Traveling to Dubai during the COVID Pandemic

Dubai is open with very little restrictions. We had to take a COVID test on arrival. A QR sticker was put on the back of our passports, and results were uploaded a few hours later.

How did you enter the country?

Air

Any difficulties with your vaccination card when entering the destination?

There were no difficulties with our paper CDC cards.

Did your children need to be vaccinated before arriving? If so, which ages? Also, did they need to wear a mask?

Children under the age of 12 do not need an arrival test or vaccination certificates if they are traveling with a vaccinated parent.

Did the local government ask for travel or health insurance when you arrived?

We used our health insurance that comes with our credit card and had no issues. It was only checked at the ticket counter and not at arrival.

Was your COVID test result accepted?

Yes.

Were you selected for a random health check? If so, what was involved and how did it go?

No, I was not selected for a random health check. However, most people are required to take a COVID test on arrival.

If needed, were COVID tests easy to find and book at your destination?

COVID tests were super easy to find and results normally came back in a few hours.

Was this destination abnormally crowded or empty?

The Dubai Expo was crowded! As was the New Year's Eve light show at the Burj Khalifa.

Did you have to show proof of vaccination on location? For example, when entering restaurants, shops, events, etc.?

I needed to show my vaccine card to go to any indoor venue and the expo.

Were you required to wear a mask inside restaurants, event spaces, or public transportation? If you were able to choose, did you feel comfortable wearing or not wearing a mask?

Masks were required, even in outdoor spaces at the expo.

Did the destination adapt physical distancing in day-to-day situations?

Physical distancing is very much enforced.

Did restaurants, businesses, and public services take COVID-related sanitary precautions that you noticed?

Public services were always disinfecting. Public bathrooms always had a worker that disinfected after each use, and places like the malls were always wiping down escalators and commonly touched surfaces.

Were most attractions open? Were you able to visit the ones you wanted to attend?

All attractions I wanted to visit were open!

Anything you found to be noteworthy about your trip related to traveling with additional restrictions and policies?

Dubai is taking COVID seriously and doing what they can to be safe, but they don't appear to be locking down or closing any time soon.