In a same-day follow-up to its five-year visa guidance, Dubai’s GDRFA issued a separate advisory confirming that Indian passport holders who are *residents* of select countries—including the US, UK, EU member states, Canada, Australia, Japan and Singapore—remain eligible for a visa on arrival (VoA) when entering the UAE. The circular, released at 15:30 GST on 21 July, outlines two VoA options: a 14-day stay (extendable once) or a straight 60-day, non-extendable permit. Fees are AED 172.50 and AED 422.50 respectively. Eligibility hinges on possessing a residence permit valid for at least six months beyond the arrival date and a passport with similar validity. Family members travelling together must each meet the residence-permit criterion or hold dependent visas linked to the principal resident. Operational impact: • Indian executives flying in from London or New York for urgent client meetings can skip pre-trip paperwork. • Travel managers must however verify residence-permit expiry dates, as airlines will deny boarding if validity is short. • The 60-day option helps Indian professionals on temporary assignment in the Gulf’s booming construction and events sectors. Data point: GDRFA says more than 73,000 VoAs were issued to eligible Indians in H1 2026, a 26 % year-on-year jump. Authorities credit post-pandemic pent-up demand and Dubai’s aggressive conference calendar. Take-away for mobility teams: maintain updated copies of employees’ US/UK residence cards in corporate travel profiles; brief staff that the VoA cannot be converted into a work permit inside the country—violators face fines and re-entry bans.
Source: The Economic Times
