UAE Gives Travel Update, Shares Period of Validity for Emirati Passport Holders in 2026
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has shared the official guidelines regarding the validity period and renewal rules for the Emirati passport
- According to the official platform of the UAE government, citizens of some certain age bracket are offered different years of passport validity
- The Emirati passport is currently ranked as the most powerful passport in the world, granting easy access to 179 destinations globally
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government, through its official portal, has outlined the official validity periods and renewal procedures for the Emirati passport.
The guidelines clarify how long citizens can hold their travel documents before requiring a renewal, both locally and while residing abroad.
Source: UGC
Validity periods of UAE passport holders
According to the official UAE government platform, the validity of an Emirati passport is strictly determined by the age of the holder at the time of issuance:
- Citizens Aged 21 and Above: The passport is valid for 10 years from the date of issuance, or until all of its pages are fully used, whichever occurs earlier.
- Citizens Under 21 Years of Age: The passport is valid for 5 years.
Additionally, the government specified that Emirati passport holders are eligible to renew their travel documents six months prior to the actual expiry date.
Passport services for UAE citizens residing abroad
According to Arton Capital’s Passport Index, the UAE passport holds the first position globally. A holder of the Emirati passport can easily access 179 destinations worldwide, broken down as follows:
To accommodate citizens living, studying, or travelling outside the country, the ICP has made digital provisions for remote renewals.
Emirati citizens whose passports expire, get damaged, or are lost while they are abroad can submit a renewal request through the official UAEICP smart application or digital channels. During the application, they can designate the nearest UAE embassy or consulate in their country of residence as the secure delivery location.
UAE citizenship: Conditions for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the UAE government has outlined specific categories of foreigners who can be nominated for Emirati nationality, including investors, doctors, and artists.
Eligible candidates must fulfil three key conditions during the citizenship application process before approval can be granted.
Source: Legit.ng
