- The United Arab Emirates confirmed that citizens from at least 70 nations could enter the country without a pre-arranged visa
- Immigration officials granted a 90-day visa-free stay within a rolling 180-day window to 49 global destinations
- The Federal Authority expanded conditional visa-on-arrival entry to include seven specific countries under new residency criteria
The United Arab Emirates has published its updated entry guidelines, confirming that citizens from at least 70 countries can enter the nation without a pre-arranged visa.
The policy facilitates smoother access for international visitors as the country handles millions of arrivals across its major airport networks.
Source: Getty Images
Under the 2026 regulations, as reported by Khaleej Times, travel privileges are categorised by the duration of stay allowed. National passport holders or identity card holders from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations can cross UAE borders entirely free of visa requirements or specific duration caps.
These countries are:
- Bahrain
- Kuwait
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
UAE: Which nations get ninety days visa free?
A total of 49 nations enjoy visa-free access to the country for up to 90 days within a 180-day rolling window. Multiple entries are permitted under this category, though travellers are strictly prohibited from taking up employment.
The eligible countries are:
- Albania
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas Islands
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic Of Guyana
- Romania
- Russian Federation
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom and Northern Ireland
- United States of America
- Uruguay
UAE: Who qualifies for thirty days entry?
Another group of countries receives a 30-day visa-free stay upon arrival, with options for extensions available in most cases.
Immigration authorities advise these travellers to verify extra entry conditions on official platforms like the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security before booking. The countries in this bracket are:
- Andorra
- Brunei
- Hong Kong, China
- Kazakhstan
- Macau, China
- Malaysia
- Mauritius
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Republic of Ireland
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Vatican City
Source: Getty Images
UAE: Who can get conditional arrival visas?
The entry framework also features an expanded category that allows a 14-day or 60-day visa on arrival for select nationalities. To qualify for this specific provision, applicants must hold a valid residence permit from an approved jurisdiction like the US, UK, EU, Canada, or Japan. The seven countries included in this conditional category are:
UAE bans social media use for children
Legit.ng previously reported that the United Arab Emirates announced a ban on social media use for children under the age of 15, with platforms required to monitor and disable accounts created by underage users or risk being blocked in the country.
The UAE’s official WAM news agency announced the measure, citing a cabinet resolution that sets 15 as the minimum age for social media use.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
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