09/02/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/02/2021 12:57
This article is reviewed regularly (on a monthly basis) by Wego' s editorial team to ensure that the content is up to date & accurate.
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Updated 2 September 2021
Are there any quarantine measures put in place?
Dubai Health Authority (DHA) required residents and visitors who have come into close contact with COVID-19 patients in Dubai to undergo a 10-day home quarantine - even if said residents and visitors did not develop any symptoms.
'Close contact' is defined as people who have been within two meters of a confirmed active case for more than 15 minutes. The 10-day isolation period should commence on the day in which close contact was established. Should symptoms develop during the isolation period, a COVID-19 test must be taken to ascertain their health status.
DHA has also elaborated on a shortened isolation period for certain categories of COVID cases. The initial 14-day period is reduced to 10 days for cases that did not develop any symptoms since testing positive. This also applies to patients who have made a full recovery. Those who have been discharged must revisit the clinic should symptoms reappear within two weeks following their discharge.
Some arriving residents might be tested again on arrival at Dubai's airport. If you are required to take another test on arrival, you must remain in quarantine at your residence until you receive the test result. If the test result is positive, you must stay in isolation and follow the instructions of Dubai Health Authority. If the test result is negative, you do not need to quarantine yourself.
Are there airlines flying to Dubai now?
A search through Wego showed that there are currently numerous international flight schedules in operation to and from Dubai.
The UAE government has announced that starting August 30, visitors from all countries with visit visas are allowed to enter the UAE, including travellers from the banned list: Bangladesh, Congo, India, Liberia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia.
Earlier this year, the UAE has banned a number of countries from entering the emirates as well as suspending flights. Travellers from Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh and more were put in a limbo of changing rules and tightening restrictions for months.
Starting in July and August, there have been incremental steps to loosen restrictions. Vaccinated travellers of UAE residence visas were among the first major country ban exemption and now we expect more travellers to be able to travel to the UAE.
Am I allowed to fly to Dubai now?
In a word, yes. To find out whether you're eligible to visit Dubai, please continue to read through the article to learn more about the prerequisites and other requirements of visiting Dubai.
Requirements for all travellers to Dubai
For both returning residents and visiting tourists, the following applies:
All passengers travelling to Dubai from any point of origin (GCC countries included) must hold a negative COVID 19 RT‑PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure, except for travel from Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Indonesia. More on this below.
The certificate must be a Reverse Transcription‑Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT‑PCR) test. Other test certificates including antibody tests, NHS COVID Test certificates, Rapid PCR tests and home testing kits are not accepted in Dubai. Travellers must bring an official, digital or printed certificate in English or Arabic to check-in - SMS certificates are not accepted. PCR certificates in other languages are acceptable if they can be validated at the originating station. Digital COVID‑19 certificates are accepted upon arrival at Dubai International airport verification points.
COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test certificates must be issued by an authorised facility in the passenger's departure country. Certificates that have already been presented for travel to another destination can't be used for re‑entry even if they are still within the validity period.
For passengers arriving from the following countries, it is mandatory that the COVID‑19 RT‑PCR report includes a QR code linked to the original report for verification purposes. The QR code must be presented at check‑in and to representatives of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) upon arrival in Dubai airports: Sudan, Lebanon, Egypt and Ethiopia.
Indian Nationals with a normal passport who are travelling to India via Dubai can obtain a visa on arrival in Dubai for a maximum stay of 14 days provided they:
The visa issued by United States, United Kingdom or Europe union has to be valid for a minimum of 6 months.
For Dubai residents
Prior approval needed for specified countries
Specific requirements for residents from these countries are as follows:
Passengers travelling from other countries must have a negative COVID‑19 RT PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure.
For passengers travelling to Dubai as their final destination from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Vietnam, Zambia and Indonesia travel is currently not possible as there are no rapid PCR testing facilities at the airport.
Vaccine requirements for returning residents
As per the Emirates Airline travel requirements page, a COVID-19 vaccination certificate is no longer stated as a requirement for entry into Dubai for returning residents.
Testing requirements for returning residents
Passengers arriving in Dubai from the following countries will be required to take another COVID‑19 PCR test on arrival at Dubai International airport:
Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Maldives, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Somaliland, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe.
Exemptions to the testing requirement apply to the following categories of travellers:
For tourists
Prior approval not required
Note that tourists are not required to obtain both the GDRFA or ICA approval when travelling to Dubai. However, tourists travelling from Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Indonesia, must comply with the following:
For passengers travelling to Dubai as their final destination from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Vietnam, Zambia and Indonesia, travel is currently not possible as there are no rapid PCR testing facilities at the airport.
Prior to departure, please check if you need a visa. Depending on your nationality you can get a visa on arrival, or you can apply for your prearranged visit visa from Dubai Immigration before you travel.
Vaccine requirements for visiting tourists
As per the Emirates Airline travel requirements page, a COVID-19 vaccination certificate is not among the requirements for entry into Dubai for visiting tourists.
Testing requirements for visiting tourists
Tourists arriving in Dubai from the following countries will be required to take another COVID‑19 PCR test on arrival at Dubai International airport:
Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Maldives, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Somaliland, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe.
Exemptions to the testing requirement apply to the following categories of travellers:
For transit passengers
All transit passengers must complete all the requirements of their final destination.
Transit passengers from Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, and Indonesia must present a negative COVID‑19 PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure.
All other transit passengers are not required to present this certificate unless it is mandated by their final destination.
Rules for travel from the United Kingdom
All passengers travelling to Dubai from the UK must hold a negative COVID‑19 PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure and the certificate must be a Reverse Transcription‑Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT‑PCR) test. Note that NHS Covid Test certificates are not accepted for travel from the United Kingdom.
UAE Nationals travelling to Dubai are exempted from COVID‑19 testing requirements prior to departure but will be subject to a COVID‑19 PCR test on arrival in Dubai.
COVID‑19 testing laboratories
Upon arrival
Will it be safe to travel to Dubai?
At the onset of the pandemic, the UAE took a blended civil-military approach in its plight to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. The approach was initially enabled by a 24-hour a day government restriction on movement, except for those with an exemption granted by a government permit. Currently, no curfew is in effect.
The country's vaccination drive has also been swiftly implemented with at least 18,158,991 doses of COVID vaccines being administered so far. Assuming every person needs 2 doses, that's enough to have vaccinated about 92.9 percent of the country's population.
The combination of strict measures, high vaccination rate, and the country's favorable attitude toward tech and science has seen the UAE lauded by health experts as one of the countries to look up to in terms of their pandemic handling.
What are the things that are open right now in Dubai?
As a travel destination, Dubai is indeed open to visitors worldwide. Dubai on May 17 also lifted its limited-capacity rules for hotels, meaning they can be booked to 100%. Mask-wearing is compulsory, as is keeping a two-meter social distance. Outside, you must wear a mask unless exercising, eating or drinking, in a car with your family or if you're alone.
Hotels are now allowed to be fully occupied and live entertainment and activities is permitted in restaurants, cafés and shopping malls.