The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates has announced an amendment to its visa exemption policy, which is a significant step towards improving tourism and making travel easier.

Now, residents of 87 nations will be able to visit the United Arab Emirates without having to worry about securing a pre-entry visa.

The visa process has been made more open and accessible, even though nationals of 110 countries still need one to enter the UAE. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official website makes it simple for interested parties to see the list of exempt countries and visa requirements.

For citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the entry process is even smoother, as no visa or sponsorship is required. Simply presenting a GCC state passport or identity card upon arrival at UAE ports of entry is sufficient for entry.

Notably, visas on arrival are available to Indian individuals with passports, US visit visas or green cards, and UK or EU residency permits good for at least six months. Travellers from these areas will have flexibility because they can stay for an additional 14 days after their initial 14-day stay.

The list of countries now eligible for visa-on-arrival privileges encompasses a diverse array of nations, including Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany.

Hungary, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Bahamas, The Netherlands, UK, Ukraine, Uruguay, US, Vatican, Hellenic, Bosnia, and Kosovo.