The emirate’s Green List has grown substantially in today’s announcement…

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi’s (DCT) has updated its Green List’ of countries, regions and territories with a huge 21 changes. The new list will come into effect at 12.01am September 1, 2021, that’s tonight (Tuesday night).

The new additions to the list are Croatia, Comoros, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Maldives, Monaco, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

What is the Green List?

The Abu Dhabi ‘Green List’ of countries is a collection of international territories that have been deemed as a low-risk of bringing Covid-19 into the emirate. The list is compiled through a thorough analysis of pandemic management criteria, in areas such as infection and vaccination rates, government policy, entry requirements and testing protocol.

The Green List is updated periodically in line with international health developments. And making it onto the list requires destinations to satisfy a strict set of health and safety criteria.

This means that passengers arriving from these destinations will not have to undergo the quarantine period but will have to take a PCR test when they arrive at the Abu Dhabi airport.

 The full Green List as of 12.01am September 1, 2021

  • Albania
  • Armenia
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahrain
  • Belgium
  • Bhutan
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • China
  • Comoros
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hong Kong (SAR)
  • Hungary
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Jordan
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Luxembourg
  • Maldives
  • Malta
  • Mauritius
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Qatar
  • Republic of Ireland
  • Romania
  • San Marino
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • South Korea
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan, Province of China
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Ukraine

Travel corridors

If you have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (final dose received at least 28 days before travel), you will also not be required to quarantine when you travel between Abu Dhabi and the following countries: Bahrain, Greece, Serbia and Seychelles.

Arriving into Abu Dhabi from a Green List country

Most recent rule update August 14, 2021.

There will be a PCR test on arrival for both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, and neither group are required to quarantine if the arrival test is negative.

Vaccinated passengers arriving from Green List countries are also currently required to take a further PCR test on day six after arriving in the capital (the day you arrive is considered day 1).

Unvaccinated passengers arriving from Green List countries are required to take a PCR test on day six after arriving in the capital and day nine.

What happens if I’m travelling to Abu Dhabi from a destination not on the Green List or travel corridor…?

Vaccinated passengers will need to quarantine for seven days and take a PCR test on arrival and on day six.

Unvaccinated passengers will need to quarantine for 10 days, taking PCR tests on arrival and on day nine.

Those required to quarantine will have to wear a tracker bracelet, in order to ensure isolation orders are not broken. Individuals found to be breaking the rules will face heavy fines.

What happens if I’m entering via Dubai or another emirate

If you’ve flown into another emirate in the UAE, the number of days you spend there will be deducted from any required quarantine in Abu Dhabi. You must declare your flight dates at the border when attempting to enter Abu Dhabi, and will have to continue any further quarantine as directed, and take follow up PCR tests as described above.

Images: Getty