The new travel rules take effect from Sunday January 31…

The Dubai Media Office has just announced that the Supreme Committee for Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai has approved some amendments to travel protocols which will take effect on Sunday Janaury 31, 2021.

The announcement was made on January 27, on the Dubai Media Office official Twitter account.

Arriving in Dubai

According to the tweet, UAE residents, GCC citizens and visitors, arriving through air, sea and land ports of Dubai are required to do a PCR test prior to departure to Dubai irrespective of the country they are coming from.

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The Committee has also mandated that arrivals from certain countries (based on the pandemic situation in those countries) require an additional test on arrival in Dubai.

According to the Dubai Media Office, the protocols will remain the same for UAE citizens returning to the country from overseas, which exempt them from undergoing a PCR test prior to departure, regardless of the country they are coming from. They will only be required to conduct a PCR test on arrival in Dubai.

The third amendment reduces the validity of the PCR tests to 72 hours instead of 96 hours.

Departing from Dubai

The committee has also directed Dubai airports to provide Rapid PCR or Rapid Antigen testing at Dubai airports, in cooperation with relevant authorities, to facilitate travel procedures for passengers departing from Dubai to countries that require this type of pre-travel test, in accordance with the time-frame specified.

According to the Dubai Media Office, the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management stated that the updated travel protocols are part of a regular process of revising and optimising precautionary measures based on the latest local, regional and international developments. They are also aimed at enabling the city to continue serving as a global commercial hub and a bridge for travel and trade between the east and west.

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