This is an archive article published on June 19, 2021
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Explained: The Covid-19 protocol for Indians flying to Dubai
The Dubai government has relaxed restrictions for travel from India, Nigeria and South Africa with effect from June 23. What are the conditions of relaxations for travel to Dubai?
Emirates planes are parked at the Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)
The government of Dubai in the UAE Saturday announced relaxation of travel restrictions from countries including India. The UAE, in late April, had closed its borders for travellers from India. This had come in the backdrop of the surge in number of Covid-19 cases in India during the second wave of the pandemic.
What are the conditions of relaxations for travel to Dubai?
The Dubai government has relaxed restrictions for travel from India, Nigeria and South Africa with effect from June 23. With regard to travel from India, only passengers with a valid residence visa who have received two doses of a UAE-approved vaccine, are allowed to travel to Dubai. There are four vaccines approved by the UAE government — Sinopharm, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sputnik V and Oxford-AstraZeneca.
Eligible passengers travelling from India to Dubai should also present a negative test certificate from an RT-PCR test taken 48 hours before departure; UAE nationals are exempted from this requirement. Furthermore, passengers travelling to Dubai from India are required to undergo a rapid PCR test four hours prior to departure to Dubai. They must also undergo another RT-PCR test on arrival in Dubai. In addition, following arrival, passengers from India should undergo institutional quarantine until they receive their PCR test result, which is expected within 24 hours. UAE citizens and diplomats are exempted from institutional quarantine. Notably, only QR-coded negative PCR test certificates are accepted.
Are these requirements different for Nigeria and South Africa?
While, in addition to its national and diplomats, the Dubai government has allowed only those with valid residence visa to travel from India. For Nigeria and South Africa, non-residence passengers are also allowed to travel subject to the vaccination and RT-PCR conditions.
Emirates planes are parked at the Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File) 
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