UAE Visa-On-Arrival Eligibility and Duration of Stay for Select Nationalities
The United Arab Emirates has clarified that nationals of Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States are permitted to stay under the Visa-on-Arrival for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
Previously, the maximum duration of stay for these nationals was unclear. Some sources indicated a 90-day limit per entry for most of these countries, but the situation remained ambiguous.
Additionally, the permitted duration of stay for New Zealand nationals has been extended, and the stay conditions for three other countries have been changed, as outlined in the table below:
|
Country |
Duration of stay |
|
|
New policy |
Old policy |
|
|
Georgia |
90 days within a 180-day period |
90 days per entry |
|
Maldives |
90 days within a 180-day period |
90 days per entry |
|
New Zealand |
90 days within a 180-day period |
30 days per entry |
|
South Korea |
90 days within a 180-day period |
90 days per entry |
To help visitors monitor their allowable stay under the 90 days within a 180-day rule, a calculator is available here. This tool serves as a guide only.
New Conditional Visa-on-Arrival Eligibility Requirements
Under new regulations (which are yet to come into effect), Indian nationals who possess a United Kingdom residence visa will no longer qualify for the conditional 14-day Visa-on-Arrival. Indian nationals who hold a US visit visa or Green Card, or an EU visit or residence visa, will continue to be eligible for the conditional Visa-on-Arrival (which includes the option to extend for an additional 14 days).
Separately, a new 60-day conditional Visa-on-Arrival option for eligible Indian nationals is expected to be introduced in the near future. Eligibility requirements are expected to be the same as the 14-day conditional Visa-on-Arrival option.
Neither change has yet gone into effect, and it remains unclear when these two changes will be implemented.
Impact
The updates to the UAE Visa-on-Arrival policy provide clearer guidelines for nationals of certain countries, reducing ambiguity around the allowable duration of stay. This reduces the risk of non-compliance for individuals and businesses.
Meanwhile, once the conditional 14-day Visa-on-Arrival rule changes come into effect, it will be harder for many Indian nationals to enter the United Arab Emirates, with affected individuals now needing to obtain a pre-arranged visa. Conversely, a new 60-day conditional Visa-on-Arrival option would offer increased immigration flexibility for eligible Indian nationals.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact us.