Guidelines issued for travellers entering UAE

Dubai: Travelers from six countries who are completely vaccinated and have valid UAE residency cards will be able to enter the UAE starting August 5, according to an announcement published by the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) on Tuesday August 3. They also announced that at least 14 days should have passed after receiving the second vaccine dose and the travellers will need to carry a vaccination certificate.

For the operation of international aviation services, the following revised conditions will apply.

Entering UAE

The limits imposed earlier on the nations named below will be amended for the categories referred to in Clause 1 below, and they will be allowed permission to enter the United Arab Emirates (UAE), subject to compliance with the requirements outlined in Clause 2.

The applicable countries:

The Republic of India

The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

Federal Republic of Nigeria

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

The Republic of Uganda

1. The removal of restrictions will be applicable to the following categories:

1. A holder of valid UAE resident visa, who has obtained the required vaccination doses in the UAE and completed fourteen (14) days after the 2nd dose and holds a vaccination card issued from a medical institution in the UAE, including the vaccine certificate available in the smart application(s) of Government Medical entities in the UAE;
2. Members of the medical force/staff including Doctors, Nurses and Medical Technicians (Whether vaccinated or not vaccinated);

iii. Staff/Employees of Educational Sector, including Professors and Teachers, those who teaches at Universities, Colleges, Schools and Institutions in the UAE (Whether Vaccinated or not vaccinated);

1. Students who are currently studying in the UAE (Whether vaccinated or not vaccinated);
2. Those who are holding a valid visa, on humanitarian grounds and/or cases (i.e. family reunion) (Whether vaccinated or not vaccinated);
3. Employees/Staff of Local and Federal Government entities (Whether vaccinated or not vaccinated);

vii. Those who undergo medical treatments in UAE (Whether vaccinated or not vaccinated);

2. All passengers who are exempted as provided in Clause 1 above, shall ensure that the following preventive measures are compiled by them:

(a) Hold a Valid negative Covid-19 Test certificate that is issued within the valid time frame, namely, (48) hours from the time of collecting the sample. Issued from approved health service, which use QR code system;

(b) Rapid test conducted before boarding the aircraft from the departure country;

(c) Undergo a PCR test at the arriving airport;

Methods of implementation:

a) The passenger shall submit a request through the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, for the necessary approval;

The Website: https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae/homepage.aspx

1. b) A holder of valid UAE resident visa, who has obtained the required vaccination doses in the UAE and completed fourteen (14) days after the 2nd dose, shall submit the vaccination certificate/card through the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, through https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae/homepage.aspx
2. c) The airlines shall ensure and/or verify the authenticity of the above requirement(s) prior to the passenger(s) boarding the aircraft and shall not accept any passenger(s) who does not fulfill the aforesaid condition(s) and/or requirements;

If the airline carries any passenger(s) who fails to meet the aforesaid requirements, the airline will be held responsible to return such passenger to the point of embarkation and also any other matters that may arise therefrom.

Passengers exempted must comply with the following:

1) PCR test within (48) hours from the date of departure and provided that:

1. a) It is showing negative result
2. b) It is conducted by an accredited laboratory; and
3. c) It bears a QR Code.

2) Persons entering UAE shall:

1. a) Be subject to the required public health protocol upon arrival and any Naturalization and Residency conditions
2. b) Wear a monitoring and tracking device
3. c) Comply with a 10-day quarantine period; and
4. d) Complete a PCR test upon arrival followed by two other PCR tests on the 4th day and 8th day of their quarantine period.

Passengers Permitted to travel from India to UAE:

1) UAE residents with Gold or Silver residency permit.

2) Expo 2020 international participants, Expo2020 exhibitors and personnel sponsored by Expo2020 organizer.

3) Employees belonging to vital functions according to the classification of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship.

4) Citizens of the United Arab Emirates and their first-degree relatives.

