The United Kingdom has announced the approval of vaccination certificates issued by UAE health authorities for travel to the country with effect from October 4. According to an announcement made by Britain’s Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps on Wednesday, travellers will be allowed to enter the UK by presenting fully-vaccination certificate issued by the Emirati authorities.

"We will be accepting UAE vaccination certificates from 4th Oct following updates to their vaccination app. As a major transport hub which is home to many British expats, this is great news for reopening international travel, boosting business & reuniting families," Shapps posted on Twitter.

Welcoming Britain's decision, UAE’s Ambassador to the UK Mansoor Abulhoul, said that it will make it easier for Emiratis and the large community of British expats living in the UAE to travel to the UK and reunite with their family and friends as well as enhance business operations between the two countries.

"We are looking forward to continuing to work with our friends in the UK in the global recovery from COVID-19. Today's announcement is an important step," he added in his tweet.

As per latest travel protocols, people travelling from the UAE to the UK are required to self-isolate for 10 days and take multiple RT-PCR tests during the period.

On September 17, the UK Secretary of State for Transport had announced various reforms to the existing travel protocols of the country. According to the new rules, effective October 4, fully vaccinated individuals from non-red countries are not required to conduct a pre-departure test before arrival in the UK.

“From later in October, travellers will be able to replace the day two RT- PCR test with a cheaper lateral flow,” he explained.

With the recent announcement, it will become significantly easier for UAE nationals and British expatriates to travel to England without undergoing quarantine. It is important for residents travelling to the UK to show their vaccination status on Al Hosn app. Shapps also clarified that children under the age of 18 after exempted from self-isolation protocol upon arrival in the UK, regardless of their vaccination status.

James Cleverly, the UK’s Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, also expressed delight with the latest decision taken by the UK government.

“As international travel opens up, I am delighted that we have finalised arrangements with the UAE and will accept UAE vaccine certificates from October 4. Good news for businesses and families," he posted on Twitter.

Speaking to the media, travel experts have underlined that air travel between the UAE and UK is expected to increase in the coming weeks. A number of British expatriates in the UAE are still awaiting clarity on the list of pre-approved vaccines in order to plan their travel to their home country. As of now, a total of five vaccines are being administered by the UAE health sector in the country - Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sputnik and Sinopharm. However, it is still unclear which of the following vaccines are covered in the relaxed procedures.

Travel experts have also noted that more than tourists and corporate travellers, students are awaiting clarity on latest protocols in order to attend in-person classes in their universities.

“At the moment, people are still applying for their visas and awaiting clarity on the processes. Since travel has just opened up, most of the people who are travelling are returning to meet with their loved ones," said Sophia Tamang, a UAE-based travel expert.

She underscored that only a few tourists and corporate clients are able to make their trip to the UK at the moment.

“There is an anticipation that the demand could pick up in December, however, the travel regulations in this sector has always been very unpredictable. It is constantly subject to change," she added.

Khaleej Times