After the COVID related shutdown, Dubai has now decided to open it’s borders for tourists. The official opening date for Dubai visa after covid is confirmed as July 7th 2020.
The visa applications for Dubai tourist/ business visa is open from July 1 2020 . Travellers can apply with government authorised visa agents such as blinkvisa.com or emirates.com . Post coronavirus, the visa requirements has been updated with greater emphasis on health declaration , mandatory checks & a full travel insurance which covers all covid related hospitalisation.
What are the new Dubai visa requirements for COVID travel ?
As per the new circular sent to all authorised Dubai visa agents, the new requirements for Dubai tourist or business visa is as follows:
- Scanned color copy of first and last page of your Passport. The validity of your passport should be at least 6 months from the date of travel and have a minimum of 3 blank pages.
- Scanned color copy of your passport size photograph with white background
- Pan Card Copy
- Confirmed flight tickets
Beyond this proof of eligibility for Dubai visa needs to be shown such as
- Previous passport exhibiting previous travel, if any.
- Banker’s certificate of long-term Fixed Deposits.
- Income-tax returns for last 2 years and photocopy of PAN card.
- Letter of invitation from Dubai based close family member
COVID related Dubai visa requirements
Along with the above common documents customers need to carry along the following documents are submitted for post covid travel to UAE.
- Health Declaration Form
- Quarantine undertaking Form
- Copy of PCR test issued 96 hours prior to undertaking travel
- Health insurance for the duration of the visa validity. (Not just the duration of Stay) .
What to do once you land in Dubai ?
You need to download DXB covid-19 app and register all your details besides you need to have a copy for COVID approved health insurance covering your entire duration of stay in Dubai. The airline can also refuse you entry if you display any COVID-related symptoms.
Thermal screenings are done on all visitors in the Dubai Airport and can be subject to retest if the authorities are not satisfied with you.
What is the current situation like in Dubai?
As of June 22, 2020, the official tally has reported a total of 12.208 active cases in the whole of UAE, with no exact figures available specifically for Dubai.
Dubai relies heavily on tourism and welcomed 16.73 million visitors last year, contributing over Dh150 billion to the local economy.
Am I allowed to fly to Dubai now?
Returning residents are welcome to fly to Dubai starting 22 June 2020. There are several requirements to fulfill, according to the directive by The Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management:
– Residents are required to pre-book flights on any airline, on the condition that the airline has obtained 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 your trip to Dubai, confirm you do not have COVID-19 symptoms.
– Residents are required to undergo PCR test upon arrival at Dubai airports.
– Residents need to register their complete details in the COVID-19 DXB smart app available online on arrival and before leaving the terminal.
– Residents entering Dubai should quarantine at home until they receive their COVID-19 test result. If they test positive, they will have to isolate themselves at home for 14 days.
New Update from Dubai Health Authority
- Nationals and returning residents will be given polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on landing in Dubai while Tourists have two options.
- They can take a PCR-test up to 96 hours before flying to the UAE and present Dubai authorities with the Covid-19 negative certificate.
- Otherwise, they can opt to undergo testing free of charge on landing in the city.
- Follow-up Covid-19 tests for any tourist exhibiting symptoms of the virus in-flight will also be conducted, even if the traveller has already obtained a negative certificate.
- All travellers arriving in Dubai must also fill out health declaration forms that disclose any possible symptoms of the disease. These will be given to passengers by the airline they are flying with.
- At Dubai airport, every passenger will have their temperature scanned via thermal screening devices and everyone must download the Covid-19 DXB app.
- Valid medical insurance is also needed for tourists. Those that arrive without it will be asked to sign a disclaimer undertaking that they will “bear all costs of quarantine and treatment”.
- Any traveller testing positive for Covid-19 once in Dubai will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine period.
- Those flying into Dubai must also observe precautionary measures including wearing face masks, maintaining two-metre social distancing and washing their hands regularly.
