Tourists should register their vaccine certificates on the ICE website, five days in advance of travel…

The Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee has just announced a big change to the entry requirements for international travellers to Abu Dhabi.

From Sunday, September 5, 2021, fully vaccinated individuals, will no longer need to quarantine, regardless of nationality and departure location.

The Green List will remain in place however, with quarantine requirements still in place for unvaccinated individuals entering from non-Green List countries.

Which vaccines are accepted?

Vaccines must be approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The WHO has currently approved six Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use:

Oxford–AstraZeneca (including Covishield), Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinopharm-BBIBP, Moderna, Sinovac, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).

Testing requirements remain

All passengers, without exception, will still need to show a negative PCR test result obtained within 48 hours of their departure.

Further PCR tests are also still required after arrival, the timings for which depend on your vaccination status and which country you have flown in from. The day of arrival is classed as day one.

Vaccinated passengers arriving from Green List countries will need a PCR on arrival, and on day six.

Vaccinated passengers arriving from non-Green List countries will need a PCR on arrival, and on days four and eight.

Unvaccinated passengers arriving from Green List countries will need a PCR on arrival, and on day six and nine.

Unvaccinated passengers arriving from non-Green List countries will need a PCR on arrival, and on day nine.

How tourists prove they’ve been vaccinated

Vaccine certificates will be essential for those wishing to enter the UAE on these updated rules. Tourists must get their documents registered on the ICA website five days prior to the departure date.

Step one, download the ICA app and fill in the form under the Register Arrival section. Here you’ll be able to upload your vaccination certificates and once completed, you’ll be sent an SMS with a link to download the Alhosn app. You’ll need to use the same phone number on the ICA app, as you use for the Alhosn app — we recommend that you use a UAE sim (you can change the registered phone number registered to the ICA via the ICA app).

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Next you’ll need a UID number, this can be provided at the airport when you arrive or via the ICA website. This is essential for setting up your profile on the Alhosn app. You’ll need to link a phone number to the Alhosn account (the same one you’ve used for the ICA) and as above, we recommend that it’s a UAE number.

Are children exempt from vaccination requirements?

Although specific instructions on the minimum age requirement for vaccine proof have yet to be stipulated, if it follows the global average, those below 16 would be exempt from having to demonstrate vaccination status.

Children under 12 are exempt from PCR requirements.

What if I’m unvaccinated

Unvaccinated passengers arriving from Green List countries are not required to quarantine.

However, if you’ve not received both doses of a UAE-approved vaccine before arriving into Abu Dhabi from a non Green List country, you’ll still need to quarantine for 10 days.

Images: Getty