UAE Launches Sweeping 2025 Visa Reforms, Adds AI-Specialist, Entertainment and Luxury-Cruise Categories
Severe Low-Pressure System Brings Heavy Rain; UAE Issues Nationwide Weather and Travel Alerts Until 19 December
Food- and Parcel-Delivery Platforms Pause Operations as Rain Batters UAE Roads
Latest News
Federal Authority publishes one-stop guide to 11 key UAE visa changes before 2026
The UAE’s immigration authority has bundled the year’s 11 most significant visa reforms into one factsheet. Highlights include sponsor-free five-year visit visas, broader Golden-Visa criteria and new salary bands for family sponsorship—critical reading for HR and mobility teams.
Winter fog snarls Gulf air traffic: 1,310 flights delayed, DXB imposes three-hour rule
Dense fog triggered the Gulf’s worst winter aviation disruption, delaying 1,310 flights on 10 December. Dubai International responded by asking travellers to be at the airport three hours early and to use biometric Smart-Gates. The advisory affects corporate itineraries, cargo schedules and holiday traffic as DXB braces for record December volumes.
New anti-drug decree makes deportation mandatory for foreign offenders
A new decree effective 12 December mandates the deportation of any foreigner convicted of drug offences and boosts minimum jail time to five years. Companies must tighten compliance and warn staff, as immigration records will be flagged and future re-entry barred.
Dubai rolls out city-wide contact-less hotel check-in linked to immigration biometrics
A new DET platform lets visitors finish hotel registration on their phones before arrival, using the same biometrics that speed them through DXB immigration. All licensed hotels can plug in at no cost, promising shorter queues and smoother corporate group arrivals.
Paid 1 January holiday set to super-charge UAE outbound travel at start of 2026
The UAE has declared 1 January 2026 a paid holiday for private-sector staff, creating a likely four-day weekend. Airports expect a surge in outbound leisure and assignment travel, and companies are urged to plan staffing and visa logistics now.