Dubai will allow foreign nationals holding residency visas issued in Dubai to return to the emirate starting 22 June, and international tourists will be welcomed from July 7, the UAE emirate's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management has announced.
Citizens and residents will be permitted to travel overseas from June 23 provided the destination countries agree to receive them.
The following protocols have been put in place:
- Tourists will be required to present a recent coronavirus negative certificate or undergo testing at Dubai airports.
Coronavirus positive cases will be isolated for 14 days.
- Travellers must stringently comply with preventive measures and safety procedures put in place by Dubai and destination countries.
- Airlines will have the right to prevent passengers from boarding if they exhibit coronavirus symptoms.
- International health insurance, coronavirus test and completed health declaration form are mandatory for tourists visiting Dubai
What should returning residents do?
Residents holding Dubai-issued visas are permitted to return to the emirate by pre-booking flights on any airline on the condition that they obtain an approval coordinated between the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai) and the airline.
Residents must fill a ‘Health Declaration Form’ before embarking on their journey to confirm they do not have Covid-19 symptoms.
The airline has the right to refuse boarding if passengers display any symptoms of coronavirus.
Upon arrival at Dubai airports, all residents will have to undergo a PCR test to screen them for Covid-19.
Residents should register their complete details in the Covid-19 DXB smart app available online on arrival and before leaving the terminal.
Residents entering Dubai should not leave their house until they receive their coronavirus test result.
If they test positive, they will have to home isolate themselves for 14 days.
Residents sharing homes or living in high-density housing facilities will be isolated at an institutional facility if they test positive.
The resident’s employer should make arrangements for the isolation facility in accordance with guidelines approved by the coronavirus Command and Control Centre or bear the costs of a paid isolation facility provided by the government.
Citizens and residents travelling abroad
There will be no restrictions on the overseas destinations that citizens and residents can travel to.
However, they must comply with guidelines and protocols followed in the countries they are travelling to.
They are also required to fill in a ‘Health Declaration Form’ before embarking to confirm they do not have any coronavirus symptoms.
The airline has the right to refuse boarding if they display any symptoms of coronavirus.
On their return to Dubai, citizens and residents will have to undergo a PCR test at the airport.
They must register their details on the Covid-19 DXB app and commit to restricting themselves at home until their test results are available.
In case they are coroanvirus positive, they must isolate themselves for 14 days and adhere to all guidelines and measures outlined by the Covid-19 Command and Control Centre.
International tourists
International tourists travelling by air to Dubai must ensure they meet all requirements for entry to the UAE.
Downloading the coronavirus DXB app and registering their details on it are critically important since it facilitates easy coordination and communication with health authorities if they experience Covid-19 symptoms.
In addition to filling the ‘Health Declaration Form’ before embarking, they should ensure they have a valid health insurance in order to enter the country.
The airline has the right to refuse boarding at the airport of departure if they display any coronavirus symptoms.
Tourists must do a PCR test with a maximum validity of four days (96 hours) ahead of the date of departure.
They will be required to show proof of not being infected with the virus on arrival at Dubai airports.
If they cannot provide proof, they will undergo a PCR test at the airport.
All arrivals will be subject to thermal screenings.
If a traveller is suspected to have coronavirus symptoms, Dubai airports have the right to re-test to ensure the tourist is free of the virus.
It is mandatory for tourists who test positive for Covid-19 to register their details on the coronavirus DXB app and isolate themselves at an institutional facility provided by the government for 14 days at their own expense. ■
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