In a major development, the United Arab Emirates, on Friday, allowed all its citizens and residents to travel abroad. This announcement has come by the UAE government in cooperation with the National Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship. As per the announcement, all UAE citizens and residents are allowed to travel while ensuring that all health preventive and precautionary requirements are strictly followed across all airports and destinations.

A classification system has been introduced by the authorities based on the required health and safety standards and all UAE national carriers and international airlines have to operate their flights according to the system. Necessary travel protocol will apply according to the destination and will be dependent on various factors such as health checks upon arrival at the destination and when returning back to the UAE, public health, quarantine regulations, and self-monitoring of health by the traveller. At the same time, precautionary guidelines and procedures will apply during the travel.

Travellers are required to follow all mandatory requirements before departure and upon arrival from all destinations. Only UAE nationals are required to register with ‘Twajudi’ to facilitate communication with them while traveling.

All citizens and residents are required to get their COVID-19 test done before travel as per the health regulations of the desired destination, the results of which have to be acquired within 48 hours of the travel period. The result of the COVID-19 tests must be presented either through a medical certificate as proof of the negative result or through the Al Hosn application. Only after ensuring that the individual tests negative of COVID-19, authorities can allow them to travel to the destination. At the same time, travellers have to obtain international health insurance, which will be valid throughout the period of travel and will cover the desired destination.

Returning residents are required to ensure that there is no violation of the prescribed health regulations and procedures. Most importantly, they have to get their COVID-19 test conducted from the destination countries before they return to the UAE. Meanwhile, it has been advised by the authorities that people over the age of 70 or for those with chronic diseases must retrain themselves from travelling due to the increased health risks in the process.

In March, all domestic and international flights were suspended by the UAE authorities in a bid to contain the spread of Coronavirus pandemic.

WAM