The UAE Guides

UAE Extends Visit Permit to Six New Nationalities

· 2 min read News
Aircraft approaching Dubai — UAE entry and flights information

Contents

  1. How the Scheme Works
  2. Why These Six Countries
  3. What Hasn’t Changed
  4. Planning a UAE Visit

The United Arab Emirates expanded its visit permit programme on July 1, 2026, adding six new nationalities to the scheme: South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Kenya, and Vietnam. Citizens of these countries travelling on qualifying Emirates, flydubai, or Air Arabia flights — and processed through VFS Global — are now eligible for a 14-day visit permit without a separate visa application.

How the Scheme Works

The visit permit is not a visa exemption in the conventional sense. Eligible passport holders receive the permit at arrival, linked to their inbound flight booking on a participating UAE carrier. The permit is valid for a single entry of up to 14 days and cannot currently be extended within the UAE. It is intended for leisure and transit visitors, not for business activity or longer stays.

For those needing more than 14 days or travelling on non-qualifying carriers, the standard UAE visit visa application process through an approved agent or online portal remains available.

Why These Six Countries

The selection reflects a combination of high outbound travel volume and growing UAE-bound interest from markets where the previous visa requirement was acting as a deterrent. Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam have significant overseas worker populations in the UAE, and the permit is expected to facilitate short visits for workers bringing family members to see them. South Africa, Thailand, and Kenya have growing leisure travel demand for UAE stopover and holiday packages.

Emirates and flydubai have built meaningful capacity on routes serving all six markets, which gives the carrier-linked permit scheme a practical foundation.

What Hasn’t Changed

The visit permit covers leisure and family visits. It does not confer the right to work or to undertake business activities that require a formal visa. The UAE’s existing visa structure for longer stays, business travel, and residency continues unchanged.

Visitors from these six countries with existing UAE residency, multiple-entry visas, or other valid permissions are not affected — those travel documents remain valid.

Planning a UAE Visit

Our practical guide covers UAE entry requirements in full, including the updated permit details and how to apply for a standard visit visa if the permit scheme doesn’t fit your travel plans. The city guides cover Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and the smaller emirates with recommendations for getting around and what to prioritise. For activities and experiences, the things to do section covers everything from desert safaris to indoor ski slopes and cultural sites.