The UAE has expanded its visa on arrival programme to nationals of six more countries: Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa. The change was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ICP on 25 June 2026 and applies at all UAE entry points. There is one condition that matters more than the passport itself: you must also hold a valid residence permit from one of nine approved countries. Details verified September 2026.
What changed under the uae visa on arrival expansion
Ordinary passport holders from the six countries, along with accompanying family members, can now receive a visa at the border instead of arranging one before travel. Two durations are offered at the counter, a 14-day stay or a 60-day stay, with reported fees of AED 100 for the 14-day option and AED 250 for the 60-day option; confirm the current figure with ICP or your airline before travelling, as counter fees are set by regulation and can change.
The qualifying permit list covers nine places: the United States, the United Kingdom, EU member states, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore and South Korea. You present both the passport and the permit at immigration. India is not part of this batch because Indian nationals already had a similar facility under an earlier expansion.
Who this applies to, and who it does not
This helps a specific traveller: a Filipino nurse living in London, a South African engineer with Australian permanent residency, a Vietnamese professional settled in Japan. Diaspora, in short. A passport holder from one of the six countries living at home, with no qualifying foreign permit, gains nothing from this change and still needs a pre-arranged visit visa.
It is also an entry route, not a residency route. The visa on arrival gets you into the country for a short stay; it does not extend, convert or count toward any long-term status.
What to carry at the border
- Ordinary passport, valid for your travel dates (six months validity is the safe standard)
- The qualifying residence permit, valid on the day you land, physical or verifiable
- Onward or return ticket, which immigration can request
- Card or cash for the visa fee at the counter
The confusion we are already seeing
Since the announcement, the enquiries reaching us from Filipino, Kenyan and South African readers cluster around two misreadings. The first is assuming nationality alone now qualifies; the permit condition removes most of the people asking. The second is treating the 60-day entry as a foothold toward residency. It is not one, though it is genuinely useful as a scouting window: long enough to view property, meet employers or set up a company, which is when the real residency question starts. Our breakdown of golden visa routes by nationality is the right next read for that.
FAQ
Does my passport alone qualify me under the new rule?
No. Nationals of the six countries qualify only when also holding a valid residence permit from the nine approved places. Without one, nothing has changed for you and a pre-arranged visa is still required. A short stopover without leaving immigration needs no visa at all, and for stepping out during a layover there is the transit visa route.
Can the visa on arrival be extended?
The 14-day entry can reportedly be extended once for an additional fee, while the 60-day entry is not extendable, and overstaying attracts a fine of AED 50 per day. If your plans might run past 60 days, arrange a longer visit visa before travel instead of gambling on an extension at the end.
Does this change anything for golden visa applicants?
Not directly, since golden visa eligibility runs on investment, salary or talent criteria, not on how you entered. Indirectly it matters: eligible diaspora can now fly in on short notice to complete steps that need physical presence, like property viewings or biometrics. We track every rule change like this one in the recent golden visa changes hub.
Landing soon to look at property or jobs?
If you are using the new entry route to scout a longer move, message us on WhatsApp with your nationality, the country of your residence permit and what you are considering, property, salary or business, and we will map which UAE residency categories you could file for and what documents to gather before you fly.
This is general guidance, not legal advice; final decisions rest with ICP and GDRFA. Official announcement: the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.
About the Author.
Written by Zohaib Hashmi, 6+ years advising on UAE residency and Golden Visa applications across investor, salary, and endorsement routes. Has reviewed and corrected several hundred files, including rejected applications resubmitted successfully after restructuring. Works directly with ICP and GDRFA submission requirements.