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Updated 07 November 2022

The UAE authorities have outlined certain rules and requirements for international travellers wishing to enter the UAE, and most of the entry restrictions have been relaxed in comparison to the earlier placed stringent ones.

Here, we’ve rounded up all the latest UAE travel rules and requirements you need to fulfil before flying out to the UAE.

Table of Contents

Travel rules for tourists

Passengers travelling to Dubai from all countries (GCC included) must fulfil one of the below requirements:

Present a valid vaccination certificate(s) reflecting that the passenger is fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the WHO or the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and includes a QR code
Present a valid negative COVID‑19 PCR test certificate issued within 48 hours after the sample was collected and issued by an approved health service provider with a QR code
Present a valid medical certificate issued by the relevant authorities that the passenger has recovered from COVID‑19 within 1 month from the date of recovery to the date of arrival

Travel rules for UAE citizens

Citizens who are not vaccinated with regular or booster doses are allowed to travel, provided they undergo a PCR test within 48 hours before their date of departure. They must also complete the travel forms in the Al Hosn App to turn their application status to green.

In short, they must meet one of the following requirements to travel out of Dubai:

Must have completed one (1) dose of an approved vaccine and a period of one month has not lapsed from the date of the vaccination and the date of travel; or
Must have competed two (2) doses of an approved vaccine; or
If not vaccinated, the passenger must present a valid negative Covid‑19 PCR Test certificate that is issued within 48 hours from the time of sample collection and the time of boarding the aircraft. The COVID‑19 PCR test certificate has to be issued from an approved health service provider and must contain a QR code.

The following categories of UAE Nationals are exempted from the specified travel conditions provided they obtain an official letter from the relevant health authority in the UAE:

Individuals medically exempted from taking the vaccine
Humanitarian cases
Individuals travelling for medical and/or treatment purposes

Any exception must be obtained by the individuals from the relevant authorities before arrival to airport or making travel arrangements.

Covid-19 travel advisory

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has issued a new set of guidelines for UAE residents travelling out of the country:

Check out the Covid-19 prevention guidelines for travellers. ✈️#MoHAP_UAE pic.twitter.com/9osnf54Xmg
— وزارة الصحة ووقاية المجتمع – MOHAP UAE (@mohapuae) May 31, 2022

Before travelling

Check the Covid-19 stats (situation) in areas where the new variant is spreading and travel only if necessary.
Vulnerable individuals such as the elderly, diabetics, and those with cardiovascular diseases must avoid travelling to areas where the virus is spreading unless necessary.
Complete the recommended doses of the vaccine

While travelling

Wash your hands regularly (with soap and water or sanitizers with 70 percent alcohol)
Maintain physical distance from others.
Avoid crowded places
Consult your doctor immediately if you feel sick
Comply with local Covid-19 guidelines for travelling, transportation and gatherings.
Wearing a face mask after boarding a flight is no longer a governmental requirement, and is now left to airlines to enforce it onboard.

After travelling

As the daily infections continue to decline and COVID-19 deaths remain virtually zero, the UAE has eased most of the COVID-19 restrictions in the country starting 07 November 2022.

#NCEMA: Today, we announce the lifting of all restrictions and precautionary measures related to #COVID19.
#TogetherWeRecover pic.twitter.com/OA4BTicHFl
— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) November 6, 2022

Here are a few changes that you must know of:

A green pass is not required to enter public facilities and sites
Al Hosn App use will be limited to proof of vaccination and test results inside and outside the country upon request
Wearing masks will be optional in all open and closed facilities and masks remain mandatory in health facilities and centres for people of determination
COVID-19 PCR testing and treatment health facilities will continue to operate per usual
Praying on personal mats will be optional at mosques and praying facilities
Organizing bodies at the national and local levels may request pre-examinations or vaccination certificates, according to the type or importance of the activity
A five-days isolation period for those infected with COVID-19 will still be implemented.

General entry rules

No GDRFA and ICA approval needed

GDRFA and ICA approval has been scrapped for all residents and tourists travelling to the UAE.

GDRFA and ICA Approval Scrapped for All Residents Travelling to the UAE

UAE residents from all over the globe can now travel to the emirates without pre-travel or registration on GDRFA or ICA portal.

Testing and vaccination requirements

Unvaccinated tourists and travellers will have to present a valid negative COVID‑19 PCR test certificate issued within 48 hours from the time of sample collection and issued by an approved health service provider with a QR code. Please note that:

Printed or digital PCR test certificates or vaccination certificates are accepted in English or Arabic and must include a QR code. SMS certificates are not accepted.
COVID‑19 vaccination certificates without a QR code will be accepted for travel to Dubai as long as the vaccination certificate is issued by test centres/organisations recognised/approved by the national health authorities of the country.
COVID‑19 PCR test or vaccination certificates in other languages are acceptable if they can be validated at the departure point.
PCR tests must be based on a molecular diagnostic test intended for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid for SARS‑COV‑2 viral RNA. Rapid antigen, antibody or any form of rapid lateral flow tests and home test kits will not be accepted.
NHS COVID‑19 test certificates for travel from the United Kingdom to Dubai will not be accepted.

As mentioned above, fully vaccinated and recently recovered travellers need not submit a negative COVID test report for entry.

Exemptions

UAE nationals arriving from all countries to Dubai are not required to present any PCR or vaccination certificate.

An exemption from this requirement is also extended to the below categories of passengers travelling to Dubai from all destinations:

First degree relatives of a UAE national travelling on the same flight
Domestic workers travelling with a UAE national sponsor

Other exemptions include:

Children below 12 years old.
Passengers with moderate to severe disabilities:
- Moderate or severe disability includes neurological disorders and intellectual or developmental disabilities. For example: Acute spinal cord injury, Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Ataxia, Autism spectrum, Bell’s palsy, Brain tumours, Cerebral aneurysm, Cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, Epilepsy and seizures.
- All other passengers, including those who are visually impaired, hearing impaired or physically challenged must hold a negative COVID‑19 RT PCR test certificate as per the requirements.

Quarantine rules

Quarantine requirements for COVID-19 contacts and arriving passengers have been done away with; but the isolation measures for those infected with COVID-19 have not changed.

Individuals infected with COVID-19 will need to isolate for 5 days and mandatorily wear a mask. In addition, any close contact will only need a PCR test if they possess COVID-19 symptoms; however, PCR tests are recommended for close contacts from the vulnerable categories (including the elderly and people of determination).

Each emirate may still impose its own quarantine and PCR measures for COVID-19 patients.

Transit passengers

Transiting passengers are not required to present a COVID 19‑PCR test certificate unless it is mandated by their final destination.

Download and install the Al Hosn app

To properly confirm their test and vaccination status, travellers are advised to download and instal the Al Hosn app on their mobile devices.

The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has upgraded the Al Hosn app with a color-coded system allowing users to promptly display their vaccination status as well as their latest PCR test results. A ‘green pass’ status means that a traveller is fully vaccinated and has a valid PCR test result.

Al Hosn App for Tourists: Guide for Securing the Green Pass for Tourists

The green pass will now remain green for vaccinated individuals, 30 days after a negative PCR test instead of the earlier 14 days. Meanwhile, unvaccinated individuals need to get a PCR test every 7 days to retain the pass. The green pass is also mandatory for entry to federal government offices and some public places in Abu Dhabi.