The United Arab Emirates (UAE) UAE travel restrictions – New rules to travel to Dubai & Abu Dhabi for citizens to enter the emirate from within the country and for visitors, as the country steps up measures to contain the coronavirus from spreading.

According to the Abu Dhabi Emergency Crisis and Disasters Committee, the new procedures are effective from February 1, 2021.

PCR tests

According to the new rules, those who take a COVID-19 PCR test and their results come out negative, will be allowed into the emirate for 48 hours from the receipt of the result.

However, those who remain in Abu Dhabi for four or more days will have to take another PCR test on Day 4. For those who have to stay in the emirate for eight days or more, another PCR test must be taken on Day 8.

UAE travel restrictions

For those taking a Diffractive Phase Interferometry (DPI) test, they will be allowed into the emirate for 24 hours from the receipt of the negative result. However, these tests are only valid for entry into the emirate once and cannot be used consecutively.

For those who wish to remain in Abu Dhabi for 48 hours or more will have to take a PCR test on Day 3 and another one must be taken on Day 7, if the persons wish to stay in Abu Dhabi for more than eight days.

Exemptions

The entry testing procedures will apply to all Emiratis and Expats except for those who have either received COVID-19 vaccines during the trials or as part of the national vaccine programmes. They must, however, prove their vaccinated status through the Alhosn app, which must display a golden star or the letter E in order to comply with the latest UAE travel restrictions.

The Committee also explained that those who do not take the tests according to the schedule will be fined.

Direct flights to be suspended as the UAE is added to UK’s ‘red list’

The UAE on Thursday was added to the UK government’s ‘red list’ of countries, meaning direct flights between the two countries will be suspended from Friday afternoon.

The move, confirmed in tweets from Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, means arrivals in the UK are banned other than “British, Irish or third-country nationals with residence rights” who must self-isolate at home for 10 days on their return.

New rules will come into force from 1 pm UK time on Friday, after which there will be no direct flights to the UK from Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

Earlier this month, industry experts said a move by the UK to remove the UAE from its travel corridor would signal the “death knell” for the route.

Previously, incoming flights soared 112 percent in November when the UAE was added to the UK’s safe travel corridor but the latest UAE travel restrictions are seen as knee-jerk reaction form the British government.

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