Dubai govt withdraws condition of vaccination certificate

Passengers must complete a Covid-19 PCR test on arrival in Dubai

Pakistani passengers travelling to and through Dubai are no longer required to carry a Covid-19 vaccination certificate for entry into the country.

All passengers from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria, and Uganda carrying a valid UAE residence visa will be allowed to travel to and through the emirate upon fulfilling the following conditions:

Dubai visa holders must apply for pre-entry approval through General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).

Passengers must have a valid Covid-19 test certificate issued within 48 hours between the time of sample collection and scheduled flight departure.

Only Covid-19 PCR test reports from certified labs that issue a QR code linked to the original report will be accepted.

Passengers must complete a Covid-19 PCR rapid test four hours before the departure of their flight. (Rapid antigen test will not be accepted).

Passengers must complete a Covid-19 PCR test on arrival in Dubai.

The updated advisory was published on UAE’s national flag carrier Emirates.

UAE nationals are not required to fulfil the first three conditions but would have to undertake a Covid 19 PCR test on arrival, the advisory read.

All other passengers, except UAE nationals, who have been in India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Uganda in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter Dubai, it added.

Many passengers were stranded at the Karachi and Islamabad airports after the United Arab Emirates imposed the requirement of a rapid PCR test to enter the country last week.

They staged protests after being denied boarding passes. Airport authorities expressed helplessness saying they cannot do much about a step taken by the UAE government.

Passengers were furious that the step was taken without any early notice. They were informed about it as late as just four hours before the departure time.

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