India has quietly delivered a major convenience boost for Emirati travellers. On 20 November 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that citizens of the United Arab Emirates may now obtain a visa-on-arrival (VoA) at nine international gateways—Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, plus the newly-added Cochin, Calicut and Ahmedabad. The VoA allows stays of up to 60 days for tourism, business, conferences or medical treatment and can be used an unlimited number of times each year.
Background: India first piloted a restricted VoA for Emiratis in 2017 but demand has grown steadily with the surge in bilateral trade (US $85 billion in FY 2024-25) and 3.4 million UAE residents of Indian origin. Until now, many UAE-based executives had to secure e-visas in advance or queue at over-subscribed counters in Delhi and Mumbai. By widening the network to Kerala and Gujarat—both home states to large NRI communities—and to the tech hubs of Bengaluru and Hyderabad, New Delhi is signalling it wants more short-term, high-value Gulf visitors.
![India Expands Visa-on-Arrival to Nine Airports for UAE Nationals]()
Practical implications: Business-travel managers can now schedule client visits across India with less paperwork; medical-tourism operators in South India anticipate a 15-20 % uptick in Gulf arrivals this winter. The policy still excludes applicants with Pakistani heritage and first-time visitors must hold a previous Indian visa, so mobility teams should audit employee passport histories carefully. Fees remain INR 2,000 (≈ AED 90) per traveller and travellers must carry a physical credit-card-sized residence visa from a third country if used as eligibility proof.
Analysis: The timing dovetails with the UAE–India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed last year and is likely to accelerate air-capacity additions on secondary routes. For UAE-based multinationals, the move reduces lead-time for urgent technical deployments and underlines India’s goal of becoming a visa-facilitation leader in South Asia.
Tips: Encourage staff to pre-complete the VoA form online, carry two passport photos and retain boarding passes for immigration officers. Frequent flyers may still prefer the multiple-entry e-business visa (one-year validity) for predictable travel, but the expanded VoA is a flexible back-up when meetings shift city at short notice.
Background: India first piloted a restricted VoA for Emiratis in 2017 but demand has grown steadily with the surge in bilateral trade (US $85 billion in FY 2024-25) and 3.4 million UAE residents of Indian origin. Until now, many UAE-based executives had to secure e-visas in advance or queue at over-subscribed counters in Delhi and Mumbai. By widening the network to Kerala and Gujarat—both home states to large NRI communities—and to the tech hubs of Bengaluru and Hyderabad, New Delhi is signalling it wants more short-term, high-value Gulf visitors.
Practical implications: Business-travel managers can now schedule client visits across India with less paperwork; medical-tourism operators in South India anticipate a 15-20 % uptick in Gulf arrivals this winter. The policy still excludes applicants with Pakistani heritage and first-time visitors must hold a previous Indian visa, so mobility teams should audit employee passport histories carefully. Fees remain INR 2,000 (≈ AED 90) per traveller and travellers must carry a physical credit-card-sized residence visa from a third country if used as eligibility proof.
Analysis: The timing dovetails with the UAE–India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed last year and is likely to accelerate air-capacity additions on secondary routes. For UAE-based multinationals, the move reduces lead-time for urgent technical deployments and underlines India’s goal of becoming a visa-facilitation leader in South Asia.
Tips: Encourage staff to pre-complete the VoA form online, carry two passport photos and retain boarding passes for immigration officers. Frequent flyers may still prefer the multiple-entry e-business visa (one-year validity) for predictable travel, but the expanded VoA is a flexible back-up when meetings shift city at short notice.
