Tourists travelling to Dubai
Before you book
Check if you need a visa. Depending on your nationality you can get a visa on arrival, or you can apply for your prearranged visit visa from Dubai Immigration before you travel.
Before you travel
GDRFA or ICA approval is not required for tourists travelling to the UAE.
Passengers arriving from the following countries must follow specific protocols:
Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia
Requirements for passengers from these countries:
A valid negative COVID‑19 PCR test certificate with a QR code issued within 48 hours prior to departure from an approved health facility
A rapid PCR test report with a QR code for a test conducted at the departure airport within six hours of departure
For passengers travelling to Dubai as their final destination from Bangladesh, Nigeria, Vietnam and Zambia, travel is currently not possible as there are no rapid PCR testing facilities at the airport.
Requirements for all passengers arriving in Dubai
All passengers travelling to Dubai from any point of origin (GCC countries included) must hold a negative COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure, except for travel from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia (for which specific requirements are stated above). Please see the requirements for travel from India below.
The certificate must be a Reverse Transcription‑Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT‑PCR) test. Other test certificates including antibody tests, NHS COVID Test certificates, Rapid PCR tests and home testing kits are not accepted in Dubai. Travellers must bring an official printed or digital certificate in English or Arabic to check in – SMS certificates are not accepted. PCR certificates in other languages are acceptable if they can be validated at the originating station.
COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test certificates must be issued by an authorised facility in the passenger’s departure country. Certificates that have already been presented for travel to another destination can’t be used for re‑entry even if they are still within the validity period.
For passengers arriving from the following countries, it is mandatory that the COVID‑19 PCR report includes a QR code linked to the original report for verification purposes. The QR code must be presented at check‑in and to representatives of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) upon arrival in Dubai airports: Indonesia, Sudan, Lebanon, Egypt and Ethiopia.
Indian Nationals with a normal passport who are travelling to or from India via Dubai can obtain a visa on arrival in Dubai for a maximum stay of 14 days provided they:
have a visitor visa or a green card issued by the Unites States, or
a residence visa issued by the United Kingdom or Europe union
The visa issued by United States, United Kingdom or Europe union has to be valid for a minimum of 6 months
Test on arrival
Passengers arriving in Dubai from the following countries will be required to take another COVID‑19 PCR test on arrival at Dubai International airport:
Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Poland, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Somaliland, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe.
When you arrive
You may need to take another COVID‑19 PCR test on arrival. If you take a test at the airport, you must remain in your hotel or residence until you receive the test result.
If the test result is positive, you will be required to undergo isolation and follow the Dubai Health Authority guidelines.
You must also download the COVID19 – DXB Smart App
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