This new clause represents a major departure from past policies that forbade GCC citizens from extending their visas within the UAE. If they wanted to stay longer, they used to have to leave the nation and seek for a new entrance visa.

Residents of Saudi Arabia , Bahrain , Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar who want to enter the UAE must present the e-visa. Applications for the e-visa can be handled online either via the smart services offered by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP) or via the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai. For GCC citizens, these digital channels have streamlined and made more accessible the process.

Still, numerous criteria apply to the issuing of e-visas, particularly for expats and their friends visiting the UAE. First, the registered email address of the applicant will get an email alert for the e-visa after an application is authorized. Applications for GCC expats and their friends—usually family members—will not be handled should the sponsor, a GCC citizen, not be traveling with them. Only when the sponsor goes with the foreigner is the e-visa authorized.

About the validity of the entry permit, there are particular rules for friends of GCC nationals as well as for GCC residents. The entrance permit valid for thirty days from the date of issue lets GCC nationals stay in the UAE for thirty days from their arrival date. One can extend this visa for further thirty days. Conversely, friends of GCC nationals are given a 60-day stay in the UAE by means of an entry permission effective for 60 days from the issuing date. One can also extend their visa for sixty more days.

Still, there are circumstances whereby access to the UAE might be restricted. For instance, a GCC citizen will not be let in the UAE if their visa expires or is canceled when they get here. Furthermore denied access is a GCC resident whose profession has changed following the issuance of their entry permission. Travelers should be aware of this requirement since changes in occupation must be recorded in their papers before reaching the UAE.

Regarding residency, GCC citizens have to make sure their date of entry marks at least one year of validity. Their passport also needs to be valid for at least six months starting on the date they arrive in the UAE, therefore guaranteeing that all travel and personal records are current.

Applying for the entrance permission is easy for those so interested. GCC citizens can visit the GDRFA Dubai website or the ICP smart channels where they must register as users, select the suitable service, and finish the online application. Candidates must present a current passport or travel document, a copy of their residence permit, an electronic extract displaying their line of work and the legality of their residence. Additionally required for the application is a personal picture against a white backdrop.

One has to pay Dh250 plus VAT after finishing the application. The approved visa will be emailed straight to the applicant. The whole process is meant to be quick and user-friendly, therefore enabling GCC citizens to easily control their travel schedules.

With more freedom and ease, this new e-visa policy marks a major change in how GCC people might travel to the UAE. Visa extensions inside the UAE help to make the process more traveler-friendly so that guests may modify their stay without having to leave and re-enter the UAE. The simplified digital application process improves this convenience even more, so the UAE becomes even more reachable for GCC citizens.

UAE visa update: GCC residents now eligible for 30-day e-visa extension

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