The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) have suspended the entry of travellers and transit passengers from Afghanistan and Indonesia on national and foreign flights with effect from July 11. The new rules also prohibit passengers who have stayed in the two countries in the past 14 days from entering the UAE. 

The GCAA has allowed transit and cargo flights to and from the UAE and Afghanistan and Indonesia to continue as usual.

Furthermore, people exempted from the decision includes UAE nationals and their first-degree relatives, diplomatic missions between the countries, official delegations, businessmen, and golden and silver residency permit holders. Businessesmen are required to get prior approvals from relevant entities before entering the UAE from these countries. 

In addition, essential job holders in accordance with the classification of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA), staffs of UAE embassies in the two countries, and crews of foreign freight and transit flights are also excluded from the decision. 

All exempted individuals are required to present a negative COVID-19 test certificate taken within 48 hours of departure of the flight. They will also have to perform a PCR test at the airport as well as on days 4 and 8 of entering the country. They are required to undergo a mandatory 10-day quarantine in the UAE to ensure their safety and of all community members.

The GCAA has also reduced the time period required for PCR test from 72 hours to 48 hours, adding that the results must be issued by accredited laboratories and must contain a valid QR Code.

The authorities have also prohibited UAE citizens from travelling to Indonesia and Afghanistan, except in case of UAE's diplomatic missions in these countries, official delegations, emergency treatment cases, and approved economic and scientific delegations.

The GCAA has urged all travellers affected by the new rules to communicate with their airlines and modify their flights accordingly to ensure their safe return to their final destinations without inconvenience.