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UAE authorities have issued detailed guidelines for passengers seeking to travel to the country amid the ongoing efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dubai
As of January 27, 2022, the UAE government’s official website has enlisted necessary guidelines for passengers travelling to Dubai.
Residence visa holders - When do I need an ICP or GDRFA approval?
As per the website, all UAE residents can travel to Dubai without approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) or the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship and Ports Security (ICP).
However, residents travelling from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will require an approval from these entities.
Exceptions
· The website noted the exemptions for ICP or GDRFA approval:
· A newly issued residence or employment visa
· A short stay or long stay visa
· 10-year UAE Golden Visa
· Investor or partner visa
· Visit visa
· Visa on arrival
For passengers coming from the four countries mentioned above, here are the requirements:
1. They must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result with a valid QR code. The test must be conducted at an approved health facility within 48 hours before departure.
2. They are also required to present a negative PCR test result with a QR code conducted at the departure airport within six hours of departure.
Rules for all passengers travelling to Dubai
Passengers travelling to Dubai from all countries, including the Gulf Cooperation Council nations (GCC) are mandated to present a negative test result for COVID 19. It must be conducted between 48 to 72 hours before departure time.
Rules for travel or transit from the United Kingdom (UK) for all types of visas
· Passengers travelling or transiting to Dubai from the UK are required to present a negative PCR test result done no more than 48 hours before departure. The test result must also contain a QR code and the location where the sample was taken.
· UAE authorities will not accept any other test certificates, including NHS COVID 19 test certificates, antibody tests, and home or self-test kits.
Exemptions:
· UAE nationals, their first-degree relative(s) and their domestic helpers
· Children below 12 years of age
· Passengers with moderate to severe disabilities
Rules for travel from Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, Indonesia and Vietnam
Passengers travelling to Dubai from Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, Indonesia and Vietnam are also required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result conducted no more than 72 hours before departure. It must include a QR code.
Other countries
With effect from January 29, 2022, all passengers arriving in Dubai as their final destination must present a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test certificate with a QR code conducted no more than 48 hours before departure:
• Argentina
• Botswana
• Burundi
• Chad
• Colombia
• Republic of the Congo
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Egypt
• Eswatini
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Kenya
• Lebanon
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Mauritania
• Mexico
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nigeria
• Rwanda
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• Sudan
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Turkey
• Uganda
• Uzbekistan
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
Passengers from other countries must present negative test result done no more than 72 hours before departure.
Mandatory test on arrival
All passengers arriving in Dubai from the following countries are also required to undergo another COVID 19 RT-PCR test on arrival at Dubai’s airports:
• Afghanistan
• Angola
• Argentina
• Azerbaijan
• Bangladesh
• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Brazil
• Botswana
• Burundi
• Cambodia
• Chad
• Chile
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Djibouti
• Egypt
• Eritrea
• Eswatini
• Ethiopia
• Georgia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• India
• Iran
• Iraq
• Ivory Coast
• Jordan
• Kenya
• Kyrgyzstan
• Lebanon
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Mauritania
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Myanmar
• Namibia
• Nepal
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Republic of the Congo
• Romania
• Rwanda
• Russia
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Slovakia
• Somaliland
• Somalia
• South Africa
• South Sudan
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Syria
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• Uzbekistan
• Vietnam
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
After the airport test
Once the PCR test is performed at the Dubai International Airport, passengers are required to stay at their place of residence until the result arrives. In case of a positive test result, passengers will have to undergo isolation and follow the guidelines of the Dubai Health Authority.
They are also required to download the COVID19 – DXB Smart App, available on iOS and Android.
Rules for transit passengers
Transit passengers are needed to complete all the requirements of their final destination. In addition, if passengers from these countries are transiting through Dubai, they are required to present negative COVID-19 test result done no more than 72 hours before departure:
• Angola
• Bangladesh
• India
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka
Transit passengers from Cameroon and Zambia are needed to present negative COVID-19 test result with QR code done no more than 48 hours before departure. In addition, they are required to present a negative rapid PCR test result based on molecular diagnostic testing. It will be conducted six hours before the last point of departure and the report must carry a QR code.
Travelling to Abu Dhabi
As per the UAE government website, passengers are not required to be vaccinated while travelling to Abu Dhabi. However, they must present a negative result of an RT-PCR COVID-19 test done no more than 48 hours before departure. The protocol applies to all travellers aged 12 years and above.
Children under 12 years and people with disabilities are exempted from the test rule.
On arrival
On arrival in Abu Dhabi, passengers will be required to take another COVID-19 RT-PCR test. The testing requirement will also depend on the green list country the passenger is travelling from as well as their vaccination status.
Travelling on residence visa
Protocols for UAE residents travelling to Abu Dhabi as per the official website of Etihad airlines:
· Take a PCR test 48 hours before flight
· Download the Al Hosn app
· Passengers are advised to apply for the ICP Smart Travel Service before they fly.
Quarantine and arrival testing
Travelling from Green list country
· Free test on arrival.
· No quarantine requirement.
· Re-test on Day 6 for fully vaccinated passengers. Re-test on Day 6 and Day 9 for those not fully-vaccinated.
Travelling from any other destination
· Free test on arrival.
· No quarantine requirement if you are fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated passengers must quarantine for 10 days.
· Re-test on Day 4 and Day 8. Re-test on Day 9 for those passengers who are not fully vaccinated.
Passengers must note that they are required to be fully vaccinated to enter most public places in Abu Dhabi.
Transit passengers: For passengers transiting through Abu Dhabi, they must present a negative COVID 19 RT-PCR test done no more than 72 hours before their first flight departure.
Travelling to Sharjah
As per the website of Sharjah Airport, these are the travel guidelines
· All passengers arriving in Sharjah are required to present a negative PCR test report with a validity of 96 hours before departure.
· Travellers will undergo another PCR test upon arrival at Sharjah Airport regardless of their earlier negative report.
· All passengers are required to wear mask at all times and practice social distancing of two metres inside the airport Terminal
· All passengers will receive a Declaration Form at check-in point or onboard the flight. They will be required to fill it and hand it over to the registration team on arrival.
· All arriving passengers must undergo self-quarantine in their place of stay in UAE until they receive the PCR negative result.
· In case of a positive test result, they will have to follow the required quarantine procedures.
SOURCE: Gulf News