Travellers flying to Abu Dhabi from Bahrain will no longer need to quarantine upon arrival. Unsplash
Travellers flying to Abu Dhabi from Bahrain will no longer need to quarantine upon arrival. Unsplash
Travellers flying to Abu Dhabi from Bahrain will no longer need to quarantine upon arrival. Unsplash
Travellers flying to Abu Dhabi from Bahrain will no longer need to quarantine upon arrival. Unsplash

Bahrain added to Abu Dhabi's 'green list' of quarantine-free countries


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

Bahrain has been added to Abu Dhabi's updated list of countries and destinations from which travellers can enter the emirate without the need to go into quarantine.

In the most up-to-date review of the 'green list' of countries, regions and territories that require no quarantine in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain is the latest addition.

Originally published in December, the list is updated at least every two weeks with the most recent change taking place on Saturday, January 16.

Abu Dhabi's green list of countries and destinations details from where travellers can enter the emirate without the need to go into quarantine. Christopher Pike / The National
Abu Dhabi's green list of countries and destinations details from where travellers can enter the emirate without the need to go into quarantine. Christopher Pike / The National

There are now a total of 18 destinations where travellers can visit from without needing to quarantine. They are:

  • Bahrain
  • Brunei
  • China
  • Hong Kong
  • Isle of Man
  • Kuwait
  • Macao
  • Mauritius
  • Mongolia
  • New Caledonia
  • New Zealand
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Saudi Arabia
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Taipei
  • Thailand

Prior to Bahrain's addition, other Gulf countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait had been added to the original list.

Visit this page for a complete guide to all the destinations on Abu Dhabi's green list.

Inclusion in Abu Dhabi's travel list is dependent on the latest developments regarding a country’s Covid-19 protocols and guidelines. All international travellers to Abu Dhabi must present a negative PCR test result and take a second PCR test upon entering the capital.

Travellers from ‘green’ destinations do not need to isolate once they receive a negative test result. Travellers from other countries need to self-isolate for 10 days.

