Covid-19: UK accepts travellers with vaccine certificates issued by the UAE-News

British Transport Secretary Grant Sharps announced on Wednesday that the UK will accept a vaccination certificate issued by the UAE health authority.

Please also read: UAE residents and Indian leaders slam the UK’s new travel policy

| New We will accept the UAE vaccination certificate from October 4th because their vaccination app has been updated.As a major transportation hub where many British expats live, this is good news for reopening international travel, promoting business development and family reunion

-Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) September 22, 2021

Starting from October 4th, travelers can enter the UK if they show proof of two Covid injections in the UAE.

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In response to the British decision, Mansoor Abulhoul, the UAE’s ambassador to the UK, wrote on Twitter:

We welcome the UK’s decision to recognize UK-approved vaccines administered in the UAE through our world-class vaccination plan from October 4th. (1/3) https://t.co/Ge16pDJMl7

— Mansoor Abulhoul (@MansoorAbulhoul) September 22, 2021

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This will make it easier for Emirati and our large British expatriate community living in the UAE to travel to the UK, reunite family and friends, and strengthen business operations. (2/3)

— Mansoor Abulhoul (@MansoorAbulhoul) September 22, 2021

Last week, the British government announced that vaccine certificates for fully vaccinated travelers from 17 countries (excluding the UAE) will be accepted by the British authorities. Currently, those who travel from the UAE to the UK need to self-isolate for 10 days and undergo multiple RT-PCR tests during this period.

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We look forward to continuing to work with our friends in the UK as the world recovers from COVID-19. Today’s announcement is an important step (3/3)

— Mansoor Abulhoul (@MansoorAbulhoul) September 22, 2021

Sharps announced on September 17 reforms to the existing UK travel agreement. From October 4 onwards, fully vaccinated individuals from non-red countries do not need to undergo pre-departure testing before arriving in the UK. “Starting in late October, travelers will be able to replace RT-PCR testing the next day with cheaper lateral flow,” he explained.

Wednesday’s announcement made it easier for UAE nationals and British expatriates to travel to the UK without isolation.

Residents interested in traveling to the UK only need to display their vaccination status on the Al Hosn app.

Sharps also confirmed that teenagers under the age of 18 can be exempt from self-isolation upon arrival in the UK, regardless of whether the child is vaccinated or not.

UK Secretary of State for the Middle East and North Africa Affairs James Cleverley said on Twitter: “With the opening of international travel, I am very pleased that we have finalized arrangements with the UAE and will receive the UAE vaccine certificate from October 4th. The good news is for businesses and families.”

Many people are preparing to travel but are still waiting for clarification: agents

Travel experts say that air travel between the UAE and the UK will soar in the coming weeks, especially for those who want to visit relatives.

Although most British expatriates in the UAE are looking forward to returning home to reunite with their loved ones, many are still waiting for the clarity of the pre-approved vaccine list.

A total of five vaccines were distributed in the UAE-Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sputnik and Sinopharm. It is not clear whether all people who have received any vaccine in the UAE will be covered by the relaxed procedures.

Travel experts told Khaleej Times that many people currently planning to travel to the UK are not only tourists and business travelers, but also students who wish to attend classes at university, as well as family and friends who wish to meet their loved ones.

Sophia Tamang, a travel expert in the UAE, said: “At present, people are still applying for visas and waiting for the process to become clear. Since travel has just opened, most people who travel will come back to meet their relatives.”

Tamang said that currently few tourists and corporate clients travel here.

She added: “Parents who want to send their children to a British university also have some needs.”

“Demand is expected to pick up in December, but the travel regulations in this industry have been very unpredictable. It is constantly changing.”

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

Danusha Gukulan

Dhanusha Gokulan is from India and has been working as a journalist for more than ten years. For Khaleej Times, she reports on NRI affairs, civil aviation and immigration issues. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism, economics and English literature from Mangalore University in 2008, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in contemporary media leadership and innovation at the American University in Dubai. In her spare time, she gets involved in singing/song writing, loves food, and is the mother of an over-enthusiastic Labrador Retriever. On her Twitter @shootsprintrite.