UAE Visa on Arrival for Filipinos, Indonesians, Vietnamese, Thais, Kenyans and South Africans - But Only With a Western Residence Permit
From 25 June 2026, the UAE grants visa on arrival to nationals of the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Kenya, and South Africa - but only if they hold a valid residence permit from the US, an EU state, the UK, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. Without one, a pre-arranged visa is still required.
The Condition Everyone Is Skipping Over
On 25 June 2026, the UAE began granting visa on arrival to citizens of six countries that have long needed pre-arranged visas: the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Kenya, and South Africa. That is genuinely significant news for millions of travellers - but much of the coverage circulating online implies that any passport holder from these countries can now board a flight to Dubai and get stamped in. That is not what the rule says.
The scheme comes with one strict condition: the traveller must hold a valid residence permit from the United States, an EU member state, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. The passport alone does not qualify. This is a facility for the diaspora - the Filipino nurse in London, the Kenyan engineer in Toronto, the Vietnamese student on a Japanese residence card - not a blanket change for all citizens of the six countries.
If you take one thing from this article, take that. Here is how the scheme actually works, verified against the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement.
Who Qualifies: Two Conditions, Not One
Eligibility requires both of the following at the same time:
| Requirement | What qualifies |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Kenya, or South Africa |
| Residence permit | A valid residence permit from the United States, an EU member state, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada |
Some concrete examples of travellers who qualify:
- A Filipino citizen with a US green card or other valid US residence status
- An Indonesian citizen with a Singapore employment-linked residence permit
- A Vietnamese citizen holding a Japanese residence card
- A Thai citizen with a German (or any other EU member state) residence permit
- A Kenyan citizen with UK indefinite leave to remain or another valid UK residence permit
- A South African citizen with Australian or New Zealand permanent residence
The residence permit must be valid when you travel. The MOFA announcement does not specify a minimum remaining validity, so if yours expires soon, confirm with your airline before booking - carriers check eligibility at boarding and may take a conservative view.
Who Does NOT Qualify
The same six passports without a qualifying residence permit gain nothing from this change. A Filipino citizen living in Manila, a Kenyan citizen living in Nairobi, or a South African citizen living in Johannesburg still needs a pre-arranged UAE visa before flying - the process has not changed for them.
Also outside the scheme:
- Holders of residence permits from countries not on the list - a Thai citizen resident in Malaysia or an Indonesian citizen resident in Saudi Arabia, for example, does not qualify on that basis
- Travellers whose qualifying residence permit has expired
If that describes you, our UAE visa requirements page and UAE tourist visa guide cover the pre-arranged routes, and Filipino travellers can start with our dedicated UAE guide for Filipino citizens.
The Two Visa-on-Arrival Options Compared
Qualifying travellers choose between two fixed options at the border:
| 14-day option | 60-day option | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | AED 100 | AED 250 |
| Stay | 14 days | 60 days |
| Extendable? | Yes, once | No - single stay |
| Best for | Short leave, stopovers, quick family visits | Longer family stays, extended trips |
The extension rules matter more than they look. The 14-day visa can be extended once, giving some flexibility if plans shift. The 60-day visa cannot be extended at all - it is a single, fixed stay. If you are choosing between them for a trip of uncertain length, do not assume you can sort it out later: pick the option that already covers your realistic worst case.
Building an itinerary around one of these windows? Our travel itinerary tool can help you structure the trip, and the visa checker covers onward destinations.
What to Carry When You Fly
Two documents are non-negotiable:
- Your passport from one of the six eligible countries
- Your physical residence permit - the card, vignette, or document itself, in verifiable form. This is what unlocks the visa on arrival, and both the airline at check-in and UAE immigration on landing will want to see it
Beyond that, it is sensible - though not spelled out as mandatory in the announcement - to carry evidence of an onward or return ticket and your accommodation details. Border officers worldwide routinely ask for these, and having them ready removes friction at the desk.
Overstay Costs
Both options carry the same penalty for overstaying: AED 50 per day. On the non-extendable 60-day visa in particular, that clock starts the moment day 61 begins, and there is no extension route to fall back on. Track your exit date carefully - a two-week overstay costs AED 700 before you even reach the departure gate.
How This Compares to the Standard Tourist Visa Route
Until now, citizens of these six countries generally arranged a UAE visa in advance - typically a sponsored tourist visa through an airline, hotel, or licensed agency, applied for and approved before travel. That route still exists and is still the only option for those without a qualifying residence permit.
For those who do qualify, the visa on arrival removes the pre-approval step entirely: no advance application, no sponsor, no waiting on an approval email before booking. The trade-off is rigidity - two fixed durations, fixed fees, and limited extension options - whereas pre-arranged visas come in a wider range of durations. For a full picture of the standard routes, see our UAE visa requirements page and the UAE tourist visa guide. Transiting rather than staying? The Dubai transit visa guide covers that separately.
This change fits a broader pattern of UAE entry liberalisation we have been tracking - see the July 2026 visa changes roundup for what else moved this month.
The Bottom Line
This is a real and welcome opening - but it is a residence-permit scheme, not a passport scheme. If you are a citizen of the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Kenya, or South Africa and you hold a valid residence permit from the US, an EU member state, the UK, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada, you can now land in the UAE and buy a 14-day (AED 100) or 60-day (AED 250) visa at the border. If you do not hold one of those permits, nothing has changed for you: arrange your visa before you fly.
All information is sourced from the official UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement and verified as of 13 July 2026. Visa policies can change at short notice - always check the official government website or confirm with your airline before travelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm a Filipino citizen with a US green card - do I qualify?
Yes. A US green card is a residence permit issued by the United States, which is on the qualifying list. As a Filipino citizen holding a valid green card, you qualify for the UAE visa on arrival - either the 14-day option for AED 100 or the 60-day option for AED 250. Carry the physical green card when you fly.
I'm a Filipino citizen living in the Philippines - can I get visa on arrival in the UAE?
No. The scheme applies only to travellers who hold a valid residence permit from the US, an EU member state, the UK, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. Filipino citizens without one of these permits still need to arrange a UAE visa before travelling, typically through an airline, hotel, or licensed travel agency.
Can I extend the 60-day visa on arrival?
No. The 60-day option (AED 250) is a single stay and non-extendable. If you think you might need more flexibility on a shorter trip, note that the 14-day option (AED 100) can be extended once.
What if my residence permit expires soon?
The rule requires the residence permit to be valid - a permit that has expired does not qualify. The announcement does not spell out a minimum remaining validity, so if your permit is close to expiry, check with your airline before flying, as carriers verify eligibility at check-in and may apply their own reading of the rule.
Related Articles
Visa Changes July 2026: EES Summer Queues, ETIAS Delay Reports, Japan Visa Fees Rise Fivefold
Europe's first peak summer under the fully operational Entry/Exit System brings border waits of up to five hours, reports say ETIAS may slip to 2027, Japan raises visa fees fivefold from 1 July, the US visa bond pilot approaches its 5 August end date, and the UAE opens visa on arrival to six more nationalities - with a big condition.
Dubai Transit Visa 2026: Free Layover & Stopover Rules
Do you need a transit visa for Dubai? Free options available. Covers Dubai Connect, 48/96-hour stopovers, and rules by nationality for DXB and AUH.