UAE Extends Visa-on-Arrival to SIX Countries From June 25, 2026: Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Kenya & South Africa — Hold a Valid US, UK, EU, Australian, Canadian, Japanese, Singapore, South Korean or New Zealand Visa or Residence Permit and You Qualify — 14-Day AED 100 or 60-Day AED 250 — Complete Eligibility, Cost & Dubai Entry Guide

Published: June 29, 2026 — Sunday (Effective: June 25, 2026 · Announced: Philippine DFA + UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs June 24, 2026 · Confirmed: Gulf News, The National, Philippine News Agency)

The United Arab Emirates has opened its visa-on-arrival programme to six new countries in one of the most significant expansions of UAE travel access in recent years.

From June 25, 2026, nationals of the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Kenya, and South Africa — holding a valid visa, residence permit, or Green Card from any of nine approved countries — can obtain a UAE visa-on-arrival directly at Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi International Airport, Sharjah International Airport, or any UAE port of entry. No pre-arranged online tourist visa application. No embassy appointment. No weeks of waiting. Present your Philippine, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Kenyan, or South African passport alongside your qualifying foreign visa or residence permit, pay the fee, and receive your entry stamp on the spot.

The nine qualifying documents are issued by: the United States, United Kingdom, European Union member states, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Canada, and New Zealand.

This matters enormously for your audience. There are an estimated 660,000 Filipinos living in the UAE — one of the world’s largest Filipino diaspora communities. There are hundreds of thousands more Indonesians, Vietnamese, and South Asians. Their families, based in Manila, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Nairobi, and Johannesburg — and holding valid UK, US, EU, Australian, and Canadian visas — can now fly to Dubai on a moment’s notice, without the bureaucratic barrier of a pre-arranged UAE visa. And critically, Filipinos, Indonesians, Thais, Vietnamese, Kenyans, and South Africans who are legal residents of the UK, Australia, Canada, the US, or any EU country — including students, workers, and long-term visa holders — also qualify.

This is the complete guide to who qualifies, what the fees are, how the process works at the airport, and what the UAE’s decision tells us about the country’s broader visa strategy.

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Published: June 29, 2026
Effective date: June 25, 2026 — all UAE ports of entry
Announced: June 24, 2026 — Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) + UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Source: Philippine News Agency (official) · Gulf News
Countries newly eligible for UAE visa-on-arrival: 🇵🇭 Philippines · 🇮🇩 Indonesia · 🇻🇳 Vietnam · 🇹🇭 Thailand · 🇰🇪 Kenya · 🇿🇦 South Africa
Qualifying document condition: Must hold a valid visa, residence permit, or Green Card from one of 9 approved countries — see below
Approved qualifying document countries:

• 🇺🇸 United States (visa OR Green Card)
• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (visa OR residence permit)
• 🇪🇺 European Union — all member states (visa OR residence permit)
• 🇦🇺 Australia (visa OR residence permit)
• 🇨🇦 Canada (visa OR residence permit)
• 🇯🇵 Japan (visa OR residence permit)
• 🇸🇬 Singapore (visa OR residence permit)
• 🇰🇷 South Korea (visa OR residence permit)
• 🇳🇿 New Zealand (visa OR residence permit)
  Document must be: Valid at time of UAE entry — expired documents will NOT be accepted
  Passport validity required: Minimum 6 months from date of UAE entry
  Philippine passport only (not other passports): Filipinos must travel on Philippine passport, not another nationality’s passport
  UAE visa-on-arrival options:
• 🕐 14-day visa: AED 100 (~USD 27 / ~£21 / ~AUD 42 / ~CAD 37) — extendable ONCE for additional 14 days at AED 250
• 🕐
  60-day visa: AED 250 (~USD 68 / ~£53 / ~AUD 105 / ~CAD 93) — non-extendable under any circumstances
  Where to obtain: All UAE ports of entry — Dubai (DXB) · Abu Dhabi (AUH) · Sharjah (SHJ) · all UAE airports and land/sea ports
  Physical documents required: Carry physical / printed copies — digital-only may NOT be accepted at immigration
  UAE overstay penalty: Daily fines from day of expiry — zero grace period — UAE has strict no-tolerance overstay enforcement
  Reason given: “Excellent bilateral relations between the Philippines and the UAE” — DFA · “Strengthening bilateral relations and forging closer economic ties” — UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  Filipino diaspora in UAE: ~660,000–700,000 — one of the world’s largest OFW communities

