The United Arab Emirates is one of the world’s largest aviation hubs, given that Emirates is based in Dubai and Etihad is based in Abu Dhabi.
Since late March the country has more or less closed borders, with locals largely not being allowed to enter or leave the country, and foreigners not being able to visit the country. This is a stricter border closure than we’ve seen in many other countries, since most countries placed very few restrictions on residents entering and leaving.
Emirates has gradually ramped up operations and currently flies to 40 destinations, but even so, the airline is focused mostly on transit passengers. Currently visitors are only allowed to transit the airport, and not actually enter the country.
The UAE’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management has now announced plans to once again open borders, allowing travel for locals and visitors alike. What does the plan look like?
In this post:
UAE will welcome visitors as of July 7, 2020
Visitors will once again be allowed to enter Dubai by air as of July 7, 2020, assuming they meet all the other requirements of entering the UAE:
- Visitors will need to download the COVID-19 DXB app and register details to facilitate coordination and communication with health authorities if they experience COVID-19 symptoms
- Visitors will need to have valid health insurance
- Visitors must get a PCR test at most 96 hours ahead of their date of departure to the UAE, and proof of this will need to be shown on arrival at Dubai Airport
- If proof of a PCR test can’t be shown, visitors will need to undergo a test at the airport upon arrival; it’s not yet clear what the cost for that will be, and if visitors will need to quarantine until the results come in
- Visitors be subject to thermal screening upon arrival, and if they are suspected to have COVID-19 symptoms, the airport has the right to re-test them to make sure they’re free of the virus
- Visitors who test positive for COVID-19 will need to isolate themselves in an institutional facility provided by the government at their own expenses for 14 days
Visitors can once again enter the UAE as of July 7
UAE residents can return as of June 22, 2020
UAE residents (this mostly includes foreign workers) holding Dubai-issued visas will once again be allowed to return to the UAE as of tomorrow:
- They must pre-book 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
- They’ll need to fill in a “Health Declaration Form” before embarking on their trip to confirm they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms
- Upon return to Dubai, citizens and residents will have to undergo a PCR test at the airport, and must register their details on the COVID-19 DXB app
- They must commit to isolating themselves until test results are made available, and in the event of a positive test, will need to isolate for 14 days
UAE residents can return as of June 22
UAE residents can depart as of June 23, 2020
UAE residents and citizens will be allowed to once again leave the country as of June 23, 2020:
- There will be no restrictions on the overseas destinations that citizens and residents can travel to
- They must comply with guidelines and protocols followed in the countries they’re traveling to
- They’ll need to fill in a “Health Declaration Form” before embarking on their trip to confirm they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms
- Upon return to Dubai, citizens and residents will have to undergo a PCR test at the airport, and must register their details on the COVID-19 DXB app
- They must commit to isolating themselves until test results are positive, and in the event of a positive test, will need to isolate for 14 days
UAE residents can travel once again as of June 23
Bottom line
The UAE has revealed full plans to reopen borders in the coming weeks. Over the next couple of days UAE citizens and residents will be allowed to leave and enter the country, while as of July 7 visitors will be allowed to enter the country.
Visitors will need to present a negative PCR test taken within 96 hours of departure, or alternatively can be tested upon arrival (the cost of that option isn’t yet known).
What do you make of the UAE’s plans to reopen borders?
Think you have a typo in the sentence below. First positive does not really fit there
"They must commit to isolating themselves until test results are $positive$, and in the event of a positive test, will need to isolate for 14 days"
Obviously you don’t have to answer that question as it’s a private medical matter but you do spend a lot of time lauding travel testing regimes in other countries.
I think, though that given you live in a state and a country that tries to downplay the severity of this issue; in the former case by firing a statistician who wouldn’t manipulate the numbers and in the latter lead by someone, and let’s be...
Obviously you don’t have to answer that question as it’s a private medical matter but you do spend a lot of time lauding travel testing regimes in other countries.
I think, though that given you live in a state and a country that tries to downplay the severity of this issue; in the former case by firing a statistician who wouldn’t manipulate the numbers and in the latter lead by someone, and let’s be charitable here, jokes about suppressing testing; you have to take personal responsibility and show some leadership here.
Conditions haven’t materially changed in America since the stay home, flatten the curve message went out. The infection has moved around a bit, some big states have done well smaller states are starting to see the issues New York did.
So you have to take responsibility, test and quarantine on your return and if you got sick you’re going to have to inform everyone you interacted with, because it appears the government won’t do that for you. Stay home was the mantra and it should have moved on to Test Trace Isolate but those systems have not been put in place.
The only responsible thing to do Is stay home. No unnecessary trips until there are effective treatments, a vaccine or at the very least an effective tracing regime.
I totally realise that this is your livelihood, and travel is my hobby (except when it is also business), however you have the position, power and standing to say ‘Stay Home, it’s not worth risking health and lives of people I interact with’
So did you get tested before you left on you cross country jaunt?
Will you quarantine on return?
Curious to see how Qatar and Akbar al Baker are gonna trump this!
Just want to say I read your column and enjoy it everyday.
if every country has this system in place, travel shouldn't be an issue. if people want to politicize rules during this time, they should just stay where they are and not cause trouble for the rest of us period. as with most people in this game, I want to go anyplace just to be free but have no issue with following rules.
Damn, here in the USA we really need one of those "Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management" things like they have in Dubai.
With a new Crisis and Disaster each day, where's Don Junior or Rudy when we really need them?
July is way too hot. Maybe if they are still open in the fall