What is Ok to Board Dubai?

Dubai attracts millions of visitors every year, and if you are one of them wanting to explore the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai, then you must know everything about Ok to Board Dubai. Ok to Board is required in addition to your approved Dubai tourist visa, which is mandatory to enter the country. So, here is a concise overview of OK To Board, Dubai.

What is Ok to Board? 

Ok to Board is a requirement or a precondition of the airline to ensure that the holder of a Dubai visa is authorized to travel. It is basically to check the authenticity of your Dubai tourist visa. Once your visa is approved, the same is sent to your airline authorities, and a message is entered in the reservation in the airline against your PNR number. To put it simply, your visa has been verified and validated, and as a result, the airline authority issues a boarding pass that allows you to board the flight.

Is OTB necessary? 

Without a valid Dubai visa and OTB, not only do you get into unfavorable situations, but even the airline will be fined by the UAE authorities. It will also be made to pay the cost of repatriating the offender. To avoid such mishaps, the airline ensures that every passenger holds a valid passport and a visa before issuing a boarding pass.

OTB is mandatory for some airlines. This system has been introduced to tackle the instances of faking visas to the UAE in the past few years. In several cases, the discovery of a fake visa resulted in the deportation of travellers from the UAE.

The process of availing yourself an OK to Board 

The process is quite simple and easy. After you complete your Dubai visa application and get approved, the visa authorities will submit your Dubai transit visa or any other visa copy along with your return flight tickets to your respective airline to avail of OK to Board in your PNR. The airline will then verify the validity of your visa and flight tickets and confirm the issue of Dubai visa OK to Board in your PNR.

Once you get an update on the verification status of your airline, you will either receive a call or email with an update. However, in specified cases, the authorities will contact the respective airline directly and confirm your OTB status 48 hours before your intended flight schedule.

Dubai Ok to Board fees

The Dubai OK to Board fee is charged by airlines to update your OTB in your PNR. These charges come in addition to your Dubai visa fee. The Dubai OK to Board charge in AED is 15; please note that it is subject to change. The airline authorities have every right to revise the charges.

Dubai OK to Board takes at least two working days to update your boarding pass through the airline after the issuance of your visa.

When to apply for an OK to Board? 

Most airlines require you to update your Ok to Board status at least 48 hours before your intended flight time. Though it varies from flight to flight, it is best advised to update your OK to Board status at the earliest possible time to avoid any last-minute hassle or disappointment.

If your OK to Board does not get updated or reflected in your PNR, the respective airline might reject or cancel your scheduled travel, and as a result, you will not be able to board your flight to Dubai. moreover, you may also end up paying additional penalties or cancellation charges, if any, to the concerned authority you choose to board.

OK to Board is a mandatory process for most airlines, but not all airlines demand a verified boarding pass. The requirement of OTB mostly depends on the airline, nationality, and passport. It is a simple and easy process. So, now that you know why, don’t forget to update your OK to Board.