Dubai: The UAE’s authorities have announced that vaccinated holders of valid residence visa can return to the UAE, even if they have stayed abroad for over six months.
The announcement was made on September 10 and comes into effect from today.
The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) and the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) announced that UAE residence visa holders who are fully vaccinated with vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) will be allowed to return from countries that were previously on the suspended list. The decision comes into effect from September 12, 2021.
The decision covers passengers coming from the following countries:
• India
• Pakistan
• Bangladesh
• Nepal
• Sri Lanka
• Vietnam
• Namibia
• Zambia
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Uganda
• Sierra Leone
• Liberia
• South Africa
• Nigeria
• Afghanistan
“Those who are fully vaccinated with any WHO-approved vaccine and who have been staying in one of the countries in the suspended list for more than six months since suspension decision was issued for each country, can come to the country under a new entry permit, and rectify their status after entry,” NCEMA said in a statement.
Which vaccines are approved?
As reported earlier WHO has approved the following vaccines for emergency use:
• AstraZeneca
• Pfizer
• Janssen
• Moderna
• AstraZeneca/CoviShield
• AstraZeneca/AZD1222 (manufactured by the SII and SK Bio)
• Sinopharm
• Sinovac
What you need to do to return to the UAE
1 – Get ICA approval
Arriving passengers must apply via the ICA website of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA), and complete the vaccination application in order to get the necessary approvals, in addition to presenting the approved vaccination certification upon departure for the UAE.
2 – Present negative PCR test result
A negative PCR test result, done within 48 hours before departure at an approved lab that has a QR code, must also be presented before departure.
3 – Rapid PCR test before boarding
Passengers must also undertake a Rapid PCR test before boarding and another PCR test on the fourth and eight day of arrival while complying with all precautionary measures in place, are also required.
Children under 16 years old are exempt from these procedures.
All other previously announced precautionary measures for unvaccinated people coming from those countries remain in place.
