Photographed by Domen / Van De Velde for Vogue Arabia
In an announcement made by Dubai‘s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management on Sunday, it was confirmed that as of June 23, citizens and residents would be permitted to travel to any foreign destination, so long as the country to which they are travelling will accept them. While repatriation flights have been in operation since April, this is the first official announcement pertaining to leisure travel since the onset of Covid-19 grounded flights all over the country earlier this year. Part of the announcement also included the emirate’s plans to welcome back visitors and tourists from July 7.
Under the directives of @HHShkMohd, and follow-up of @HamdanMohammed Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announces new air travel protocols for #Dubai citizens, residents and visitors. pic.twitter.com/UZmT8UBwXs
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 21, 2020
While border restrictions will no longer implicate where citizens can and cannot travel to, travellers will still have to adhere to the guidelines and protocols administered by foreign governments in the countries to which they are travelling. This includes self-isolation periods, curfews and social-distancing requirements. A suite of new rules and regulations addressing airport etiquette has also been administered for outbound passengers, who will have to undergo a Covid-19 screening test upon arrival at the terminal. Once back in the UAE, residents will have to complete their details in the Covid-19 DXB Smart App, which will require them to stay home pending the return of their test results. For those who test positive, a mandatory self-isolation period of 14 days must be undertaken. “Residents sharing homes or living in high-density housing will be isolated at an institutional facility if they test positive,” the committee said.
Referring to residents that have been stranded outside of the UAE since the start of the pandemic, the new guidelines confirm they can now return by booking flights on any airline. While an approval coordinated between Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs and the airline is mandatory, restrictions pertaining to closed borders will be lifted. Passengers flying into Dubai must fill in a health declaration form before their journey noting they do not have Covid-19 symptoms, and all airlines reserve the right to refuse passengers displaying symptoms from boarding the airline.
Lastly, speaking to the matter of tourism and inbound travellers, the announcement noted that tourists would be welcomed back in the UAE by July 7, as long as they meet all the necessary requirements set out for non-residents. In addition to having valid health insurance, visitors will have to download the Covid-19 DXB app and register their details in the health declaration form. They will also need to have a PCR Covid-19 test with a maximum validity of four days ahead of departure and will be subject to thermal screenings upon arrival at the airport.
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