Dubai

As of August 8, according to the Emirates airlines website, the PCR test requirements depend on your starting and final destination.

All passengers arriving from Afghanistan or Indonesia and transiting through Dubai must have a negative COVID 19 PCR test certificate taken no more than 48 hours before departure. The test certificate must include a QR code.

Passengers transiting through Dubai from some countries are obligated to present a negative COVID 19 PCR test certificate taken 72 hours before departure and follow any requirements mandated by their final destination. Those countries are: 

•    Angola

•   Argentina

•   Bahrain

•   Bosnia & Herzegovina

•   Brazil

•   Cambodia

•   Chile

•   Croatia

•   Cyprus

•   Djibouti

•   Egypt

•   Eritrea

•   Ethiopia

•   Georgia

•   Guinea

•   Hungary

•   Iran

•   Iraq

•   Israel

•   Ivory Coast

•   Jordan

•   Kenya

•   Kuwait

•   Kyrgyzstan

•   Lebanon

•   Malta

•     Moldova

•     Montenegro

•     Morocco

•     Myanmar

•     Nepal

•     Oman

•     Poland

•     Philippines

•     Qatar

•     Rwanda

•     Russia

•     Senegal

•     Slovakia

•     Somaliland

•     Somalia

Travellers must bring an official, digital or printed certificate of their PCR test in English or Arabic to check-in. SMS certificates are not accepted. PCR certificates in other languages are acceptable as per the requirement of the final destination if they can be validated at the originating station.

Transit passengers from India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Uganda

Travellers must complete all the requirements of their final destination and present a negative COVID 19 PCR test taken 72 hours before departure or as required by their final destination. Only COVID 19 PCR test reports from certified labs that issue a QR code linked to the original information will be accepted.

Passengers from other countries do not need a COVID 19 PCR test to transit in Dubai unless their final destination requires it.

Abu Dhabi

According to the Etihad website, passengers must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test before flying to Abu Dhabi, even if they are just transiting. Passengers need to take a test 48- 72 hours prior to the flight.

If one needs to factor in transit time, according to the Etihad website, the maximum connection time in Abu Dhabi is 12 hours, for new bookings.

Sharjah

According to the website of Air Arabia, transit passengers are required to take a COVID-19 PCR test within 96 hours of the flight departure time from an approved medical facility. Passengers below 12 years of age are exempt from the test. Travellers must carry a copy of their negative test results during the entire journey.

There are no requirements for transit passengers to be fully vaccinated mentioned by any UAE-based airlines.

Gulf News