Passengers travelling to Dubai are now given the opportunity to take up Covid-19 tests from a wider range of facilities abroad before they fly to Dubai.
The Emirates Airline has posted the list of recognized and approved testing centres around the world where travellers can undergo screening for coronavirus through a PCR nasal swab test.
Earlier, travellers had to take up a test in an UAE-recognized clinic overseas. Passengers flying into other airports in the Emirates should continue to do so.
The Emirates airline online information page now carries a long list of testing facilities, majority of them being government run.
Passengers from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh are allowed to visit the UAE only if they carry a negative Covid-19 test certificate from a facility approved by Pure Health, the government-approved lab operator.
New arrivals into the UAE may sometimes be asked to undertake a second PCR test at the airport, and in such case, should stay in a specified residence until the results are revealed.
The UAE’s federal immigration service, ICA is different from Dubai’s GDRFA immigration authority, and it continues to direct passengers to Pure Health-approved clinics which are available in most countries, but not all countries.
However, it is yet to be clear if it is possible for travellers flying to emirates other than Dubai to get tested at Emirates-approved centres.
Anyone arriving at the UAE airport without proof that they are virus-free will not be allowed entry into the flight. Passengers arriving at the UAE, and those transiting through the airport will have to complete the health questionnaire to be submitted at the check-in.
The complete list of recognized laboratories and clinics is available at https://www.emirates.com and the complete list of Pure Health clinics is available at https://purehealth.ae.
