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Abu Dhabi announces new entry rules and welcomes back international tourists

Quarantine times are to be reduced for travellers to the emirate

by Time Out Editors

Abu Dhabi has announced new regulations for entering the emirate – including cutting the quaran-tine time on arrival.

A series of updated health and safety measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 will come in on Thursday December 24.

The Committee has approved procedures for all international travellers, both residents and tour-ists, including exempting travellers from ‘green’ countries from quarantine and reducing the quarantine period for travellers from other countries to 10 days.

The ‘gree’ list countries will be updated every two weeks.

Current green countries include:

• Australia
• Brunei
• China
• Greece
• Greenland
• Hong Kong
• Malaysia
• Mauritius
• New Zealand
• Saudi Arabia
• Singapore
• Taiwan
• Tajikistan
• Thailand
• Uzbekistan
• Vietnam

The rules come from Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee, which has approved “increasing the operational capacity of economic, tourism and entertainment activities in line with the approved precautionary measures”.

International travellers will be required to present a negative PCR test result received within 96 hours of their scheduled departure and take a second PCR test upon entering the emirate.

Travellers from ‘green’ countries will be allowed into the emirate when they receive a negative test result, while travellers from other countries must self-isolate for ten days. Country classifications will be reviewed every two weeks.

Other changes include extending the validity of a negative PCR or DPI test used to enter Abu Dhabi to 72 hours, up from 48 hours. The tests done on days four and eight will be replaced with one test on day six – for those staying six or more consecutive days. They must take a second test on day 12 if they are staying 12 or more consecutive days.

Quarantine for those who have been in contact with a positive case has been reduced to ten days, provided a PCR test is taken on day eight with a negative result.

Approval has also been granted for periodic screening programmes for residents of industrial zones and highly populated areas, as well as increasing the capacity of SEHA testing centres outside Abu Dhabi and closing testing centres at entry points.

Meanwhile, new rules for all UAE citizens and residents entering Abu Dhabi are to come into force on Thursday December 24.

Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee tonight (Tuesday December 22) announced that all citizens and residents must take a PCR or DPI test and receive a negative result within 72 hours of entering Abu Dhabi.
They must then take a PCR test on day six from entry, when staying six or more consecutive days – or be liable for fines.

Those who have volunteered for the National Vaccination Programme and volunteers in Phase III clinical trials who have an identification mark of the letter E or golden star on the Alhosn app are exempt. They are also allowed to use emergency vehicles lanes when entering the emirates.