At 03:45 a.m. on 12 April 2026 the UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism pushed a comprehensive update to its ‘Entry Requirements’ webpage. The refresh clarifies that **all** categories of entry visas—including business, remote-work and multiple-entry tourist visas—can now be initiated exclusively through federal e-government portals (ICP Smart Services and GDRFA Dubai), national-carrier visa desks or accredited hotels and travel agencies. The page reiterates that citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council states remain visa-exempt and that more than 80 nationalities qualify for either 30-day or 90-day visas on arrival. A new section explains the “Unified Number” retrieval tool—important for expatriates whose Emirates ID is under renewal—and embeds direct links to Etihad, Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia visa-processing sites.
![UAE updates official entry-requirements portal, emphasises fully digital visa applications]()
For travellers who would rather avoid navigating multiple federal portals, VisaHQ’s UAE hub (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) consolidates the latest entry rules, supplies tailored checklists and offers live support, making it easier for individuals and HR managers alike to submit compliant applications under the now-mandatory online system.
For HR and global-mobility teams the update is significant: it confirms that physical submissions at embassies are no longer accepted, codifies acceptable online payment methods (Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay) and flags the federal overstay-fine calculator introduced in February. Companies moving staff into the UAE should update onboarding checklists to reflect the fully paperless workflow and ensure employees create a UAE PASS digital identity before travel. The ministry also hints at future expansion of the smart-gate programme by Q3 2026, which will allow more GCC ID holders to use e-gates without prior enrolment, further speeding arrival processing at DXB and other airports.
For travellers who would rather avoid navigating multiple federal portals, VisaHQ’s UAE hub (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) consolidates the latest entry rules, supplies tailored checklists and offers live support, making it easier for individuals and HR managers alike to submit compliant applications under the now-mandatory online system.
For HR and global-mobility teams the update is significant: it confirms that physical submissions at embassies are no longer accepted, codifies acceptable online payment methods (Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay) and flags the federal overstay-fine calculator introduced in February. Companies moving staff into the UAE should update onboarding checklists to reflect the fully paperless workflow and ensure employees create a UAE PASS digital identity before travel. The ministry also hints at future expansion of the smart-gate programme by Q3 2026, which will allow more GCC ID holders to use e-gates without prior enrolment, further speeding arrival processing at DXB and other airports.
