If you are travelling from India to the UAE, you must take a COVID‑19 PCR test at government designated laboratories before departure.
COVID‑19 testing requirements.
Passengers are required to take a COVID‑19 PCR test not more than 48 hours before departure.
UAE will accept Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT‑PCR) laboratory results from any lab authorised by the government of India.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has listed laboratories that perform the real‑time RT‑PCR test for COVID‑19 across the country. Seven Indian laboratories results are banned if you are travelling to Dubai. Please check this with your airlines.
PCR test and certificate cost is to be borne by passengers. Passengers are required to carry a copy of their negative COVID‑19 PCR test result when travelling. Verification of the PCR test certificate will be managed by the airport team as part of documentation checks at the time of departure. Bring an official printed certificate – SMS and digital certificates are not accepted.
Please ensure the list of key documents shared below are completed and carried by the passengers while travelling to Dubai – UAE:
1) Health declaration form ( attached )– – https://c.ekstatic.net/ecl/documents/health-declaration-e-form.pdf
2) Quarantine undertaking form ( attached) – – https://c.ekstatic.net/ecl/documents/dubai-arrivals-quarantine-procedure-declaration-form.pdf
3) Copy of PCR test issued 96 hours prior to date of departure.
4) Health insurance valid for the duration of the visa validity that must cover COVID19 examination and treatment costs (policy yet to be announced by the Insurance Companies)
5) All passengers must download the COVID-19 Dubai Smart App and generate a QR code on their device before entering Dubai.5
All customers must undergo a PCR test upon arrival into Dubai as well
Additional Traveler Responsibilities
- Disclose any symptoms before traveling by filling in the form provided by airlines.
- Ensure the passenger has international health insurance coverage before traveling.
Traveler will bear the costs of examination and treatment abroad, in the event they are infected with COVID-19. In case the traveler is unable to bear the cost, the respective travel agency/corporates/branches/guarantor of Apply visa shall be liable.- Take precautionary measures and self-monitor for any symptoms of COVID-19.
For all the International Tourists travelling to Abu Dhabi Emirate, will have to remain in quarantine for 14-days and will also have to undergo PCR test and DPI laser test before entering the Emirate.
Travel eligibility
Flights to Dubai will be restricted only to below passengers travelling to the UAE:
- UAE nationals
- UAE residents whose final destination is UAE (Dubai residents require GDRFA approval and residents of other Emirates require ICA approval for entry)
- Any Indian national holding any valid UAE visa whose final destination is UAE
Travel to India on repatriation flights:
Travel to India is restricted to specified categories of passengers. You might also be required to take a COVID‑19 PCR test before departure and undergo quarantine on arrival. Please check the requirements of your final destination before you travel.
Travel eligibility
Flights to India will be restricted only to the following passengers:
- Stranded Indian nationals
- All Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders with UAE passports
- UAE nationals (including diplomats) with a valid visa issued by an Indian Mission in any category covered under Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) guidelines dated 30 June 2020
PCR test and documents required on arrival to India
- All passengers must complete the online self-declaration form and quarantine undertaking information through www.newdelhiairport.in at least 72 hours prior to departure and present a soft copy on your mobile phone or, alternatively, print and complete two copies of the offline self-declaration form to present at the time of check-in.
Please note, that an on-arrival RT-PCR Test facilities are available at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi for the passengers who have not done their test before arriving to Delhi.
For passengers travelling to Mumbai please fill the online self-declaration form and quarantine undertaking information through www.newdelhiairport.in at least 72 hours prior to departure and present a soft copy on your mobile phone or, alternatively, print and complete two copies of the offline self-declaration form to present at the time of check-in. Please produce RT-PCR test report at Mumbai airport to be saved from institutional quarantine.
Kerala (COK/TRV)
All passengers travelling to Kerala must also update their details online at least two days before departure.
Kolkata (CCU)
- Passengers must carry printed hard copy of negative COVID‑19 RT PCR certificate for test conducted within 72 hrs of departure. Children less than 3 years are exempted.
- Passengers must upload negative COVID‑19 RT PCR Test result on Air Suvidha portal up to 4 hours prior to flight departure.
Ahmedabad (AMD)
- Only passengers with permanent residence at the state of Gujarat are permitted to travel on this flight to Ahmedabad (AMD).
- All passengers must hold two printed copies of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result issued no more than 4 days (96 hours) prior to departure.
