1. Travelling amid COVID-19
  2. Travelling to the UAE

Travelling to the UAE

All travellers to the UAE must present a negative result of a PCR test at the departure airport.

Travelling to Abu Dhabi

Only UAE nationals, residents with a valid residence visa, and those who are eligible for a visa on arrival can enter the UAE through Abu Dhabi’s airports. All other types of visas remain suspended. If you are travelling to Abu Dhabi, you must follow these additional rules:

  • take the PCR test 72 hours before your flight, if you are flying from the United Kingdom
  • download the ALHOSN UAE app on your mobile phones before you travel to Abu Dhabi
  • undergo a thermal screening and another COVID-19 PCR testing on arrival at Abu Dhabi airport.

The rules apply to all travellers, except children under the age of 12.

Although you no longer need an approval from Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) to enter the UAE, you are recommended to visit uaeentry.ica.gov.ae and submit your passport number and Emirates ID number to receive instant verification of your entry status.

Read more

Find out quarantine guidelines for travellers to Abu Dhabi.

Travelling to Dubai - rules as of 6 July 2021

Rules for Emirati nationals

Rules UAE residents, visitors and tourists

  • If you are travelling from any destination including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, you must present a negative result of a PCR test at the departure airport. This test should have been conducted within 72 hours before travelling to Dubai.
  • You will be required to take another PCR test on arrival at Dubai airport if you are travelling from one of the countries mentioned in the box:

 

Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Somaliland, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe.

(This list is subject to change.Follow Dubai Media Office on Twitterfor updates.)

Please note that:

  • even if you are not required to take a second PCR test on arrival in Dubai, you may be selected at random to take another test.
  • children under the age of 12 and passengers who have a moderate or severe disability are exempt from taking the PCR test.

 

Rules for transit passengers

  • You must have a negative result for a PCR test done 72 hours before departure, if you are arriving from one of the countries mentioned in the box:

    Angola, Argentina, Bahrain, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, 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, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe.

    (This list is subject to change.Follow Dubai Media Office on Twitterfor updates.)

               

  • If you started your journey in Afghanistan or Indonesia, you must have a negative result for a PCR test taken no more than 48 hours before departure.
  • If you are arriving from any other country, you do not need a PCR test result to transit through Dubai, unless it is required by their final destination.
  • You must also follow any requirements mandated by your final destination.

     

    Rules for travel from South Africa and Nigeria

    You will not be able to enter or transit through Dubai if you have been in or transited through South Africa or Nigeria in the last 14 days before travelling to Dubai. This is not applicable to UAE nationals and members of diplomatic missions.

     

    Rules for travel from Afghanistan and Indonesia

    If you have started your journey in Afghanistan or Indonesia and are travelling to or transiting through Dubai, you must have a negative result of a PCR test done no more than 48 hours before departure. The test certificate must display a QR code.

     

    Rules for travel from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

    Travel is restricted from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka until further notice. Meanwhile, the following categories are allowed to enter the UAE:

  • members of diplomatic missions
  • holders of UAE Golden visa
  • UAE nationals
  • passengers exempted and/or granted permission to enter the UAE by the appropriate authorities
  • passengers travelling on a business flight.

 

If you belong to one of the categories mentioned above, you must:

  1. present a negative PCR test result issued within 48 hours of the time of sample collection and scheduled flight departure.
  2. undergo another PCR test on arrival in Dubai, followed by two more PCR tests on day 4 and day 8 of your 10-day quarantine period
  3. sign an indemnity document for a 10‑day home or hotel quarantine, starting from the day of arrival.

Passengers travelling from India must take a COVID‑19 Rapid Antigen, or Rapid PCR test at the airport prior to departure.

 

Rules for travel from Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia

Travel to Dubai is temporarily suspended from Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia. People who have been in these countries in the past 14 days are not allowed to enter or transit through Dubai until further notice.

 

Only the following categories of passengers will be accepted for travel to Dubai:

  • UAE nationals and their first‑degree relatives
  • Members of diplomatic missions from above countries
  • Holders of UAE Golden and Silver visas
  • Officials and passengers exempted and/or granted permission to enter the UAE by the appropriate authorities.

 

If you belong to one of the categories mentioned above, you must have a negative result of a PCR test conducted within 48 hours from the date of departure and undergo another PCR test on arrival in Dubai.

 

Rules that apply to all passengers arriving at or transiting through Dubai

  • The COVID-19 negative test certificate must be for a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test. Dubai does not accept other forms of tests including antibody tests and home-testing kits.
  • PCR certificates must be official and printed in English or Arabic and must display a QR code. SMS and digital certificates are not accepted.
  • If you are flying from India, Pakistan or Bangladesh, you must get your PCR test done at one of the designated laboratories (PDF, 500 KB).
  • If you are flying from other countries, you can use either laboratories designated by Dubai Government (PDF, 500 KB) or any other laboratories certified in that country.
  • All travellers must complete a health declaration form (PDF, 500 KB).
  • They must download COVID-19 DXB app available on App Store and Google Play.

 

Information sourced from the website of Emirates Airline:

 

Related links

Travelling to Sharjah – rules as of 6 July 2021

All travellers to Sharjah must present a negative PCR test result before boarding; this test should have been conducted within 96 hours before the date of travel.

 

They must take another PCR test upon arrival at Sharjah airport and quarantine until the results of the PCR test are released.

 

If you test positive, you will need to isolate yourselves  for 14 days. You or your sponsor must bear the cost of isolation and medical expenses.

 

Tourists and residents must ensure that they have adequate health insurance that covers all costs of treatment and isolation.

 

You need to download the AL HOSN app on your mobile phones to allow authorities to monitor your health while you are in isolation/quarantine.

 

Read more guidelines on safe travel.

 

For further information on travelling to the UAE, visit the following websites:

Updated on 25 Jul 2021

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