Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi has updated travel protocols for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) citizens, residents, and visitors entering the city. This will be effective from Sunday, August 15, 2021.
According to the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee, the new rules apply to vaccinated and unvaccinated citizens, residents and visitors.
Vaccinated travellers arriving into Abu Dhabi from green list countries must take a PCR test on arrival without the need to quarantine and take a PCR test on day 6. Vaccinated travellers arriving from other destinations must take a PCR test on arrival, quarantine for seven days, and take a PCR test on day 6.
Unvaccinated travellers arriving into Abu Dhabi from green list destinations must take a PCR test on arrival without the need to quarantine, and take a PCR test on days 6 and 9. When arriving from other destinations, they must take a PCR test on arrival, quarantine for 10 days, and take another PCR test on day 9.
Green List countries
Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong (SAR), Hungary, Israel, Italy, Maldives, Mauritius, Moldova, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Province of China, Ukraine, and United States of America.
New home quarantine guidelines
Abu Dhabi also updated the home quarantine guidelines for those in contact with a COVID-19 positive case.
Those who have been vaccinated must quarantine for seven days and take a PCR test on day six. If the PCR test result is negative, they can remove the wristband and end quarantine on day seven.
Unvaccinated individuals must quarantine for 10 days and take a PCR test on day 9. If the PCR test result is negative, they can remove the wristband and end quarantine on day 10.
Vaccinated residents, tourists can enter public places
Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee, on Saturday, also approved the entry process into public places limited to vaccinated citizens, residents, and tourists. It will be effective from Friday, August 20, 2021.
The approved process allows entry for those vaccinated with green status on the Al-Hosn application, which appears after a negative PCR result and remains for 30 days.
On Friday, Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee announced that visitors and residents who have been vaccinated abroad can upload their vaccination certificate to Al Hosn, the vaccination and testing application in the UAE.
Unvaccinated and grey-status individuals in the Al-Hosn application, which reflects an expired PCR test, are prohibited from entering these public places.
The committee also announced that those with a new residence permit have a grace period of 60 days for vaccination.
The process of entering public places also applies to visitors, who must also adhere to international travel protocol.
The committee clarified that to maintain the vaccination status on the application of Al-Hosn, a booster dose must be taken six months after receiving the second dose as per the medical protocol for each vaccine. A 30-day grace period is granted to all those who took their second dose more than six months ago, before their condition turned gray on September 20.
Participants in vaccine trials are exempt from the booster dose.
The public places where the entry process has been approved for those who are vaccinated are shopping malls, restaurants, coffee shops, and all other retail outlets, including those not within a shopping center, as well as gyms, recreational facilities, sports activities, health clubs, spas, museums, cultural centers, and amusement parks. The list also includes universities, institutes, public and private schools, and nurseries for children in the emirate.
Vaccination certificate verification for visitors
Prior to departure, visitors are required to register in the check-in section of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) application, complete a check-in form and upload an international certificate of vaccination. Visitors will then receive an SMS with a link to download the Al Hosn app.
Upon arrival in Abu Dhabi, visitors will receive a Unified Identification Number (UID) either at the airport or via ICA app or website.
Visitors will then need to download and register on the Alhosn app, using the UID and phone number used for ICA registration or when taking a PCR test in the UAE.
Visitors will get a one-time password (OTP) to complete the registration process on the Al Hosn app. The Al Hosn app allows users to check status, vaccination information, test results, travel test requirements and use a direct QR code.
United Arab Emirates on Saturday reported 1,206 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the country to 700,587 including 1,997 fatalities.