From August 1, 2020, all inbound and transit passengers including citizens, residents and tourists will be required to carry a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, according to the UAE government’s latest travel advisory.
The UAE has brought in mandatory testing for all airline passengers travelling to the country. Travelers must undergo tests in their country and present a negative test report at check-in desks before flying to the Emirates.
The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (Ncema) said the rules applied to “all Emiratis, residents, and tourists, arriving via the country’s airports, irrespective of the countries they are coming from”, according to state news agency Wam.
The test must be taken a maximum of 96 hours before departure and excludes children under the age of 12 and passengers who have a moderate or severe disability.
The certificate should be from one of the designated laboratories in the country of origin, listed by the UAE government. If it is not specified, the concerned airline will get in touch with the passenger to coordinate for the test result, acquired from an accredited lab in the latter’s country of departure.
The list of countries whose passengers will be required to take a second PCR swab test, released by Dubai Airports and Emirates, include several countries with a high number of daily new cases, such as Russia and Brazil, and nations without recognized testing centres. They are:
Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Middle East and Africa: Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, South Africa and Tanzania.
Europe: Armenia, Montenegro, Russia and Serbia.
The Americas: Brazil, the US – Dallas Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, including passengers originating from California, Florida and Texas who connect to an Emirates flight from any airport to Dubai.
To date, all passengers landing in Dubai have been tested when they landed at the airport but this will stop on August 1.
Those departing from Dubai on or after August 1 to the European Union (EU) countries and the United Kingdom, (and other mandated destinations) have to take a PCR test no more than 96 hours before departure and present the test result certificate at check-in.
Additionally, passengers may have to undergo another PCR test on arrival. They must remain in their respective hotel or residence until the test result is out. If the test result is positive, the traveller will be required to undergo isolation and follow the Dubai Health Authority guidelines.
All travelers to Dubai, including passengers with a connecting flight, must complete a health declaration form and give it to the staff at check-in. The form will also be available at the check-in counter. A quarantine undertaking form, given to you onboard also needs to be completed if Dubai is your final destination.
dubaiairports.ae, emirates.com
