Foreign tourists and business travelers are allowed to enter Dubai beginning July 7, 2020, after a break of several months due to Coronavirus or COVID-19.
People traveling to Dubai primarily have two choices:
- Get a Coronavirus test and produce a negative test result certificate which has been issued up to 96 hours prior to the travel.
- Upon arrival in Dubai, you will have to take a PCR (Polymerise Chain Reaction) test at the Dubai airport and self-isolate until you get your test results.
In case of option #2 above, if your test result is negative, you can simply leave the hotel and enjoy your trip as normal. However, if your test result is positive, you will need to observe a 14-day quarantine at an institutional facility provided by the government at their own expense.
Additional Requirements for Traveling to Dubai
- Travel insurance: You must have travel medical insurance that covers COVID-19 expenses. You will have to present the proof of such insurance at the airport check-in.
Alternatively, you can submit a declaration that you would bear the costs of isolation and treatment, if necessary. - Visa: Depending on your citizenship, you can either get a visa upon arrival, or you need to first get a UAE visa before you travel. There are no special requirements or changes to visa requirements due to Coronavirus.
- Health Declaration Form: Before embarking, you must complete the form that states that you are free from COVID-19 symptoms.
- Tracing App: You must download the COVID-19 DB app from either App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android) and register your details. This facilitates easy coordination and communication with health authorities if you experience COVID-19 symptoms.
- COVID-19 Symptoms: If you are suspected to have COVID-19 symptoms, Dubai airports have the right to test you again to make sure that you don’t have COVID-19.
In any case, you should be wearing a mask, observing social distancing, and washing your hands regularly.
Dubai Coronavirus Travel Medical Insurance
Travel medical insurance is available to travelers to Dubai that will cover COVID-19 just like any other new medical condition, injury, or accident that occurs after the effective date of the policy.
However, it will not cover:
- The cost of the COVID-19 test to prove you are negative, before traveling.
- The cost of the PCR test upon arrival in Dubai.
- The cost of self-isolation while waiting for the test results.
- The cost of quarantine in case you are found to be COVID-19 positive.
In any case, please note that the government of Dubai does not mandate that travel medical insurance cover any of the above-listed costs.
In other words, you have several options in purchasing a compliant travel medical insurance plan that would meet the Dubai government’s requirements for travel to Dubai.
Enjoy your trip.
