GDRFA Dubai published fresh guidance on 21 July explaining how foreign residents of select countries—including India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Kenya, South Africa and the Philippines—can secure a visa on arrival for 14 or 60 days when flying into the UAE. The clarification, reported by Gulf News, confirms that applicants must hold an ordinary passport valid for six months and a valid residence permit issued by one of nine ‘approved’ jurisdictions (US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea or Singapore). Fees are AED 172.50 for the 14-day option (extendable once) and AED 422.50 for the 60-day option (non-extendable). All applications are processed through GDRFA’s smart-services portal, with approvals typically emailed within 48 hours—welcome news for business travellers who need to pivot trips at short notice. The authority revealed that more than 73,000 visas had already been issued under the scheme in H1 2026, underscoring robust pent-up demand from expatriates who live and work outside their home countries. For multinational HR and travel teams, the update eliminates lingering confusion over documentation standards, particularly around acceptable digital photographs and the need to upload a scan of the foreign residence permit. The streamlined channel is expected to reduce visa-processing costs for regional headquarters that routinely fly in middle-management staff from South-East Asia and Africa. Companies should, however, note that holders of passports outside the listed nationalities remain subject to standard pre-arrival entry permits—a distinction that must be reflected in automated travel-approval workflows to avoid boarding-gate surprises.
Source: Gulf News
