Abu Dhabi, unlike Dubai, has been very conservative in its approach to visitors during the pandemic and requires visitors, including those just transiting, to have a negative PCR-RT test or four, depending on the length of the stay.
Then there is the self-isolation requirement of 10 nights for passengers arriving from non-Green nations, a list that was just expanded with six more countries, including the United States.
You can access Visit Abu Dhabi’s website here.
Abu Dhabi last time updated the list on April 25. The new one is valid from May 23.
All visitors are required to have a pre-departure PCR test and another one at the airport upon arrival. Those staying six nights or longer need to have additional tests on days 6 and 12.
Passengers arriving from non-Green countries need to self-isolate for 10 nights.
Here are six countries added to the Green-list:
- Azerbaijan
- Germany
- Kyrgyzstan
- Moldova
- Spain
- United States of America
The other 23 countries on the Green-list (none removed):
- Australia
- Bhutan
- Brunei
- China
- Cuba
- Greenland
- Hong Kong (SAR)
- Iceland
- Israel
- Japan
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Portugal
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Switzerland
- Taiwan (ROC)
- Tajikistan
- United Kingdom
- Uzbekistan
Conclusion
Abu Dhabi is not dependent on tourism, and its “national” airline of Etihad has curtailed its ambitions, unlike Dubai and its Emirates. It has not been as welcoming for the international visitors.
There is a PCR test requirement for all arriving passengers, and you cannot enter Abu Dhabi before it comes back negative. I’ll wonder how long this process takes?
There are now a total of 29 countries (Greenland, anyone?) from which arrival passengers no longer need to self-isolate for 10 nights upon arrival.
They’re just trying to entice more travelers to plan on going to Dubai’s Expo. I don’t know why they’re still having it when half of the world is still on some sort of lockdown and not much will be changing especially since I believe only 15% or less of the world’s population is even vaccinated.
I’ve been in Abu Dhabi for the last month. It’s night and day different compared to Dubai and it was a disaster to “cross the border” between the two emirates. Their Al Hosn app did not work properly for visitors and I spent 3 hours at the border waiting. Then, the app still hasn’t worked for me during the Day 3 and Day 7 PCR requirements. Just FYI…. if you need to go to Abu Dhabi, i suggest to first stay in Dubai for 10 Days and avoid the Abu Dhabi Quarantine. Any time spent in Dubai is deducted from the 10 Days of Wrist Band Quarantine.