THE United Arab Emirates (UAE) declared Monday that tourist visas will be issued to travelers already vaccinated against COVID-19, which will be effective starting August 30, a month prior to the postponed Expo 2020 Trade Fair.
The UAE is considered as one of the countries with the fastest vaccination drives in the world, which helped curb cases of COVID-19 and nudged officials to remove its border restrictions for travelers.
According to a Sunday report by WAM news agency, to “achieve sustainable recovery and economic growth,” the UAE was prompted to reopen travel opportunities for all countries, including Pakistan, India, and Nigeria, whose residents were once banned from entering the UAE.
The UAE decided to resume tourist visas for travelers from across the globe provided that they are fully inoculated with vaccines manufactured either by Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sinopharm, or Sinovac, all duly approved by the World Health Organization.
“The decision applies to citizens of all countries, including those arriving from previously banned countries,” the news agency stated.
The UAE further noted that tourists should register in the government’s health application for easy monitoring and verifying of their vaccination status.
Furthermore, visitors must undergo rapid testing as soon as they arrive at the airport.
The oil-rich country has recorded over 715,000 COVID-19 cases, where 2,036 were reported as fatalities.
(PHOTO CREDIT: gulfnews.com)