UAE suspends entry of passengers from Vietnam

Officials in the UAE have decided to ban the entry of passengers from Vietnam on all carriers from June 5, 2021 at 11.59pm.

The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority and the National Authority for Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management said on Thursday that travellers from Vietnam will also not be permitted to transit through the UAE. However, passengers en route to Vietnam will be permitted to transit through the UAE, reported state run news agency WAM.

The entry ban is applicable to those who have been in Vietnam 14 days prior to their arrival to the UAE.

#الطوارئ_والأزمات والطيران المدني: تعليق دخول المسافرين القادمين من فيتنام على جميع الرحلات الجوية للناقلات الوطنية والأجنبية، وكذلك ركاب الترانزيت القادمين منها، اعتباراً من 5 يونيو 2021، باستثناء رحلات الترانزيت القادمة للدولة والمتجهة إلى فيتنام.https://t.co/SUdo59fjsx pic.twitter.com/fPg3H2RHMO

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) June 3, 2021

Exempted from this entry ban are Emiratis and their first-degree relatives, diplomatic missions accredited between the UAE and Vietnam, personnel working in the embassies of the two countries, holders of golden visas, official delegations and businessmen provided that prior approval is obtained, and those who have been completely vaccinated using a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization. A minimum of 28 days should have passed since they received the final dose of vaccine, and proof of this is required via a vaccination certificate or on apps approved by health authorities in both countries.

Exempted categories of passengers who are permitted to enter the UAE must undergo a 10-day quarantine, undertake a PCR examination at the airport upon arrival, and repeat the test on the fourth and eighth day of entering the country.

Also exempt from the entry ban are those working in vital jobs as specified the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, as well as crews of foreign cargo and transit aircraft, provided that they obtain a negative Covid-19 PCR taken within 48 hours of departure and another one upon arrival. They will also have to quarantine until departure.

Cargo flights between the UAE and Vietnam will remain unaffected by this new decision.

Although authorities in Vietnam had said that they believe they had identified a new variant which was a combination of the UK and Indian strains, media reports on Thursday quoted Kidong Park, the WHO’s representative in Vietnam, as saying that it wasn’t a new variant, but a part of the existing strain.