Most of us living in Dubai know atleast one friend or family member that’s been stuck abroad for months because of coronavirus-related travel restrictions. But there’s good news ahead as the city has pledged to return all of its residents stuck abroad back home within the coming weeks.
Almost 200,000 residents getting ready to return the UAE, the emirate’s tourism authority has outlined steps to ensure Covid-19 infections are kept at bay.
Apply to return
All residents hoping to return to the UAE need to first apply for a re-entry permit. Without an approval, they will not be allowed to board their respictive flights. So how does one go about getting an approval?
Using the ICA website, residents stranded abroad can apply for permission to travel on inbound flights to the UAE.
To apply for ICA permission, residents must provide their UAE identity number, their name, passport number, date of birth and contact details, as well as the reason they were outside of the country.
Additionally, applicants are required to provide their arrival date and time, their country of origin, and the port and emirate in which they plan to re-enter the country.
Authorities have said that requests will be processed in a 48 hour period.
Once approval is granted, return tickets can be booked with airlines operating flights to the UAE. On arrival in the UAE, travellers must quarantine for a 14-day period, either at a hotel at their own expense or at a private residence, provided they have access to a separate room with a private bathroom.
So what can you expect on your return?
Every returning resident will be tested for Covid-19 on arrival, and for those staying in hotels, meals will be provided at three set times a day, or can be ordered from food outlets offering delivery and their own cost.
The 14-day quarantine can take place in a hotel or a private home, with residents given the option of booking hotels that have been deemed suitable for quarantine when booking their tickets home.
UAE residents returning to Dubai must also install and register with Dubai Health Authority’s Covid-19 DXB app, which will also give them access to medical assistance, over the course of their quarantine.
Many residents have taken to Twitter to rejoice at being approved to return to the country with their families after months.
Okay, so today my wife and son got their flight approval to return to the UAE…. #BringBackUAEresidents
— Martin Kubler (@martin_kubler) June 14, 2020
Approval to go back to Duabi! 3 months stuck in the UK teaching online at a ridiculous time in the morning! #dubai #bringbackuaeresidents pic.twitter.com/UJz24uKlyN
— Moyrx Dxvey (@Moyraa22) June 14, 2020
While many still await approval abroad, authorities are hoping to clear the backlog in the coming weeks,
