Visa Waiver Expansion: UAE welcomes tourists from 87 nations

The United Arab Emirates has opened its doors to travelers from 87 countries. As part of a major liberalization of visa policies, the UAE Government has taken a number of important steps to strengthen the country's international ties and give a new impetus to the development of the tourism industry.

Citizens of a number of countries now have the privilege of visiting the Emirates without having to apply for a visa in advance. Upon arrival, they will be issued an entry permit for 30 days with the possibility of extending it for another 10 days. This will allow tourists to fully enjoy all the delights of the UAE without being restricted by strict time limits.

The exceptionally extensive list of 87 countries whose citizens are open to a simplified visa regime includes: Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Hong Kong, Iceland, 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, Ireland, Romania, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Bahamas, Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vatican City, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Armenia, Fiji, Kosovo.

For the countries neighboring the Persian Gulf, members of the Cooperation Council of Arab States of the region, a completely visa-free regime is preserved. Their citizens only need to present a passport or ID card when crossing the border of the Emirates.

Unique relaxations are provided for India. Its citizens can get a 90-day visa immediately upon arrival if they have valid American visas, green cards or UK and EU visas with a period of at least 6 months. This is a great opportunity for three months to really get into the atmosphere of the UAE, explore the culture and traditions of this amazing country.

For those travelers whose states are not yet included in the list of 87 "privileged" countries, the visa regime remains the same. They need to obtain an entry permit in advance from a sponsor in the UAE. However, for the vast majority of tourists from different parts of the world, the road to the Emirates has now become much easier and more accessible. This is a significant step that strengthens the UAE's position as one of the region's leading tourist destinations and contributes to the country's close ties with the rest of the world.