UAE Relaxes Entry Requirements and Social Restrictions

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has just made it simpler for eager travelers from around the world to visit its sought-after destinations, like Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

On Friday, the country's National Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) announced that the UAE is dialing down its pandemic-era entry requirements. From February 26, fully vaccinated international visitors are no longer required to provide a negative PCR test, just their COVID-19 vaccination certificate containing a QR code.

Unvaccinated travelers can also visit the Middle Eastern nation but must provide negative results of an approved PCR test issued within 48 hours of their departure for the UAE. Alternatively, those who have previously contracted COVID-19 can supply "a QR code-accompanied certificate of recovery from a COVID-19 infection obtained within one month from the date of travel," according to the NCEMA news release.

The release stated that the decision to relax COVID-19 countermeasures was made, "in support of the ongoing efforts at the country level to achieve sustainable recovery while maintaining public health and safety against the background of the continuation of various activities and return to normalcy nationwide."

At the same time, the government also announced the rollback of certain domestic social restrictions, including the elimination of physical distancing requirements in public places. It does remain mandatory to wear masks while occupying indoor public spaces, but masks are optional when outdoors.

NCEMA also announced the resumption of all sports activities for all age groups, although the 'Green Pass' requirement, which dictates that negative a PCR test no more than 96 hours old is required for admittance to "all local events, exhibitions, and cultural and social activities", remains in force. At such events, masks must be worn at all times, whether you're indoors or outdoors.

The authority is also doing away with the quarantine requirements that previously applied to persons who'd been in contact with someone who has COVID-19. Instead, exposed individuals are required to take a daily PCR test for five consecutive days. Infected persons will continue to be subject to the existing isolation protocols, but are no longer required to wear wristbands.

According to NCEMA's own statistics, nearly 96 percent of the UAE's population are now fully vaccinated and 100 percent have received at least one dose of an approved vaccine.