Coronavirus: UAE officials clarify travel and testing rules for this summer


  • English
  • Arabic

People living in the UAE who travel abroad this summer do not need approval or to be tested before they leave the country, an immigration official said.

While permission is required to return to the country, it is not necessary to apply before departure.

The country's federal authorities sought to clarify the process after travel restrictions were recently eased and as airlines reopen more routes.

Brig Gen Khamis Al Kaabi, spokesman for the Identity and Citizenship Authority, explained to Abu Dhabi's Emarat TV the rules for UAE residents travelling abroad, and for those trying to return.

The measures outlined below do not apply to Dubai, which has its own crisis authority and immigration service, but Dubai does not require travellers to get tested for Covid before they leave the country.

Rules for UAE residents going on holiday

Brig Gen Al Kaabi said:

– People travelling abroad this summer do not need to be tested before they travel to the airport for their departure flight.

– Emiratis and expatriates are strongly encouraged to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Tawajudi system, letting officials know which country they are in, and may be asked for it on departure. This is a tracking system, separate to the ICA system that is used to bring residents home.

– All travellers should ensure they check the rules of the country they are visiting, in case they need to get tested before they fly.

– Once abroad, they must apply to the ICA's system to return and show an approval number on their return. It is not possible to apply before you leave.

– UAE residents abroad, whether they are holidaymakers or seeking to return after being stuck when the borders closed in March, must be tested in the country of departure before returning to the Emirates. A network of recognised clinics is listed here.

Despite that ruling, some travellers who could not get tested abroad said they were swabbed on arrival at Abu Dhabi airport.

– Despite flights opening up, Brig Al Kaabi said the federal government does not recommend travelling during these times unless necessary. He said travellers should check the requirements of the destination country.

Last week, Etihad Airways said it did not require passengers to show a negative Covid test nor ICA approval before they depart.

Expired visas

– UAE authorities on Friday reversed the decision to extend any residency visas that had expired during the outbreak.

– Visas are now being renewed again and residents whose documents have expired since March have three months to get their affairs in order before fines are imposed from October 11.

– Residents who were stranded abroad when the borders closed on March 19 have one month after they land to renew their visa before they are fined.

Brig Al Kaabi said they may require fresh medical tests to renew their visa, and rules vary between the emirates.

Tourists returning

Dubai allowed tourists to return from July 7, issuing visas on arrival for the first time since early March.

The other emirates are expected to start welcoming visitors in the coming weeks and months.

Abu Dhabi airport is not asking outbound travellers and residents going on holiday to be tested or show approval. Victor Besa / The National
Abu Dhabi airport is not asking outbound travellers and residents going on holiday to be tested or show approval. Victor Besa / The National

Brig Al Kaabi said the government was keen to welcome back visitors, but that it would depend on the local and global pandemic situation.

He said the rules remained the same for Emiratis and expats, and thanked people for their patience in difficult times.

"Members of society, whether expats or UAE nationals, are all our partners," Brig Al Kaabi said.

"They have shown responsibility through complying with regulations and we promise to offer them the best services."

Stranded abroad

Tens of thousands of UAE residents who were stranded abroad when the borders closed in March have been gradually returning by applying to the ICA immigration system.

But many, particularly those without relatives in the country, have been rejected. To date, stranded family members and people in vital sectors have been given priority.

The authorities are expected to lift restrictions when daily infection numbers, which have run at about 500 a day in recent weeks, start to decline.

Dubai's rules for travel this summer

– Before you book your flight, you should apply to Dubai's immigration service, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, for permission to return. You will be given a file number that must be entered on your visa. You don't technically need this to leave the country but you will need it to return. For peace of mind, you should apply before you go. If you are travelling abroad for more than 30 days, you must apply once you are abroad and well before your flight home.

– If you are flying with Emirates airline, you need a number from the directorate to book your outward-bound journey. Other airlines do not require this.

– As a Dubai visa-holder you are not required by the emirate’s government or airlines to be tested for Covid-19 before you fly out.

– Despite this, many residents are paying the Dh370 cost of being tested as a precaution before they fly.

– All passengers are being tested on arrival in Dubai. Tourists have the option of taking a PCR-test up to 96 hours before flying to the UAE and presenting Dubai authorities with the negative certificate on arrival.

Dubai from the air - in pictures

UAE and Russia in numbers

UAE-Russia ties stretch back 48 years

Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018

More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE

Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE

The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023

UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP

Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan

Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri

Scoreline

Liverpool 3
Mane (7'), Salah (69'), Firmino (90')

Bournemouth 0

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi

From: Dara

To: Team@

Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT

Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East

Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.

Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.

I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.

This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.

It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.

Uber on,

Dara