Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi updates green list for travellers coming into the emirate

Japan, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland and the UK among the countries added, starting April 25

The rules on how long visitors to Abu Dhabi spend in quarantine depend on where they are travelling from. Getty.

An airport worker escorts a passenger through Abu Dhabi International Airport. All photos by Victor Besa / The National

A passenger wearing a face mask checks in at the Etihad counter

The drop-off area at Abu Dhabi airport's main departures concourse

Passengers queue for check-in for repatriation flights

A traveller has his passport checked by security in the departures area

Staff are hosed down with a mild disinfectant before entering public areas

Etihad staff check passengers in during a media tour for The National in July

Etihad staff check passengers in during a media tour for The National in July

The airport has handled hundreds of flights in recent months but tourists have not been able to secure a visa since the borders closed in March

The airport has handled hundreds of flights in recent months but tourists have not been able to secure a visa since the borders closed in March

Passengers at the Etihad check-in desk

Arrivals can expect strict hygiene measures and must quarantine for 14 days on arrival

Passengers at the Etihad Check-In area at Abu Dhabi International Airport

Visitors from 23 countries will be able to travel to Abu Dhabi from April 25 without needing to quarantine.

The emirate's green list was updated to include Cuba, Japan, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, the UK and Uzbekistan.

Passengers from the list can enter Abu Dhabi by following a series of procedures that includes Covid-19 tests before departure, on arrival and on day four for those staying for four days or more, and on day eight for those staying eight days or more.

The green list is updated every fortnight by the Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi.

Countries are removed or added depending on the latest Covid-19 developments.

Anyone flying to Abu Dhabi from countries not on the list must wear a medically approved wristband upon arrival and quarantine for 10 days.

The wristband ensures travellers adhere to the mandatory quarantine period.

The changes to Abu Dhabi's travel list came as the UAE banned travel from India after an increase in case numbers there.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority said the decision included all national and overseas airlines.

The ruling did not include transit flights coming into the country and bound for India.

Meanwhile, the US updated its advisory for the UAE to "Do Not Travel", along with at least 115 other countries.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention issued a level four travel health notice on Tuesday “indicating a very high level of Covid-19 in the country”.

Abu Dhabi's green list

Australia

Bhutan

Brunei

China

Cuba

Greenland

Hong Kong

Iceland

Israel

Japan

Mauritius

Morocco

New Zealand

Portugal

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

South Korea

Switzerland

Taiwan

Tajikistan

UK

Uzbekistan

Coronavirus around the world – in pictures

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Ten-year-old Jade Chan Puc writes in her notebook during the first day of class at the Valentín Gomez Farias Indigenous Primary School in Montebello, Hecelchakan, Campeche state, Mexico. AP Photo

A man reads a book next to a poster reading "COVID-19, open your Eyes" in Barcelona, Spain. Reuters

Labourers work at the start of the construction of a Covid-19 field hospital at the Luneta park in Manila, Philippines. EPA

A man walks by the Seine river bank, in Paris, France. AP Photo

People wave an Argentine flag outside the presidential residence as they protest for in-person classes amid the Covid-19 pandemic in Buenos Aires. AP Photo

People sit at the terraces of cafes in the coastal city of Piran as Slovenia reopened cafe and restaurant terraces after six months following a decline in Covid-19 infections and deaths. AFP

A Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner staff member inspects a refrigerated container set up to handle additional storage of Covid-19 decedents in Los Angeles, California, USA. Reuters

Israelis enjoy the beach of the Mediterranean during a heat wave as Covid-19 restrictions ease around the country, in Ashkelon, Israel. Reuters