6 New Nationalities Can Now Get UAE Visa on Arrival — With One Condition

The UAE has expanded its visa-on-arrival programme to nationals of six countries, effective 25 June 2026. Passport holders from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya, and South Africa are now eligible but only if they also hold a valid residence permit from one of nine approved countries. Nationality alone is not sufficient. Those who qualify may choose either a 14-day or a 60-day visa, obtained on arrival at any UAE port of entry.

The Six Newly Eligible Nationalities

From 25 June 2026, ordinary passport holders from the following six countries may apply for a UAE visa on arrival, subject to the residence permit condition below:

• Indonesia
• Vietnam
• Thailand
• The Philippines
• Kenya
• South Africa

Accompanying family members of eligible travellers are also covered under the same rules.

Note: Indian passport holders were already eligible under a previous expansion of the UAE’s visa-on-arrival programme and are not affected by this update.

The Condition — You Must Hold a Qualifying Residence Permit

Holding a passport from one of the six countries listed above is not, by itself, enough to qualify.

You must also hold a valid residence permit issued by one of the following nine countries or regions:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• European Union member states
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Japan
• Singapore
• South Korea

You will be required to present both your ordinary passport and your valid residence permit at the UAE port of entry. If you do not hold a qualifying permit from the list above, you will need to arrange a UAE visit visa before you travel. Details on how to do that are in the section below.

What Happens If You Overstay?

Overstaying is taken seriously in the UAE. If you remain beyond your permitted period, an overstay fine of AED 50 per day applies from the first day after your visa expires.

For a full breakdown of how overstay fines are calculated, grace periods, and what to do if you’re already in that situation, see our guide to UAE visa overstay fines and rules.

Visa on Arrival vs Applying in Advance

These are two separate processes. A visa on arrival is issued by UAE immigration officers at the port of entry when you arrive there is no application to submit beforehand, and eDubai Visa does not process visa-on-arrival requests. Approval at the border is at the discretion of UAE immigration authorities.

Applying in advance means submitting a UAE visit visa application before you travel, through a licensed visa assistance service. Your visa is issued to your email and you travel with it already approved.

If you are eligible for visa on arrival and confident you meet the residence permit condition, you may travel without pre-arranging a visa. If there is any doubt about your eligibility, applying in advance is the safer choice.

What If You Don’t Qualify?

If you hold a passport from one of the six countries but do not have a qualifying residence permit, you are not eligible for visa on arrival but you can still visit the UAE by applying for a visit visa in advance.

eDubai Visa offers UAE visit visa assistance for travellers from around the world, with options including 14-day, 30-day, and 60-day visas, processed online with no office visit required. Our team reviews your documents and guides you through every step so you arrive without uncertainty.

Compliance notice: Visa-on-arrival eligibility and entry decisions are made solely by UAE immigration authorities at the port of entry. The conditions above reflect the official announcement by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP), effective 25 June 2026. Rules may change always verify your eligibility against current official guidance before travelling. eDubai Visa is a private visa assistance service operated by ONLY TOURISM L.L.C (Licence No. 690148)