The UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) announced on 3 February 2026 that it will open a full-service Electronic Visa Issuance Centre in Beirut “within weeks”. The facility—staffed by UAE officials—will allow Lebanese citizens and other residents who can reach Beirut more easily than a UAE embassy to complete biometrics, document checks and interviews in one visit. Passports will be courier-returned with visas affixed, eliminating the need for multiple trips or on-arrival formalities.
While the UAE already operates 18 document-verification outposts worldwide, the Beirut hub is its first to plug directly into the ICP’s end-to-end e-visa platform. Most tourist, medical-treatment, study and work visas are expected to be issued within 48–72 hours. Major-General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili said the centre is a pilot for similar hubs in Cairo, Manila and Lagos by 2027, supporting the UAE’s goal of 40 million annual visitors by 2030.
For travellers who prefer expert assistance, VisaHQ’s UAE visa service (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) can handle appointment scheduling, document vetting and courier logistics in coordination with the new Beirut centre, giving applicants a single, streamlined point of contact from form filling to passport return.
![UAE to Open First Overseas E-Visa Centre in Beirut, Streamlining Applications for Lebanese Travellers]()
For talent-acquisition and project-mobility teams, the new centre means quicker mobilisation of Lebanese hires—traditionally a significant skills pool for the Gulf’s construction, healthcare and tech sectors. Businesses flying candidates to Dubai solely for biometrics can now cut travel costs and lead times. Travel agencies and destination-service providers in Lebanon are gearing up for an anticipated 30 % surge in UAE-bound bookings once the centre opens.
The move also carries diplomatic weight. Lebanon’s outbound tourism collapsed to 45 % of pre-COVID levels amid economic turmoil; providing an easy visa pathway is viewed as a goodwill gesture that could revive middle-class travel and spending in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Airlines, including Emirates and MEA, are reviewing capacity on the Beirut–Dubai sector ahead of the summer peak.
Practically, applicants will schedule appointments through the ICP website, pay fees online and complete biometrics on site. The centre will be able to issue Emirates ID numbers for long-term permits, meaning expatriates can arrive with ID already activated—a first for UAE immigration processing.
While the UAE already operates 18 document-verification outposts worldwide, the Beirut hub is its first to plug directly into the ICP’s end-to-end e-visa platform. Most tourist, medical-treatment, study and work visas are expected to be issued within 48–72 hours. Major-General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili said the centre is a pilot for similar hubs in Cairo, Manila and Lagos by 2027, supporting the UAE’s goal of 40 million annual visitors by 2030.
For travellers who prefer expert assistance, VisaHQ’s UAE visa service (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) can handle appointment scheduling, document vetting and courier logistics in coordination with the new Beirut centre, giving applicants a single, streamlined point of contact from form filling to passport return.
For talent-acquisition and project-mobility teams, the new centre means quicker mobilisation of Lebanese hires—traditionally a significant skills pool for the Gulf’s construction, healthcare and tech sectors. Businesses flying candidates to Dubai solely for biometrics can now cut travel costs and lead times. Travel agencies and destination-service providers in Lebanon are gearing up for an anticipated 30 % surge in UAE-bound bookings once the centre opens.
The move also carries diplomatic weight. Lebanon’s outbound tourism collapsed to 45 % of pre-COVID levels amid economic turmoil; providing an easy visa pathway is viewed as a goodwill gesture that could revive middle-class travel and spending in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Airlines, including Emirates and MEA, are reviewing capacity on the Beirut–Dubai sector ahead of the summer peak.
Practically, applicants will schedule appointments through the ICP website, pay fees online and complete biometrics on site. The centre will be able to issue Emirates ID numbers for long-term permits, meaning expatriates can arrive with ID already activated—a first for UAE immigration processing.
