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Health Alert:  U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi and U.S. Consulate General Dubai
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9 MINUTE READ
April 6, 2020

April 6, 2020

Location: Throughout the United Arab Emirates

The U.S. Mission to the UAE is sending a daily update to ensure all U.S. citizens in the UAE have the latest information about COVID-19 and local conditions.

Event:  Flight options to the United States via Europe and Asia now available.  Beginning April 6 Emirates and Etihad Airlines will fly a limited number of outbound-only passenger flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports, including London, Frankfurt, Paris, Brussels and Zurich.  U.S. citizens and U.S. Legal Permanent Residents wishing to depart for the United States are strongly encouraged to make reservations on these flights.  Passengers traveling to the United States MUST show their onward ticket to the United States in order to board aircraft in the UAE. We suggest you make reservations online or through the airlines’ apps.  You do not need a letter from the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, U.S. Consulate General in Dubai, or a letter from authorities of the country you will transit to make your reservation.  The U.S. Embassy and Consulate cannot assist with contacting airlines, arranging onward travel, or negotiating the use of funds from any pre-existing itineraries.  If booking tickets by telephone, the passenger will need to state clearly that they are transiting through Europe and that their destination is the United States.

Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announced on April 4 that the sterilization program in Dubai will be extended to 24 hours a day. The measures will be effective from 8:00 pm on Saturday, 4 April 2020 for a period of two weeks, subject to renewal. The Dubai metro will remain closed until further notice.

Individuals in Dubai are permitted to leave home only for essential purposes such as buying food and medicines or getting tested for COVID-19. All people leaving home should wear a mask and gloves and ensure they keep a safe distance from others.  Individuals must obtain prior permission each time they leave their homes by registering their planned trips online.  An application must be filled out at https://dxbpermit.gov.ae/home before each trip.

Actions to Take:

  • Enroll in the STEP program at https://step.state.gov/ to receive alerts and ensure you can be located in an emergency.
  • Encourage other U.S. citizens to enroll in the STEP program.
  • Confirm the validity of your travel documents, including passports and visas.
  •  Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date COVID-19 information.
  •  For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
  •  Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
  •  Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
  •  Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in the UAE.
  •  Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States.

Assistance:

U.S. citizens looking for options to return to the United States can email American Citizen Services at abudhabiacs@state.gov (for Abu Dhabi) or dubaiacs@state.gov (for Dubai and other emirates) or call the U.S. Department of State Repatriation Task Force at 1-888-407-4747 from the U.S. and Canada or +1-202-501-4444 from overseas.

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security and health updates.

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