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Part 1 — What This Actually Changes: Why June 25 Is a Landmark Date for Six Nations

Before June 25, 2026, a Filipino citizen wanting to visit a family member working in Dubai faced a bureaucratic process that could take weeks. They needed to apply for a UAE tourist visa online or through an authorised agent, submit documentation, pay a fee, and wait for approval before booking flights. If their family member was a resident of the UAE who could sponsor them, the process was somewhat streamlined — but it still required advance planning and digital paperwork.

From June 25, that process no longer applies to Filipinos holding a qualifying visa or residence permit from one of the nine approved countries. They can book a flight to Dubai today and present themselves at immigration tomorrow.

The same applies to Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Kenyan, and South African nationals with the same qualifying credentials. In one announcement, the UAE has transformed travel access for six nationalities whose diaspora communities together represent millions of people working and living across the UK, US, EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and New Zealand.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs framed the decision in explicitly diplomatic and economic terms: the move was aimed at “strengthening bilateral relations, forging closer economic ties with the nations, and expanding opportunities for their citizens to visit the Emirates.” The Philippine DFA was equally direct: “The visa-on-arrival privilege extended to Filipino citizens by the UAE is in view of the excellent bilateral relations between the Philippines and the UAE.”

Prior to the announcement, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro met with UAE Ambassador to the Philippines Mohamed Obaid Salem Alqataam Alzaabi, specifically to discuss “strategic avenues to further deepen Philippine-UAE relations” and “advancing economic diplomacy and expanding people-to-people exchanges.” The visa-on-arrival announcement was the direct output of that meeting.

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Part 2 — The Eligibility Rules: Exactly Who Qualifies and Who Does Not

The UAE visa-on-arrival for these six new nationalities is a conditional privilege, not a universal visa-free access grant. The eligibility rules are specific and non-negotiable. Understanding exactly who qualifies — and who does not — is the most important part of this guide.

You qualify if you hold ALL of the following:

✅ A valid Philippine / Indonesian / Vietnamese / Thai / Kenyan / South African passport — you must be travelling on the passport of the relevant nationality. A Filipino holding dual citizenship and travelling on a second passport from a non-listed country does not use this route.

✅ A valid visa, residence permit, or Green Card from one of the nine approved countries: United States, United Kingdom, EU member states, Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, or New Zealand

✅ The qualifying document must be currently valid — not expired, not revoked — at the exact time you enter the UAE. An expired US visa will not qualify even if it was valid when you booked your flight. An expired UK Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) will not qualify. Check your document’s expiry date before you travel.

✅ Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your UAE entry date — standard UAE entry requirement.

You do NOT qualify if:

❌ You hold only a Philippine / Indonesian / Vietnamese / Thai / Kenyan / South African passport with no qualifying foreign visa or residence document — you must still apply for a pre-arranged UAE tourist visa through the standard process

❌ Your qualifying visa or residence permit has expired — immigration officers will not accept expired documents under any circumstances

❌ You are travelling on a non-Philippine / non-Indonesian / non-Vietnamese / non-Thai / non-Kenyan / non-South African passport — nationality is tied to the specific passport presented

❌ Your qualifying document is from a country NOT on the approved list — documents from Gulf Cooperation Council states, India, China, and other countries not on the nine-country list do not qualify for this specific scheme

The UK note — important for Australian, Canadian and UK readers:

The National (UAE’s leading English-language newspaper) confirmed that the UK is included in the approved qualifying document list alongside the US, EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and New Zealand. This is significant for UK-based audiences: Filipino, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Kenyan, and South African nationals who are UK visa holders — including students, skilled workers, and family visa holders — all qualify under this scheme.

The US Green Card clarification:

A valid US Green Card (Permanent Resident Card) explicitly qualifies alongside a valid US visa. This is important for the large Filipino-American permanent resident community — Green Card holders who are Filipino nationals can use their Green Card as the qualifying document for UAE visa-on-arrival.

