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Travel in the age of Covid-19 can be a confusing — and often infuriating — experience. But if you live in the UAE and want to visit the US, there is some good news.
Emirates airlines last week started direct flights four times a week from Dubai to Miami, bringing the number of US destinations it services to 12.
There are no coronavirus-related restrictions for people arriving to the US from the UAE, guidelines from the US Department of Homeland Security said, though travellers need to have proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken no more than three days before flying.
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Conrad Maldives' Spa Retreat. The Maldives is a popular holiday destination for UAE travellers. -
Statue of the brothers and sister who founded Kiev, Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square), Kiev, Ukraine, Europe (Christian Kober/Robert Harding/Getty Images) -
Sarajevo is another possible Eid travel destination. -
The Georgian capital of Tbilisi is a favoured destination for UAE travellers. -
Tourists visit the Colossi of Memnon, the ruins of two stone statues that guarded the mortuary temple built for Pharaoh Amenhotep III, in Luxor, Egypt. -
Tourists gather in front of the treasury site in the ancient city of Petra, Jordan. -
Morocco has much to offer for international visitors. -
Tourists walk together at the sea castle in the Lebanese port city of Sidon. -
Spain is a popular destination for tourists across the globe.
Visitors can also show proof of having recovered from the virus in the past three months.
Travellers must also have a valid visa, as always, but the final decision on whether they can be admitted to the country will be made by a US Customs and Border Protection officer at a port of entry.
Visitors should also check state rules. While many states have removed restrictions, others still have some in place.
New Hampshire, for example, still requires all visitors to self-quarantine for 10 days after the last date of any international travel unless inoculated with the US-approved Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
Maine, Kansas and Hawaii are among other states with individual guidelines, so it is best to research the state you are visiting before arrival. Rules are changing all the time as the highly transmissible Delta variant surges across the country.
Upon arrival, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommends being again tested for the coronavirus within three to five days while monitoring for any symptoms.
The US has restricted travel from the EU, Britain, China and Iran for more than a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, later adding other countries, including South Africa, Brazil and India.
Nationals from these countries can still enter the US with a valid visa — but only if they have not been in their home nation for a two-week period before travel.
So, if you want to visit the US, it is possible, but with ever-changing rules, it is recommended that you monitor the latest guidance from the US government as well as that of the states you plan to travel to.
