The announcement was made late on Wednesday, July 22 and applies to all Emiratis, residents and tourists, irrespective of the countries they are coming from.
The National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) announced that citizens, residents, tourists and transit passengers arriving into all UAE airports must have a Covid-19 test with a negative result taken no more than 96 hours prior to departure, regardless of where they are travelling from.
PCR tests must also be taken at an approved laboratory, of which a full list is available here. Those travelling from countries without an approved laboratory are advised to contact their airline. Passengers under 12 and those with severe and moderate disabilities are exempt from the Covid test requirement.
While the update from the NCEMA announced that the prior testing requirement would be introduced from Friday, July 24, however, local media reports indicate that it will only be mandatory for arrivals from Saturday August 1.
