Abu Dhabi updates travel rules for citizens, residents and tourists

Authorities confirm both vaccinated and unvaccinated tourists arriving in the capital from green countries no longer need to self-isolate

The Third Place Cafe on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi has a sticker to remind customers of Covid-19 precautions. Victor Besa / The National

An 'X' reminds people of the need for physical distancing at the Third Place Cafe. Victor Besa / The National

The Third Place Cafe in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Sanitation workers at Haddins Fitness, Zayed Sports City. Victor Besa / The National

Places of worship, such as Shiva temple in Dubai, have been subject to restrictions during the pandemic. Reem Mohammed / The National

Fitness buff Natalie Navikova exercises at Cobra Fitness Abu Dhabi at Al Bandar. Victor Besa / The National

CrossFit class at Vogue Fitness Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

A worshipper at Shiva temple in Dubai follows safety precautions. Reem Mohammed / The National

The floor of the main prayer hall at the Gurunanak Darbar in Jebel Ali, Dubai, is covered with plastic sheets to help tackle the spread of Covid-19. Pawan Singh / The National

Safe distance marking stickers placed on the floor at Gurunanak Darbar in Jebel Ali, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Midday prayers are performed at Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Hotel beaches are now open to guests at the Ramada Abu Dhabi Corniche after Covid-19 restrictions eased. Victor Besa / The National

Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai has safety measures in place to help protect worshippers. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Shiva temple in Dubai put safety measures in place to protect worshippers. Reem Mohammed / The National

Covid-19 safety measures are put in place at Mahamevnawa Buddhist Temple in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Residents wear face masks as they walk in Abu Dhabi city centre. Victor Besa / The National

People walk along near the Ramada Hotel Abu Dhabi Corniche during the pandemic. Victor Besa / The National

A visitor wears a protective face mask at Al Shindagha Museum in Dubai. EPA

A man on his e-scooter travels along the Corniche in Abu Dhabi as the sun sets. Victor Besa / The National

People wear face masks in Al Barsha, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

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Abu Dhabi has issued updated travel protocols for Emiratis, residents and tourists landing in the emirate from Sunday.

Under the new rules, issued by the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee on Saturday, vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers arriving in the capital from green list countries do not need to quarantine.

Immunised travellers must take a PCR test on arrival and are subject to a further test on the sixth day.

Unvaccinated passengers are subject to the above rules, but must also take an additional PCR test on day nine.

New rules for tourists

The ruling now includes visitors, having previously only covered Emiratis and residents returning from abroad.

The directive follows a move by officials to allow tourists and new residents who were vaccinated abroad to upload their vaccine certificate to Al Hosn, the UAE's vaccine and testing app.

This will be particularly important as Al Hosn is expected to be widely used when Abu Dhabi introduces restrictions on unvaccinated people entering public places from August 20.

The app is also increasingly used for travel, with several airlines accepting it as official proof of PCR tests.

Vaccinated travellers from non-green list destinations must self-isolate for seven days on arrival.

They must also take PCR tests on landing in Abu Dhabi and on day six.

Unvaccinated citizens, residents and visitors arriving in Abu Dhabi from green list destinations must take a PCR test on arrival without the need to quarantine, and take a PCR test on days six and nine.

When arriving from other destinations, they must take a PCR test on arrival, quarantine for 10 days and take another PCR test on day nine.

Abu Dhabi updated its quarantine-free travel green list last month, which now contains 31 destinations, down from 35 earlier in July.

In total, the emirate added eight countries to its updated list, including Bahrain, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and the Maldives.

Travellers can now fly to and from those destinations and will not have to self-isolate on arrival in Abu Dhabi.

Twelve countries were removed from the travel list, including European destinations France, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Ireland, where cases are rising owing to the spread of the Delta variant.