5) Diplomatic personnel between the UAE and the applicable countries, including the administrative workers in the embassies of the UAE in these countries and the embassies of the applicable countries.

6) Official delegations, subject to obtaining prior approval.

7) Business passengers provided they hold an approval from General Authority for the Security of Ports, Borders and Free Zones and Heads of higher committees of the Emergency, crisis and disaster management teams of the concerned Emirate.

Passengers travelling from India to Dubai on Economic and Scientific missions, who obtained pre-authorization, are included in the exempted categories of passengers who will be granted permission to enter Dubai.

Passengers who are booked to fly with us and are not permitted to travel during this period will be able to reschedule once the flights operations on these sectors resume.

All passengers are required to check the UAE Government Authority Website for the latest updates on travel.

Click for GDRFA: https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae/ Smart_OTCServicesPortal/ ReturnPermitServiceForm.aspx

Certified labs in India are available in the below-mentioned link: https://www.icmr.gov.in/pdf/covid/labs/COVID_Testing_Labs_10072020.pdf

With immediate effect all passengers travelling to Abu Dhabi shall mandatorily fill up the Travel Self Declaration form before flight departure from its origin. The form shall be submitted on arrival in Abu Dhabi.

Important update for passengers to Dubai

Effective 22 April 2021 at 00:01hrs all passengers travelling from India to Dubai Airports must:

1. Hold a Valid Covid-19 Test certificate that is issued within 48 hours from the time of collecting the sample and also ensure that the time of sample collection, “Date and Time” and time of reporting “Result date and Result time” are accurate.

The certificate must indicate a Negative test result, described either in Arabic or English, issued from a certified lab at the original point of destination, where the passenger is travelling from.

2. It is mandatory that the report includes a QR code which is linked to the original report, for verification purposes by the airlines through a mobile phone and validation by the representatives of Dubai Health Authority (DHA) upon the passenger arrivals in Dubai Airports.

If you’re travelling to the UAE

All valid PCR Covid-19 Test results for passengers arriving from India shall have a QR code for verification at departure and upon arrival at UAE Airports.

Know these mandatory requirements for the Negative Covid-19 RT-PCR Medical Test:

1. The Negative Covid-19 RT-PCR Medical Test result should only be taken from ICMR/PURE HEALTH accredited laboratories. It is recommended that passengers travelling to Dubai obtain RT -PCR reports from Pure Health approved laboratories.
2. The test result should be issued, duly signed and stamped in English in the original letterhead of the testing lab (name and contact details of the laboratory/ health institute providing the report is mandatory).
3. The test result should NOT be handwritten or have corrections. Kindly note that photocopies of the results will NOT be accepted. Damaged reports will not be accepted.
4. The mandatory 72-hour time frame begins from the time/date the swab/sample was collected for the test.
5. Only Nasopharyngeal and OropharyngeaL swab test analysed by Real-Time RT-PCR (Open System) is accepted.

Important update for passengers to Dubai

As per Dubai Civil Aviation Authorities, RT-PCR Test done from the laboratories listed below will not be accepted.

1. Suryam Lab in Jaipur
2. Dr P. BHASIN Pathlabs (P) Ltd. in Delhi
3. Noble Diagnostic Centre in Delhi
4. 360 Diagnostic & Health. Services

It has been further recommended that passengers to Dubai may be advised to obtain pre-travel RT-PCR reports from Pure Health approved Laboratories.

UAE passport holders will be subjected to a PCR test on arrival at the Dubai airports and are not required to present PCR test certificate for travel to Dubai.

Other Information

Passengers must arrive at the airport four hours prior to departure, follow all measures to keep yourself protected at the airport and onboard the plane. Maintain social distance at all queuing points.

If the test result is positive, the passenger will be required to follow guidelines as issued by the authorities.  Mandatory requirements may need to be met at your own cost.

Passengers must ensure that they comply with all travel and health requirements of the destination country. If passengers are denied entry, they will have to bear the cost of penalty or deportation.