If you are flying to Dubai from August 1 from several U.S airports including Dallas Fort Worth, … [+]
Some passengers will soon face a Covid-19 test on arrival in Dubai, in addition to having to take a test prior to departure the airport authority says.
New rules from August 1 mean passengers from a handful of U.S. airports must submit to PCR tests on landing in the Emirate, according to local media. They must also show negative test results, issued within 96 hours of departure, or be denied boarding.
Double Testing Rules Come In August 1 For 29 Countries
The U.S. is among a list of 29 countries whose travelers will be ‘double tested’, in keeping with UAE rules reports Gulf News. Passengers on this list must isolate themselves in their hotel rooms, awaiting test results, before they can move on.
This comes as the UAE makes negative results mandatory at check-in for all travelers.
Emirates airline confirms on its website that from August 1, “all passengers travelling to Dubai from any destination (including passengers in transit), must have a negative Covid-19 test certificate to be accepted on the flight.
“You may need to take another Covid-19 PCR test on arrival,” it says. “If you take a test at the airport, you must remain in your hotel or residence until you receive the test result.”
The airline has issued the following list of countries concerned by the double testing requirements.
The select airports in the United States are Dallas Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando. The rule also applies to passengers from California, Florida and Texas connecting to an Emirates flight from any airport worldwide.
- Afghanistan
- Armenia
- Brazil
- Bangladesh
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lebanon
- Montenegro
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Russian Federation,
- Serbia
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
- United States–select airports
Travelers arriving at Dubai Airport or Al-Maktoum International airport from 29 countries including … [+]
A few other points to note about the new testing rules:
- The PCR tests will be carried out at Dubai International Airport as well as Al Maktoum International Airport.
- If the test result is positive, you will be required to undergo isolation and follow the Dubai Health Authority guidelines. You must also download Dubai’s Covid-19 Smart App on your phone.
- The testing prior to departure obligation does not apply to children under the age of 12 and passengers with “a moderate or severe disability”.
- If the UAE government has designated a specific testing laboratory in your country, then you must get the certificate from that lab.
- In the U.S. this does not apply. “The certificate must be from a registered practitioner or laboratory,” the document states.
- From August 1, UAE citizens and residents no longer need to take the test on arrival, unless they are traveling from one of the destinations listed above.
All Travelers Bound For UK/Europe Must Take Test Before Boarding
From August 1, Emirates says all passengers traveling from Dubai to the U.K. or Europe must be tested no more than 4 days (96 hours) prior to departure, and present the result at check-in. The National points out the rule actually applies to all UAE residents only flying to Britain and the EU.
