As per the new policy, this initiative extends to Indian passport holders as well as individuals with permanent residency, green cards, or valid visas issued by the United States, the United Kingdom, or any European Union nation.

Under this policy, travellers will have two options for obtaining a visa. They can choose a 14-day visa on arrival, which can be extended for an additional 14 days, or they can opt for a 60-day non-extendable visa. However, they will need to pay the applicable fees as per UAE regulations. To qualify for the visa-on-arrival facility, passports must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, as announced by the Indian mission in the UAE on October 17.
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This announcement follows earlier efforts to simplify travel for Indian nationals. In February 2023, Emirates, one of the UAE’s flagship airlines, partnered with VFS Global to introduce a pre-approved visa-on-arrival service for Indian passport holders. This arrangement was designed to streamline the arrival process, allowing travellers to avoid long queues at immigration.

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Additionally, Dubai granted Indian nationals a five-year multiple-entry visa that same month. This new visa option was a component of a larger initiative to strengthen commercial, tourist, and economic ties between India and the United Arab Emirates. Dubai’s dedication to developing stronger ties with one of its biggest and most significant tourism markets is reflected in the policy.

India remains a key source of tourists for Dubai. In 2023, the city welcomed 2.46 million overnight visitors from India, a significant 25% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels. This surge in Indian tourists solidified India as the number one source market for Dubai’s tourism industry, according to the city-state’s department of economy and tourism on February 22.

With these new visa policies, the UAE is poised to attract even more Indian visitors in the coming years, strengthening the cultural and economic bonds between the two nations.