From 8am Saturday, January 16, travellers from the UK and Germany will no longer be eligible for a free Covid-19 test upon arrival in Dubai…

Emirates Airlines has updated its travel requirements for passengers flying to Dubai. As of 8am this Saturday, January 16, passengers from the UK and Germany will be required to present a negative PCR test result prior to boarding. The test must be taken no more than 96 hours prior to flying.

The Emirates website states: “Tourists travelling from or through the UK and Germany and arriving in Dubai after 8am on Saturday 16 January must have a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken no more than 96 hours before departure and present the certificate at check‑in.”

Travellers to Dubai are reminded to bring a physical copy of their PCR test results in either English or Arabic. SMS or digital copies will not be accepted.

Dubai residents travelling from the UK or Germany can still opt for the free PCR test on arrival.

According to Emirates, tourists who are transiting through Dubai from the UK or Germany are not required to present a Covid‑19 PCR test certificate unless it is mandated by their country of origin or final destination. However, if you’ve booked a transit stay in a hotel that is outside Dubai airport, you will be required to show the negative PCR test result.

Prior to 8am Saturday, tourists from the UK and Germany may continue to take a PCR test on arrival into Dubai. Passengers from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain will still be eligible for the free PCR test when they arrive in Dubai.

The move comes as the UK announced on Tuesday this week that the UAE had been removed from the UK travel corridor. Passengers flying from the UAE to the UK must now quarantine on arrival for 10 days.

A statement from the Department for Transport said: “The decision has been made following a significant acceleration in the number of imported cases, along with the number of reported new cases over the past seven days, which have risen in the UAE by 52 per cent.”

For more information, visit: emirates.com