UAE Explains How Citizens From Philippines, Kenya, Others Can Claim Visa on Arrival in 2026

• The UAE expanded its visa-on-arrival scheme by adding six new nationalities, while leaving Nigeria off the updated list
• The UAE government introduced an additional eligibility condition that affected citizens of the newly added countries seeking visa-on-arrival access
• UAE authorities also clarified the validity requirements for qualifying visas and residence permits under the revised policy

In a recent update, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expanded its visa-on-arrival programme by adding six new nationalities to the scheme.

According to the update released by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), the new policy took effect on June 25, 2026.

Among the six added countries, four are Asian, and the other two are African; unfortunately, Nigeria is not among the African countries selected. Below are the six countries that can now qualify for a visa on arrival in the UAE:

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1. Indonesia
2. Vietnam
3. Thailand
4. The Philippines
5. Kenya
6. South Africa

However, the UAE added an additional condition that would need to be met by citizens of those six countries before they can receive the benefit of the visa-on-arrival scheme.

How to get UAE visa on arrival

The UAE government stipulated that passport holders from these six countries must also be legally permitted to live and work in one of the nine approved tier 1 countries. Without the qualifying residence permit or visa, travellers will still be required to apply for a UAE visit visa before departure.

The tier 1 UAE-approved countries are listed below:

1. United States
2. United Kingdom
3. European Union member states
4. Australia
5. Canada
6. New Zealand
7. Japan
8. Singapore
9. South Korea

The UAE explained that New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea were added to the list in the June 2026 update.

UAE speaks on visa validity for travellers

The authorities highlighted that the qualifying residence permit or visa must remain valid at the time of travel.

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According to the update, expired visas or residence permits, regardless of how recently they expired, will not be accepted for visa-on-arrival eligibility.

The UAE also confirmed that Indian nationals remain eligible under the country's existing visa-on-arrival arrangement, which continues to operate alongside the updated policy.

The latest expansion is expected to make travel to the UAE easier for eligible visitors from the newly added countries while maintaining the country's immigration and border security requirements.

Namibia on countries eligible for visa on arrival

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Republic of Namibia Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS) published an updated list containing 28 African countries that will benefit from its visa-on-arrival scheme.

Thirteen African countries were affected by the visa-on-arrival scheme, and as such, their ordinary passport holders must obtain a visa before travelling to Namibia.

Source: Legit.ng