United Arab Emirates (UAE), home to Emirates (Dubai) and Etihad (Abu Dhabi), has made changes to the Covid-19 counter measurements effective today that both Dubai and Abi Dhabi have adopted, although slightly differently.
Fully vaccinated visitors no longer need a predeparture test to fly to Dubai or Abu Dhabi (February 26, 2022). Dubai has also scrapped arrival test requirement that has been in place from select destinations. However, Abu Dhabi continues to test all arrivals.
You can access Emirates here and Etihad here.
The negative predeparture PCR-RT test requirement stays for unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated visitors.
Entry Requirement per Emirates to Dubai:
Requirements for all passengers arriving in Dubai
Entry Requirements per Etihad to Abu Dhabi for fully vaccinated:
No quarantine and tests on arrival
- Free test on arrival in Abu Dhabi airport – after baggage collection
- No quarantine
Dubai Media Office
In line with In line with @NCEMAUAE’s announcements, Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai announces easing of COVID-19 precautionary measures in the emirate starting Sat 26 Feb 2022. 1/3
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) February 25, 2022
Abu Dhabi Media Office (Etihad!)
Good news! No PCR test needed to fly to Abu Dhabi if you are fully vaccinated, hold a COVID-19 recovery certificate or are under 16 years old.
— Etihad Airways (@etihad) February 26, 2022
Conclusion
So, visitors to Dubai only need to ensure that they are fully vaccinated, and the proof of vaccination is included on the QR code like is the case with the EU’s Digital Covid Certificate.
It is unclear what happens to visitors from the US that only have a card with vaccination info but without this QR? Are they required to have a predeparture PCR-RT test?
All visitors entering the UAE through Abu Dhabi will be tested, but there is no predeparture test requirement if fully vaccinated.
Let’s hope that soon more countries only have vaccination requirement without time-consuming and expensive Covid-tests, as I need to do both antigen (Brazil) and PCR-RT (Chile) in the coming week.