Fresh statistics released on 5 October by Nigerian outlet Legit.ng—citing Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA)—show that the emirate issued 73,551 entry visas to nationals of “select countries” during the first six months of 2026. In total, GDRFA handled more than seven million entry and residency transactions, including over one million new residence permits and 5.07 million entry permits. Processing times averaged under four minutes with a 95 % satisfaction rating. The data illustrate the growing popularity of Dubai’s five-year multiple-entry tourist visa, which allows foreign professionals to visit the UAE repeatedly without a local sponsor. Mobility providers say the product is especially attractive for project-based consultants and remote workers who need frequent Gulf access without relocating full-time. Event organisers are also leaning on the dedicated “Events Visa,” introduced ahead of Expo 2020 and now extended to cover conferences and exhibitions through 2027. The visa permits 30- or 60-day stays with extensions up to 120 days, giving corporates flexibility to rotate staff for long-running trade fairs. For HR teams, the numbers confirm that Dubai’s digital visa portal is scaling smoothly after last year’s platform consolidation under the UAE Pass single-sign-on system. Employers should, however, note that enhanced AML screening has lengthened processing for certain high-risk nationalities. With competition heating up from Riyadh’s new investor-visa regime, analysts expect Dubai to unveil further visa-fee waivers for strategic sectors in the 2027 federal budget.
Source: Legit.ng
