Kenyan citizens eyeing meetings or stop-overs in the Gulf received good news on 25 June 2026: the UAE has scrapped the need for a pre-arranged visit visa for qualifying Kenyan passport holders. Nairobi-based portal Tuko reports that, with immediate effect, Kenyans who possess a valid residence permit from the US, UK, EU or seven other advanced economies will be issued a UAE visa on arrival. The key conditions mirror those applied to other newly eligible nationalities. Travellers must present (1) a Kenyan ordinary passport and (2) a residence permit or long-term visa from the United States, an EU member state, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Canada or New Zealand with at least six months’ remaining validity. Fees are AED 100 for a 14-day stay (extendable once) and AED 250 for a 60-day stay (non-extendable). Kenya becomes only the second African country—alongside South Africa—granted access under the expanded scheme, underscoring the UAE’s ambition to deepen commercial links with East Africa’s largest economy. Kenya-UAE trade topped US $3.1 billion in 2025, driven by re-exports through Jebel Ali Free Zone and rising demand for Kenyan tea, flowers and ICT services.
![Kenyan travellers can now secure UAE visa on arrival—if they hold third-country residency]()
Travellers who would rather not navigate the fine print alone can turn to VisaHQ, whose UAE desk helps Kenyan passport holders check their eligibility, assemble documents and secure either visa-on-arrival pre-clearance or the correct pre-arranged permit when needed. The online platform—accessible at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/—offers step-by-step guidance and live support, saving both time and costly errors.
For multinational employers, the change removes a significant administrative hurdle: Kenyan engineers and project managers stationed in Europe or North America can now be dispatched to UAE client sites at short notice, paying the modest on-arrival fee instead of navigating a sponsor-based e-visa. Mobility teams should nevertheless verify that the individual’s residence permit is physically stamped or digitally verifiable, as airline check-in agents will request proof before boarding. Travellers who do not meet the residency condition—such as Kenya-based SMEs without foreign permits—must still apply through UAE-approved visa agencies. The Kenyan Consulate in Dubai is preparing an FAQ to clarify the distinction and avoid turn-backs at ports of entry during the busy summer shopping season.
Travellers who would rather not navigate the fine print alone can turn to VisaHQ, whose UAE desk helps Kenyan passport holders check their eligibility, assemble documents and secure either visa-on-arrival pre-clearance or the correct pre-arranged permit when needed. The online platform—accessible at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/—offers step-by-step guidance and live support, saving both time and costly errors.
For multinational employers, the change removes a significant administrative hurdle: Kenyan engineers and project managers stationed in Europe or North America can now be dispatched to UAE client sites at short notice, paying the modest on-arrival fee instead of navigating a sponsor-based e-visa. Mobility teams should nevertheless verify that the individual’s residence permit is physically stamped or digitally verifiable, as airline check-in agents will request proof before boarding. Travellers who do not meet the residency condition—such as Kenya-based SMEs without foreign permits—must still apply through UAE-approved visa agencies. The Kenyan Consulate in Dubai is preparing an FAQ to clarify the distinction and avoid turn-backs at ports of entry during the busy summer shopping season.
