COVID-19: Dubai eases travel restrictions from certain countries including India

Dubai: Authorities in Dubai have eased travel restrictions for its residents from certain countries, including India, if they have received two doses of a UAE-approved COVID-19 vaccine, according to a media report.

The Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai, headed by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced updates to Dubai’s travel protocols for inbound passengers from South Africa, Nigeria and India, effective from June 23, the Gulf News reported.

With regard to travel from India, only passengers with a valid residence visa who have received two doses of a UAE-approved vaccine, are allowed to travel to Dubai. There are four vaccines approved by the UAE government — Sinopharm, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sputnik V and Oxford-AstraZeneca, the report added.

However, from South Africa and Nigeria, non-residence passengers are also allowed to travel subject to the vaccination and PCR test conditions.

A negative test certificate from a PCR test taken 48 hours before departure is required, the report said.

The UAE nationals are exempted from this requirement. Only QR-coded negative PCR test certificates are accepted, it said.

Furthermore, passengers from India are required to undergo a rapid PCR test four hours prior to departure to Dubai. They must also undergo another PCR test on arrival in Dubai. In addition, following arrival, passengers from India should undergo institutional quarantine until they receive their PCR test result, which is expected within 24 hours, the report added.

In late April, the UAE closed its borders for travellers from India due to a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country during the second wave of the pandemic.