United Arab Emirates: Multiple Changes to Visa-on-Arrival Program Affecting Several Nationalities

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.