- All passengers must complete the online self-declaration form and quarantine undertaking information through www.newdelhiairport.in at least 72 hours prior to departure and present a soft copy on your mobile phone or, alternatively, print and complete two copies of the offline self-declaration form to present at the time of check-in.
- Tourist visas and e-visas are invalidated.
Chennai (MAA)
- Only citizens of India who live in the state of Tamil Nadu can book to travel to Chennai Airport (MAA).
- All passengers travelling to Chennai are required to present two printed copies of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 96 hours of arrival.
- All passengers are required to present a printed copy of e-pass prior to check-in. The e-pass can be applied on tnepass.tnega.org.
- All passengers must complete the online self-declaration form and quarantine undertaking information through www.newdelhiairport.in at least 72 hours prior to departure and present a soft copy on your mobile phone or, alternatively, print and complete two copies of the offline self-declaration form to present at the time of check-in.
Tiruchirappalli International Airport (TRZ), Madurai Airport (IXM) and Coimbatore International Airport (CJB)
- Passengers arriving in Tamil Nadu are required to present a printed copy of e-pass in order
- to proceed with home quarantine. The e-pass can be applied on tnepass.tnega.org.
- All passengers must complete the online self-declaration form and quarantine undertaking information through www.newdelhiairport.in at least 72 hours prior to departure and present a soft copy on your mobile phone or, alternatively, print and complete two copies of the offline self-declaration form to present at the time of check-in.
Bangalore Airport (BLR) and Mangaluru Airport (IXE)
- On arrival all passengers will be required to undergo a COVID-19 test and an institutional quarantine of 7-14 days at their own expense depending on the requirements laid down by the state in which they arrive.
- All passengers arriving in Bangalore or Mangalore must complete the online form through https://parihara.karnataka.gov.in/service38/ and https://www.covidwar.karnataka.gov.in/ prior to departure.
Quarantine guidelines
- All asymptomatic passengers with travel destination as Ahmedabad (AMD), Bengaluru (BLR), Kochi (COK), Kolkata (CCU), Chennai (MAA) and Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) will undergo mandatory 14 days home quarantine.
- All other passengers must submit an undertaking form on the online portal agreeing to undergo mandatory 7 days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by 7 days isolation at home with self‑monitoring of health.
Quarantine Exemptions
- Home quarantine of 14 days may be allowed only for compelling reasons/cases of human distress such as pregnancy, death in the family, serious illness and parent(s) with children 10 years old and below. Passengers must apply for exemption under Air Suvidha on the online portals at least 72 hours before boarding.
- Passengers may request exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative COVID‑19 RT PCR test report on arrival. This test should have been conducted within 72 hours of the start of their journey. The test report should be uploaded for exemption under Air Suvidha on the online portal for consideration. Each passenger must also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution if found otherwise. The test report could also be presented upon arrival at the point of entry airport in India.
- Passengers arriving on international flights connecting to other domestic airports as their final destination would be allowed to continue their journey if they have presented a negative COVID‑19 negative report for an RT PCR test taken within 72 hours before the start of their journey and the state authorities concerned at their arrival airport have granted them an exemption from institutional quarantine.
- Business/short‑term travellers to Bengaluru with a negative COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test report are exempted from quarantine. Such passengers must submit a declaration of authenticity of the test report and will be liable for criminal prosecution if found otherwise. The test report must be presented upon arrival at BLR Airport.
- Passengers travelling to Hyderabad for business reasons and having negative RT‑PCR test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure shall be exempted from the requirement of home/institutional quarantine. However, the passengers should return within 4 days of arrival as evidenced by confirmed return tickets.
- Students taking exams in Karnataka will be exempted from home quarantine if they undergo Rapid Antigen testing with a negative result or if they submit a negative COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test report for a test conducted within 72 hours of departure.
- Passengers travelling to Kerala may undergo COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test on the 7th day of arrival and if tested negative, further quarantine of 7 days is optional and not mandatory.
Note- Please refer your airlines website or destination airport guidelines for any other requirementat least 48 hrs before departure. The information is correct to the best of ours knowledge at the time of publication given the rapidly evolving nature of the international response to the COVID-19 outbreak We cannot guarantee its accuracy and can accept no liability for any errors or omissions. We reserve the right to add or change information at any time. Links to third party websites of third parties are offered as a courtesy. We express no opinion on the content of the websites of third parties and does not accept any responsibility for third-party information.