Policy changes, fee updates, and travel advisories that affect visa applications from Dubai. All information verified from official government sources.
On 20 April 2026, the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi awarded a contract to Alhind Tours & Travels Pvt Ltd for outsourced consular support services across the UAE, replacing BLS International after India's Ministry of External Affairs debarred BLS in October 2025. OraVisa explains what the transition means for the UAE's ~3.5 million Indian residents.
On 19 May 2026, the Thai Cabinet approved scrapping the 60-day visa-free entry scheme for 93 countries including the United Arab Emirates, reverting most nationalities to the pre-July-2024 30-day regime. The change takes effect 15 days after Royal Gazette publication. Current trips and already-issued visas are unaffected. OraVisa explains what UAE residents need to know.
US Pauses Visa Operations in Uganda, DRC, and South Sudan Amid Ebola Outbreak (May 2026)
The US Department of State has temporarily paused all visa operations at three African embassies — Kampala (Uganda), Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo), and Juba (South Sudan) — effective 18 May 2026, in response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak. All immigrant and nonimmigrant categories are affected (tourist, business, student, exchange-visitor). Already-issued US visas remain valid. UAE-based US visa operations at US Embassy Abu Dhabi and US Consulate Dubai continue normally. The CDC has also announced enhanced airport screening and 21-day entry restrictions for inbound passengers from the three countries. OraVisa explains who in the UAE-resident community is affected and what action is needed.
US Suspends $15,000 Visa Bonds for World Cup 2026 Fans — What UAE Residents Need to Know (May 2026)
On 13 May 2026, the US State Department announced a targeted suspension of the visa bond requirement (up to $15,000) for FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket holders from five bond-program countries that have qualified for the tournament: Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia. The U.S. Travel Association welcomed the move as a "smart, targeted" measure. The carve-out applies to athletes, team members, immediate relatives, and nationals who purchased FIFA tickets by 15 April 2026 and opted into the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (PASS). OraVisa explains who in the UAE-resident community benefits, who is unaffected, and what action is needed.
UK eGates Now Open to Children Aged 8 and 9 — What UAE Families Need to Know (July 2026)
From Wednesday, 8 July 2026, the UK opens its automated eGates to children aged 8 and 9 — lowering the age threshold from 10 — provided they are at least 120 cm tall, accompanied by an adult, and hold a biometric passport from an eligible country. OraVisa explains why this change benefits some UAE-resident families but not Emirati nationals or holders of South Asian, Filipino, or Egyptian passports.
Sri Lanka's Parliament approved regulations on Thursday 7 May 2026 under the Immigration and Emigration Act, granting nationals of 40 countries a free Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for a one-year period. The list now includes the UAE, all GCC states (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar), Pakistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, all major EU members, plus the 7 countries that already had free ETA (China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, Thailand). Critically, the ETA application itself remains mandatory — only the USD 50 ETA fee is waived. Travellers must still apply online at eta.gov.lk before travel. The scheme runs for one year with a review at the 6-month mark, designed to offset a 22% decline in tourist arrivals.
Brazil Grants Temporary Visa-Free Entry to Chinese Passport Holders — 11 May to 31 December 2026
On 7 May 2026, the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism announced a temporary visa-free regime for holders of ordinary People's Republic of China passports. The waiver runs from 11 May 2026 to 31 December 2026 and permits stays of up to 30 days per trip (multiple entries allowed) for tourism, business, cultural and sports activities, artistic performances, airport transit, and certain short-term technical work. The measure is reciprocal — China already grants visa-free entry to Brazilian nationals through 31 December 2026. Chinese passport holders residing in the UAE are the direct beneficiaries within OraVisa's audience; non-Chinese UAE residents still require a Brazil e-visa or consular visa. A government review is scheduled for October 2026 to determine whether to extend or revert the policy.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation (BOTIA), in coordination with the Bahamas Department of Immigration and the Bahamas Customs Department, launched the Bahamas Digital Arrival Card (BDAC) pilot programme on 5 May 2026. The BDAC allows eligible travellers to submit immigration and customs information online before arriving — the first time in the country's history that an electronic system will replace the paper-based immigration form. During the pilot phase, only selected travellers on designated flights are using the digital card. Paper cards remain in use across all other arrivals while authorities collect feedback. UAE residents travelling to the Bahamas — most commonly via the United States or United Kingdom — will continue to complete the paper card during the pilot, but should expect the system to expand significantly during 2026.
On 2 May 2026 — just three weeks after the Entry/Exit System (EES) became mandatory across the Schengen Area on 10 April 2026 — the European Commission granted member states permission to apply "built-in flexibility" to the biometric border-check regime. Under the relaxation, border authorities at airports including Vienna-Schwechat, Frankfurt, and Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle can temporarily switch off the most time-consuming step — the capture of four fingerprints — when queues become unmanageable. Core data such as facial image, passport chip read-out, travel history, and watchlist checks remain mandatory. The change responds to 40-minute peak queues for non-EU passengers and complaints from airlines, airports, and travellers. UAE residents on Indian, Filipino, Pakistani, Egyptian, Lebanese, and Emirati passports who transit through Schengen Europe should benefit during peak periods, though full enrolment will still happen at quieter times.
India's Ministry of Home Affairs notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026 on 1 May 2026, overhauling the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) framework and introducing the long-awaited e-OCI digital registration. All OCI applications, renewals, and renunciations now move to the online ociservices.gov.in portal, with processing times projected to drop from 6–8 weeks to 15 working days. OCI applicants will sign a biometric-consent form to enrol in India's Fast Track Immigration Programme — by December 2026, e-OCI holders will be able to use facial-recognition lanes at major Indian airports for touchless entry and exit. The most consequential change for the UAE's 3-million-strong Indian community is the absolute ban on minor children simultaneously holding an Indian passport and any foreign passport. Families with dual-passport minors face a hard choice between the two.
On 30 April 2026, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) imposed an immediate travel ban prohibiting Emirati nationals from traveling to Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, citing "current regional developments." UAE citizens already in any of the three countries have been urged to expedite their return to the UAE, and a dedicated MOFA helpline (+971 8004 4444) has been opened for assistance. The ban applies only to UAE passport holders — expat residents of the UAE traveling on their home country passports are not directly subject to the order, but should still consult their own government's travel advisories. The directive follows MOFA's standing duty to protect Emiratis abroad during periods of heightened regional tension.
The US State Department has issued a worldwide cable directing every US embassy and consulate to add two mandatory asylum-risk questions to all nonimmigrant visa interviews. Applicants will now be asked whether they have experienced harm in their home country and whether they fear returning. A "yes" answer to either question can lead to visa refusal, and consular officers have been told that "many aliens misrepresent this intention" when applying for tourist, student, and work visas. The change follows President Trump's 20 January 2025 executive order and applies globally to all B1/B2 tourist, F-1 student, H-1B work, M/J exchange, and other nonimmigrant categories. UAE residents applying at the US Embassy Abu Dhabi or US Consulate Dubai are directly affected, particularly Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Filipino passport holders.
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