The United Arab Emirates expanded its visa-on-arrival programme on 25 June 2026 to include South Africans and five other nationalities, but certain conditions must be met by South African passport holders before they can qualify for the facility. Without meeting the demands stated by the UAE authorities, South Africans still need to apply for a UAE visit visa in advance.
Eligibility for Visa-on-Arrival
From 25 June 2026, the UAE extended its visa-on-arrival facility to nationals of South Africa, Kenya, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. The announcement came from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs alongside the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security. Holding a South African passport alone is not sufficient to use the facility. Travellers from all six newly added countries must also carry a valid residence permit issued by one of nine approved countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, any EU member state, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, or South Korea.
Broadened List of Qualifying Permits
The qualifying permit list itself was broadened as part of the same update. New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea were added to an existing list that previously covered only the US, UK, EU member states, Australia, and Canada. South Africans who do not hold a valid residence permit from any of those nine countries cannot use the visa-on-arrival route and are still required to obtain a pre-arranged UAE visit visa before travelling.
Implications for South African Travellers
For South Africans living or working in countries such as the UK, the US, Canada, or Australia, the update removes the need to apply for a UAE visa before any trip, cutting out paperwork and waiting times entirely. Family members accompanying qualifying passport holders from the six newly added nationalities are also covered under the same conditions. South Africans who are unsure whether their foreign residence permit qualifies are advised to confirm their eligibility through official UAE government channels before travelling.
Related Updates
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the United States government published a list of eight categories of people who qualify to apply for a permanent resident card, commonly known as a Green Card. Eligibility ranges from family ties to US citizens and employment in specialised fields to refugee or asylum status and victims of abuse.
