Just a few days ago, six people tested COVID-19 positive after taking an Emirates flight from Dubai to Australia. Dubai has started welcoming tourists with open arms and a lot of safety measures. But passengers from select countries planning to travel to Dubai with Emirates Airlines will have to take a coronavirus PCR test in advance. These countries include India, Pakistan, the Philippines, and parts of the US. Also, there are unconfirmed reports, that certain countries are restricted from applying for a Dubai tourist visa.
On Wednesday, Emirates issued an advisory on safety measures the passengers must take before boarding their flights to Dubai. If you are from one of the countries listed below, you have to carry a certificate proving that your coronavirus PCR test was negative. And the certificate must have been issued not more than 96 hours before the departure. Here’s the list of countries:
Dubai gives people the option to take the PCR test after arriving at the airport. But passengers traveling from the above-listed countries will have to carry “a Covid-19 negative certificate issued by a local government-approved laboratory.”
What’s more, tourists planning to travel to Dubai must also have travel insurance that fully covers the coronavirus. If you don’t have travel insurance, you have to declare beforehand that you will bear the cost of treatment if you contract the virus. The UAE recently received the Safe Travel certification from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The UAE is taking sufficient precautions and maintaining hygiene.
Traveling to Dubai appears to be a bit more complicated than you would expect. People planning to visit the city of glitz and glamor have been reportedly told by their travel agents that they just cannot. Tourist visa for Pakistan nationals is on hold until further notice.
Unconfirmed reports suggest, people from Lebanon, Sudan, Egypt, and Syria also appear to have been restricted. There is no word regarding if or when the restrictions will be lifted.