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Part 3 — The Six Countries: Who Is Affected and Why It Matters

🇵🇭 Philippines — 660,000–700,000 Filipinos in the UAE

The Philippines has one of the largest diaspora communities in the world — an estimated 10 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) spread across more than 100 countries. The UAE alone is home to approximately 660,000–700,000 Filipino nationals, making it one of the three or four largest OFW host countries globally alongside Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and the United States.

For this community and their families in the Philippines, the June 25 change is transformative. A Filipino family member holding a valid US visa, UK visa, Australian visa, or EU residence permit — perhaps obtained for a prior trip, a work stint, or a student visa that remains valid — can now fly directly to Dubai to visit a spouse, parent, sibling, or child working there, without the previous pre-arranged visa requirement. The visit can be spontaneous. The ticket can be booked same-day.

🇮🇩 Indonesia — large Gulf diaspora, growing UAE ties

Indonesia is the world’s fourth most-populous country and has a significant migrant worker community across the Gulf states. Indonesian nationals with valid qualifying visas from the approved nine-country list — including those holding Australian visas (significant given Australia’s proximity and Indonesian tourism flows) and those with South Korean or Japanese residence permits — now have immediate UAE access under this scheme.

🇻🇳 Vietnam — major Japan and South Korea diaspora

Vietnam has one of the largest communities of overseas workers in Japan and South Korea globally — both countries that feature prominently on the UAE’s nine-country qualifying list. Vietnamese nationals holding valid Japanese or South Korean residence permits now qualify for UAE visa-on-arrival, opening the UAE as a transit or destination country for Vietnamese workers moving between Asia and the Middle East.

🇹🇭 Thailand — significant UK, EU and Australian tourist visa holders

Thailand’s tourist outflow to the UK, EU, and Australia is substantial, meaning many Thai nationals hold valid short-stay or long-stay visas from these qualifying countries. Thai residents of the UK, Australia, and Canada — including those on family visas, skilled worker visas, or student visas — now qualify.

🇰🇪 Kenya — large Kenyan-UK and Kenyan-EU communities

Kenya has a significant diaspora in the United Kingdom specifically — with a large Kenyan-British community and many Kenyan nationals holding UK visas or UK residence permits. The inclusion of the UK as a qualifying country is particularly relevant for the Kenyan community, given the historical UK-Kenya migration relationship.

🇿🇦 South Africa — strong UK and Australian connections

South Africa’s diaspora has a heavy concentration in the United Kingdom — estimated at over 200,000 South African nationals in the UK — and a growing presence in Australia and Canada. South Africans with valid UK visas or UK Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), as well as those with Australian visas or Australian permanent residency, now qualify for UAE visa-on-arrival.

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Part 4 — The Two Visa Options: Costs, Duration, and Extension Rules

When you arrive at a UAE port of entry under this scheme, you will be asked to choose between two visa duration options. The decision is made at immigration — not pre-booked.

Option 1 — 14-Day Visa-on-Arrival

• Cost: AED 100 per person
• Duration: 14 days from date of entry
• Extension: Extendable ONCE for an additional 14 days — extension fee AED 250 — maximum total stay 28 days
• How to extend: Through the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) — icp.gov.ae — or at a UAE typing centre / service centre. Apply before your initial 14-day period expires.
• Best for: Short family visits, brief business trips, transit stays, attending events

Approximate cost in other currencies (AED 100):

• ~USD 27 · ~£21 · ~AUD 42 · ~CAD 37 · ~€25 · ~PHP 1,580 · ~IDR 430,000 · ~VND 680,000

Option 2 — 60-Day Visa-on-Arrival

• Cost: AED 250 per person
• Duration: 60 days from date of entry
• Extension: NOT extendable under any circumstances — 60 days is the absolute maximum
• Best for: Extended family stays, longer tourism, visiting OFW relatives for a significant period

Approximate cost in other currencies (AED 250):

• ~USD 68 · ~£53 · ~AUD 105 · ~CAD 93 · ~€63 · ~PHP 3,950 · ~IDR 1,075,000 · ~VND 1,700,000

Overstay warning:

The UAE operates a zero-tolerance approach to visa overstays. If you remain in the UAE after your visa-on-arrival expires — whether the 14-day or 60-day option — you will be subject to daily fines from the first day of overstay, with no grace period. The base fine is AED 50 per day in most categories. Upon departing the UAE with an overstay on record, fines must be paid in full at the airport before departure — and future UAE entry applications may be affected. Plan your departure date carefully before you arrive.

