Abu Dhabi drops quarantine for vaccinated travellers

Is it time to head to the Middle East for a break?

Abu Dhabi has relaxed its entrance rules from this week meaning all fully vaccinated arrivals will now be able to enter the emirate without having to quarantine.

Both vaccinated and unvaccinated visitors arriving from ‘green list’ countries will also be able to enter quarantine-free.

And a new process aimed at simplifying the checking of international vaccination certificates has also been launched. Visitors will be able to get their vaccine status recognised by uploading their vaccination or exemption certificates to the ica.gov.ae website up to five days before travel. They will then receive an SMS confirmation with a link to the Alhosn app, which must be downloaded before travel, and the app will recognise and automatically synchronise the uploaded certificates.

The app will also display the users’ PCR test result (which is needed to activate Abu Dhabi’s ‘Green Pass’ and allow access to public spaces in the emirate).

On arrival, travellers will receive a Unified ID number at immigration which completes the app registration.

Children under the age of 12 are exempt from testing and entry restrictions and children under the age of 16 do not need a Green Pass to access public spaces.

Fully vaccinated travellers from non-green list areas must take a departure test within 48 hours of travel, a test on arrival and two further tests on day four and day eight.

Green list entrance requirements include taking a PCR test within 48 hours of departure, a second test on arrival and one further test on day six.

All testing after arrival will be arranged by hotels to take place on hotel premises.

Unvaccinated arrivals from non-green list countries must quarantine for ten days, either at home or in a hotel.

All vaccines must be approved by the World Health Organisation.

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