What is the change? United Arab Emirates authorities have expanded the number of Indian nationals who are eligible for the UAE’s visa-on-arrival program, implementing a change that was approved in September.

What does the change mean? Indian nationals with a valid visa or resident permit for the United Kingdom or a European Union country and a normal passport may now travel to the UAE for business or tourism and obtain a visa on arrival that is valid for up to 14 days.

  • Implementation time frame: Ongoing. The change was implemented Monday.
  • Visas/permits affected: Visas on arrival.
  • Who is affected: Indian nationals holding valid visas or resident permits for the U.K. or an EU country.
  • Impact on processing time: The change will save eligible Indian travelers the time it takes to obtain a visa for the UAE before traveling.

Background: Last year, the UAE opened its visa-on-arrival program for Indian nationals with United States green cards or visas valid for at least six months. With the new process, Indian nationals holding a valid visa or resident permit for the U.K. or an EU country or a green card or visa for the U.S. are allowed to remain in the UAE for up to 14 days on a visa on arrival. Those who intend to stay longer than 14 days may obtain one 14-day extension for a charge.

BAL Analysis: The expansion of visas on arrival will facilitate travel and reduce processing for more Indian nationals traveling for business or as tourists to the UAE, especially those needing to travel on short notice. Those with questions about what types of activities are permitted on a visa on arrival should contact BAL.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in the United Arab Emirates. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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