The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) has quietly delivered one of this summer’s biggest facilitation wins for corporate travel managers. Effective 13:55 on 25 June 2026, ordinary-passport holders from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa – together with accompanying family members – may obtain either a 14-day or 60-day visa on arrival at any UAE border point, provided they already hold a valid residence permit issued by the United States, an EU member state, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand or Canada. Fees are set at AED 100 for the 14-day permit and AED 250 for the 60-day permit.
![UAE broadens visa-on-arrival scheme to six emerging markets]()
For companies looking to navigate these new rules without missing a beat, VisaHQ offers an all-in-one solution: its online portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) provides real-time updates on UAE entry policies, quick eligibility checks based on residence-permit status, and concierge support that can pre-screen documents for entire project teams mobilising at short notice.
A 14-day visa can be extended once in-country, while the 60-day option remains single-entry and non-extendable. The move reflects Abu Dhabi’s determination to keep post-pandemic momentum in the meetings-and-incentives segment and to cement Dubai’s role as the hub for African and Southeast-Asian business flows. Nationals of the six states represent some of the fastest-growing passenger segments at Dubai International (DXB) and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International (AUH); all six are also priority talent pools for the UAE’s hospitality, healthcare and construction sectors. From a practical standpoint, the expansion eliminates weeks of lead-time for project teams being mobilised at short notice and saves employers the AED 350-600 service-provider fees previously required for a pre-arranged visit visa. Duty-of-care managers should, however, brief travellers that overstay fines remain steep at AED 50 per day and that proof of onward travel and sufficient funds may still be requested on arrival. Travel-management companies report immediate interest from manufacturing and renewable-energy firms moving equipment and staff between Southeast Asia and the Gulf. Event organisers are also recalibrating delegate marketing for autumn conferences, with the Arabian Travel Market already confirming promotion drives in Jakarta and Johannesburg. Longer term, the ICP hinted that more nationalities could be added to the on-arrival roster as the government shifts from quota-based tourism targets to a “quality-of-stay” metric baked into the UAE’s Vision 2031 strategy. Companies would be wise to audit existing mobility policies now and ensure HR systems can handle a more fluid mix of short-term and project-linked entries.
For companies looking to navigate these new rules without missing a beat, VisaHQ offers an all-in-one solution: its online portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) provides real-time updates on UAE entry policies, quick eligibility checks based on residence-permit status, and concierge support that can pre-screen documents for entire project teams mobilising at short notice.
A 14-day visa can be extended once in-country, while the 60-day option remains single-entry and non-extendable. The move reflects Abu Dhabi’s determination to keep post-pandemic momentum in the meetings-and-incentives segment and to cement Dubai’s role as the hub for African and Southeast-Asian business flows. Nationals of the six states represent some of the fastest-growing passenger segments at Dubai International (DXB) and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International (AUH); all six are also priority talent pools for the UAE’s hospitality, healthcare and construction sectors. From a practical standpoint, the expansion eliminates weeks of lead-time for project teams being mobilised at short notice and saves employers the AED 350-600 service-provider fees previously required for a pre-arranged visit visa. Duty-of-care managers should, however, brief travellers that overstay fines remain steep at AED 50 per day and that proof of onward travel and sufficient funds may still be requested on arrival. Travel-management companies report immediate interest from manufacturing and renewable-energy firms moving equipment and staff between Southeast Asia and the Gulf. Event organisers are also recalibrating delegate marketing for autumn conferences, with the Arabian Travel Market already confirming promotion drives in Jakarta and Johannesburg. Longer term, the ICP hinted that more nationalities could be added to the on-arrival roster as the government shifts from quota-based tourism targets to a “quality-of-stay” metric baked into the UAE’s Vision 2031 strategy. Companies would be wise to audit existing mobility policies now and ensure HR systems can handle a more fluid mix of short-term and project-linked entries.
