The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has released a comprehensive guide for vaccinated and unvaccinated visitors to ensure streamlined and stress-free travel into the UAE capital.
When planning a trip to Abu Dhabi, all inbound tourists are reminded first to check DCT Abu Dhabi’s destination website VisitAbuDhabi.ae for the latest travel guidelines and necessary COVID-19 precautionary measures. The site will reiterate that a booster (third) dose for any COVID-19 vaccine is not a requirement for entry into the emirate.
Fully vaccinated and unvaccinated international travellers coming into Abu Dhabi via Dubai or other emirates will need to follow the same guidelines as the vaccinated and unvaccinated international travellers flying direct as follows:
Fully-vaccinated COVID-19 travellers: GUIDE: COVID-19 vaccinated visitor’s travel regulations to fly directly to Abu Dhabi
Unvaccinated/Partially-vaccinated COVID-19 travellers: GUIDE: Abu Dhabi’s health measures for unvaccinated tourists flying into emirate
They are also expected to follow a few additional on-ground measures, including:
1. Be cleared to fly. Depending on departure country or airline, travellers may be required to take a PCR test within 48 hours of their departure, with a negative result mandatory. Travellers are advised to check official channels or airline requirements ahead of travel. Information on those required to take the test ahead of travelling can be found on the Emirates Airline COVID-19 Information Hub.
2. Registering and Sharing Personal Information. Downloading the ICA UAE Smart app or visiting the ica.gov.ae website to complete their ‘Register Arrivals Form’ 48 hours before travel date.
3. PCR Testing on Arrival. Depending on the traveller’s departure country, they may be required to take a PCR test upon arrival at Dubai International Airport or Sharjah International Airport. If they take the test at the airport, they must remain in their hotel until results are received. If positive, the traveller will undergo isolation and follow the Dubai Health Authority guidelines.
4. Entry point Scan.
All passengers travelling to Abu Dhabi via the road will be scanned by an EDE mobile scanning device at the entry point of the emirate. Anyone with potential COVID-19 symptoms will be sent for a free rapid antigen test, with results delivered within 20 minutes. If the test is positive, travellers can con-tinue into Abu Dhabi but must isolate either at a quarantine hotel or their accommodations, if visiting friends or family.
READ ON: Abu Dhabi to require ‘green pass’ for vaccinated visitors to emirate starting December 30
5. Documents to present: Vaccinated tourists must present proof of their full (double) vaccination status via their home country’s official vaccination certificate via a mobile application or physical certificate and present a negative PCR test result obtained within the last 14 days. While unvaccinated tourists can enter by presenting a negative PCR test result obtained within the last 96 hours.
6. Quarantine.
-Vaccinated: There will be no further testing or quarantine measures in Abu Dhabi.
-Unvaccinated: If the traveller originally comes from a Green List country and through Dubai or the other emirates, they will not be required to quarantine once they arrive at Abu Dhabi. If the unvaccinated traveller originally comes from a non-Green List country and through Dubai or the other emirates, they will be required to quarantine for 10 days once they arrive in Abu Dhabi. If they spent some time in Dubai, or other emirates, ahead of Abu Dhabi, these days can be put towards the 10-day quarantine count.
7. Access to Abu Dhabi Attractions. To enter public attractions in Abu Dhabi, the majority of which allows access to vaccinated visitors only, visitors will need to present proof of their full (double) vaccination status via their home country’s official vaccination certificate or by their home country COVID response mobile application as well as can present a negative PCR test result, obtained within the last 14 days.
