Dubai Airports clarifies visa ban, outlining a number of exemptions

This is great news for many in-bound travellers to Dubai…

UPDATE: Coronavirus update: UAE visa on arrival temporarily suspended from March 19

Over the weekend, it was announced that all entry visas to the UAE would be temporarily suspended from March 17.

Dubai Airports has since updated its website to clarify the impending changes, indicating that passport holders from a number of countries would be exempt from the ban.

According to a Covid-19 update on the Dubai Airports website, as of Sunday afternoon,

“Effective March 17, UAE authorities have temporarily suspended the issuance of all entry visas. This does not apply to those passengers holding diplomatic passports or those who have had visas issued prior to March 17.”

“It also does not apply to passengers who hold passports from the following countries. These passengers can continue to travel to and from the UAE although may be subject to additional screening.”

UPDATE: For the latest information on COVID-19 screening, visa issuance and flight suspensions to and from @DXB, we advise that you check with your airline before travelling and also visithttps://t.co/64e7dzvoba

— Dubai Airports (@DubaiAirports) March 15, 2020

The website notes that on arrival to Dubai International Airport (DXB), “all passengers will go through a non-intrusive thermal scanning process as they pass through customs.”

Additionally, according to the website, travellers arriving from Rome, Lebanon, Beijing, Syria and Thailand will also have to submit to a nasal swab on arrival.

For those travellers departing from Dubai for the United States, you can expect to undergo thermal screening prior to boarding.

As flight cancellations and visa policies continue to evolve on a daily basis, we suggest you check the Dubai Airports website, DOH’s dedicated coronavirus website, and local authorities before making any travel plans.

This article was updated at 11am, March 17, to reflect changes on dubaiairports.ae