Dubai to welcome tourists from July 7

Dubai has released a new set of protocols that all residents and citizens travelling into or out of the emirate must abide by, besides also confirming that tourists will be allowed to return to Dubai starting July 7. The new directives were announced on Sunday night. The Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management said that foreign nationals possessing residency visas issued in Dubai can return to the emirate beginning Monday, June 22.Dubai will also allow citizens and residents to travel to any foreign country starting Tuesday, June 23, provided the destination countries agree to receive them, Dubai Media Office confirmed in a press statement. Guideline for returning UAE residents Residents holding Dubai-issued visas are permitted to return to the emirate from June 22 by pre-booking flights on any airline on the condition that they obtain an approval coordinated between the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai) and the airline. Residents must fill a ‘Health Declaration Form’ before embarking on their journey to confirm they do not have Covid-19 symptoms. The airline has the right to refuse boarding if the passenger displays any Covid-19 symptoms. Upon arrival at Dubai airports, all residents will have to undergo a PCR test to screen for Covid-19. They should register their complete details in the Covid-19 DXB smart app available online on arrival and before leaving the terminal. Residents entering Dubai should not leave their house until they receive their Covid-19 test result. If they test positive, they will have to isolate themselves at home for 14 days. Residents sharing homes or living in high-density housing facilities will be isolated at an institutional facility if they test positive. The resident’s employer should make arrangements for the isolation facility in accordance with guidelines approved by the Covid-19 Command and Control Centre or bear the costs of a paid isolation facility provided by the government. Guidelines for citizens and residents travelling abroad There will be no restrictions on the overseas destinations that citizens and residents can travel to starting June 23. The latest announcement comes after a spokesperson for the UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) said last week that all countries would be classified into three categories: low-risk, medium-risk and high-risk, with travel to high-risk nations banned. According to the directives issued on Sunday night, travellers are now required to fill in a ‘Health Declaration Form’ before embarking to confirm they do not have any Covid-19 symptoms. They must also comply with protocols followed in the countries they are travelling to.