United Arab Emirates: Multiple Changes to Visa-on-Arrival Program Affecting Several Nationalities
June 30, 2026
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Update – June 30, 2026: Due to a recent eligibility expansion, nationals of Indonesia, Kenya, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand and Vietnam holding residence permits from select countries (Australia, Canada, any country in the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom or the United States) are now eligible for a visa-on-arrival in the United Arab Emirates for tourism or business stays of up to 60 days.
November 12, 2024: The United Arab Emirates has made and will make several changes to its visa-on-arrival (VOA) program as follows:
- Clarifying certain durations. The duration of stay under a VOA for nationals of Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States is 90 days within a 180-day period. Previously, there was ambiguity regarding the maximum duration of stay for some of these nationals.
- Changing certain durations. Nationals of Georgia, the Maldives, and South Korea are now subject to a VOA stay limit of 90 days within a 180-day period. Previously, there was no ‘180-day period’ limit for such nationals. Separately, New Zealand nationals are now subject to the same 90 days within a 180-day period, whereas previously, they were granted only 30 days entry, and were also not subject to the ‘180-day period’ limit.
- Changes for Indian nationals. Under new regulations (which are yet to come into effect), Indian nationals who only possess a UK residence visa will no longer qualify for the conditional 14-day VOA. Indian nationals who hold a U.S. visit visa or Green Card, or an EU visit or residence visa, will continue to be eligible for the conditional VOA (which can be extended a further 14 days). Separately, a new 60-day conditional VOA option for eligible Indian nationals may be introduced in the future, with eligibility requirements expected to be the same as the 14-day option. It remains unclear when these two changes will be implemented.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
