, as their airline—a low-cost carrier—does not provide such services. In this case, the embassy covered the accommodation expenses.

Currently, there are 62 Kyrgyz citizens on cruise ships, although this information is preliminary. They will remain on board until March 7, and further measures will be determined in case the situation worsens.

The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reported a significant number of inquiries, which creates additional difficulties. In the last two days, consular staff in Dubai have processed more than 1,000 calls and requests.