______________

The world's most powerful passports in 2021

  • 1. Japan is ranked number 1 in the latest edition of the Henley Passport Index. The country offers citizens visa-free travel to 191 countries across the world. All images from Unsplash
    1. Japan is ranked number 1 in the latest edition of the Henley Passport Index. The country offers citizens visa-free travel to 191 countries across the world. All images from Unsplash
  • 2. Singapore is ranked in second place.
    2. Singapore is ranked in second place.
  • 3. South Korea took the third spot alongside Germany.
    3. South Korea took the third spot alongside Germany.
  • 3. Germany also ranked third with citizens able to travel to 189 countries visa-free.
    3. Germany also ranked third with citizens able to travel to 189 countries visa-free.
  • 4. Finland shares fourth place with three other countries.
    4. Finland shares fourth place with three other countries.
  • 4. Italy allows travellers access to 188 destinations.
    4. Italy allows travellers access to 188 destinations.
  • 4. Luxembourg also ranked fourth.
    4. Luxembourg also ranked fourth.
  • 4. Spain also ranked fourth.
    4. Spain also ranked fourth.
  • 5. Austria tied for fifth place.
    5. Austria tied for fifth place.
  • 5. Denmark and Austria's passports allow visits to 187 countries visa-free..
    5. Denmark and Austria's passports allow visits to 187 countries visa-free..
  • 6. Ireland shares the number six slot.
    6. Ireland shares the number six slot.
  • 6. France joins Ireland with a score of 186.
    6. France joins Ireland with a score of 186.
  • 6. The Netherlands
    6. The Netherlands
  • 6. Portugal
    6. Portugal
  • 6. Sweden
    6. Sweden
  • 7. The US has slipped to seventh place.
    7. The US has slipped to seventh place.
  • 7. The UK ranks in seventh position but this doesn't take into account temporary restrictions in place for UK passport holders.
    7. The UK ranks in seventh position but this doesn't take into account temporary restrictions in place for UK passport holders.
  • 7. Belgium also ties for seventh place.
    7. Belgium also ties for seventh place.
  • 7. Norway
    7. Norway
  • 7. New Zealand
    7. New Zealand
  • 7. Switzerland
    7. Switzerland
  • 8. The Czech Republic ties in eighth position.
    8. The Czech Republic ties in eighth position.
  • 8. Australia
    8. Australia
  • 8. Greece
    8. Greece
  • 8. Malta
    8. Malta
  • 9. Canada is the ninth most powerful passport in the world in 2021.
    9. Canada is the ninth most powerful passport in the world in 2021.
  • 10. Hungary ranked in 10th place with access to 182 countries for its passport holders.
    10. Hungary ranked in 10th place with access to 182 countries for its passport holders.
  • 11. Iceland ranks 11th allowing passport holders access to 181 destinations visa-free.
    11. Iceland ranks 11th allowing passport holders access to 181 destinations visa-free.
  • 11. Lithuania and three other countries share the 11th spot.
    11. Lithuania and three other countries share the 11th spot.
  • 11. Poland
    11. Poland
  • 11. Slovakia
    11. Slovakia
  • 12. Latvia has visa-free access to 180 countries.
    12. Latvia has visa-free access to 180 countries.
  • 12. Slovenia pairs with Latvia.
    12. Slovenia pairs with Latvia.
  • 13. Estonia is ranked in 13th place.
    13. Estonia is ranked in 13th place.
  • 14. Liechtenstein ranks next with visa-free access to 178 countries for passport holders.
    14. Liechtenstein ranks next with visa-free access to 178 countries for passport holders.
  • 14. Malaysia shares the 14th spot.
    14. Malaysia shares the 14th spot.
  • 15. Chile ties in 15th position.
    15. Chile ties in 15th position.
  • 15. Cyprus allows travellers to go to 174 countries without a visa.
    15. Cyprus allows travellers to go to 174 countries without a visa.
  • 15. Monaco
    15. Monaco
  • 16. The UAE ranked 16th and was the only country to broker notable new visa-free travel waivers during the pandemic.
    16. The UAE ranked 16th and was the only country to broker notable new visa-free travel waivers during the pandemic.
  • 17. Romania ranks 17th.
    17. Romania ranks 17th.
  • 18. Croatia shared spot 18 with Bulgaria and a score of 171.
    18. Croatia shared spot 18 with Bulgaria and a score of 171.
  • 18. Bulgaria
    18. Bulgaria
  • 19. Argentina
    19. Argentina
  • 19. Brazil
    19. Brazil
  • 19. Hong Kong
    19. Hong Kong
  • 20. San Marino rounds out the top 20.
    20. San Marino rounds out the top 20.
The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

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Series info

Test series schedule 1st Test, Abu Dhabi: Sri Lanka won by 21 runs; 2nd Test, Dubai: Play starts at 2pm, Friday-Tuesday

ODI series schedule 1st ODI, Dubai: October 13; 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 16; 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 18; 4th ODI, Sharjah: October 20; 5th ODI, Sharjah: October 23

T20 series schedule 1st T20, Abu Dhabi: October 26; 2nd T20, Abu Dhabi: October 27; 3rd T20, Lahore: October 29

Tickets Available at www.q-tickets.com

Stat Fourteen Fourteen of the past 15 Test matches in the UAE have been decided on the final day. Both of the previous two Tests at Dubai International Stadium have been settled in the last session. Pakistan won with less than an hour to go against West Indies last year. Against England in 2015, there were just three balls left.

Key battle - Azhar Ali v Rangana Herath Herath may not quite be as flash as Muttiah Muralitharan, his former spin-twin who ended his career by taking his 800th wicket with his final delivery in Tests. He still has a decent sense of an ending, though. He won the Abu Dhabi match for his side with 11 wickets, the last of which was his 400th in Tests. It was not the first time he has owned Pakistan, either. A quarter of all his Test victims have been Pakistani. If Pakistan are going to avoid a first ever series defeat in the UAE, Azhar, their senior batsman, needs to stand up and show the way to blunt Herath.

Switching%20sides
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If you go

The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.

The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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