Following up on our earlier report that the United Arab Emirates was adding Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines to its visa-on-arrival list, specific conditions of the policy shift have now been clarified.

The UAE is officially granting a 60-day visa on arrival to citizens of Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Kenya, and South Africa. However, this expanded access comes with a specific requirement: travelers must hold a valid visa from a designated "trusted nation."

According to Travel And Tour World, the qualifying third-country visas include those from the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.

What This Means for You

If you are an expat living in Thailand and planning a trip to Dubai or Abu Dhabi with a Thai, Vietnamese, or Indonesian spouse or partner, this update clarifies exactly who qualifies to skip the advance visa queue.

To utilize the new 60-day visa on arrival, your partner must meet the following criteria:

• Hold a valid passport from one of the six approved nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Kenya, or South Africa).
• Possess a valid visa from one of the approved trusted nations (such as a US tourist visa, a UK visa, or a Schengen visa).
• Present these documents at UAE immigration to receive the 60-day entry stamp.

If your family members do not hold an active visa from one of these specific countries, they will still need to apply for a standard UAE visa prior to departure. Always ensure that the third-country visa is currently valid and clearly presented alongside the passport when arriving in the Emirates.