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Part 5 — The Step-by-Step Process at UAE Immigration

The process for obtaining the visa-on-arrival under the new scheme is straightforward — but preparation is essential. Immigration officers will not assist with missing documents or conduct searches on your behalf.

Before you fly — checklist:

☑️ Confirm your Philippine / Indonesian / Vietnamese / Thai / Kenyan / South African passport is valid for at least 6 months from the date you enter the UAE

☑️ Confirm your qualifying visa or residence permit from an approved country (US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, NZ) is valid and will remain valid on your UAE entry date

☑️ Print a physical copy of your qualifying visa or residence document — do not rely on a digital version alone. Immigration officers have been advised to check physical documents; digital-only presentations may not be accepted.

☑️ Have your return or onward travel information available if asked — standard UAE immigration practice

☑️ Have proof of accommodation in the UAE if requested — hotel booking, host contact details

At UAE immigration — step by step:

1. Proceed to the standard arrivals immigration lane — not the UAE citizens/GCC nationals lane
2. Present your national passport (Philippine / Indonesian / Vietnamese / Thai / Kenyan / South African) to the immigration officer
3. Present your qualifying foreign visa or residence document (physical copy)
4. Indicate your intended length of stay — 14 days or 60 days
5. Pay the applicable fee — AED 100 (14 days) or AED 250 (60 days) — cash or card at the immigration counter
6. Receive your entry stamp — your visa-on-arrival is issued directly into your passport at the counter
7. Proceed through customs and collect your baggage

Key points to remember:

• The process happens at the UAE immigration counter, not at a separate visa desk
• Payment is made at the counter — carry AED cash or a card that works internationally
• The officer will determine eligibility on the spot — if your documents are not in order, you will not be issued the visa-on-arrival and will need to return on a subsequent trip with a pre-arranged visa or with valid documents
• All UAE ports of entry are covered — Dubai (DXB), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Sharjah (SHJ), Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, and land/sea ports

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Part 6 — What This Tells Us About the UAE’s Visa Strategy

The June 25 expansion of UAE visa-on-arrival to six new nationalities is part of a deliberate, consistent strategy by the UAE to position itself as the most accessible destination in the Gulf — and arguably one of the most accessible in the world.

The UAE already offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to nationals of more than 90 countries. This expansion adds six more — and the conditional structure (requiring a qualifying visa from nine approved countries) reflects a sophisticated approach to managed openness: the UAE is not granting universal access but is recognising that holding a valid US, UK, EU, Australian, Canadian, Japanese, Singaporean, South Korean, or New Zealand visa is a form of trusted-traveller pre-screening.

The logic is clear: if the US Department of Homeland Security, the UK Home Office, the Australian Department of Home Affairs, or the EU have already vetted and approved this person for a visa, the UAE can rely on that process as a baseline for its own immigration assessment. The qualifying-document model is not unique to this scheme — the UAE has used it for other nationalities previously, including Indian passport holders with valid US visas.

The six-country expansion on June 25 targets specifically the large diaspora communities working in Gulf states and the families and communities connected to them across the globe — the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Kenya, and South Africa collectively represent some of the most significant migration corridors between Asia and Africa and the Gulf. Opening visa-on-arrival to their nationals holding qualifying Western visas simultaneously strengthens the UAE’s position as a transit and destination hub and reinforces its diplomatic relationships with six important bilateral partners.

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Quick Reference: UAE Visa-on-Arrival — Who Qualifies, What It Costs

AED conversion guide (approximate June 2026): AED 100 = ~USD 27 / ~£21 / ~AUD 42 / ~CAD 37 / ~€25 AED 250 = ~USD 68 / ~£53 / ~AUD 105 / ~CAD 93 / ~€63

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Key Contacts — UAE Visa-on-Arrival June 2026

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Posted By : Vinay

As a lead contributor for Travel Tourister, Vinay is dedicated to serving our Tier 1 audience (US, UK, Canada, Australia). His mission is to deliver precise, fact-checked news and actionable, data-driven articles that empower readers to make informed decisions, minimize travel risks, and maximize their adventure without compromising safety or budget.