File Photo. Farooq Naeem—AFP
U.A.E. advisory says incoming passengers would still need to provide negative PCR tests prior to commencement of travel
The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday informed the Civil Aviation Authority that it will no longer require pre-departure rapid antigen tests at airports for passengers traveling to Dubai or Sharjah from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India.
According to a notification, the U.A.E. said that the new rules would into effect immediately. It said that while the rapid antigen testing requirement was being abolished, airlines would still need to ensure that all passengers provided a negative PCR test secured no earlier than 48 hours prior to commencement of travel.
Similarly, it said, all incoming passengers would need to undergo a PCR test upon arrival in Dubai and self-quarantine until a negative test result has been confirmed. “In the event the passenger is tested positive, then such passenger shall follow the guidelines issued by the relevant Health Authority in the Emirate of Dubai,” it added.
For transit passengers, read the notification, all rules for entry would be determined by the final destination. It said that returning U.A.E. nationals would be exempt from having to secure a negative COVID-19 PCR test before departure, adding that they would still need to be tested upon arrival in Dubai.
Similarly, children under 12 and passengers with moderate or severe disabilities are also exempt from taking COVID-19 RT-PCR tests.
The UAE authorities had made it mandatory for Pakistani travellers to get a negative rapid PCR test conducted within four hours prior to departure of a flight for Dubai in August last year.