The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has updated its visa-on-arrival eligibility rules for Philippine passport holders.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Filipinos holding permanent residency permits from Japan, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Singapore, or New Zealand are eligible for a visa on arrival at UAE entry points.
Filipinos with valid visas from those six countries no longer qualify and must ask their sponsors to apply for their visas beforehand via official channels of app of the UAE Federal Authority For Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security .
However, Philippine passport holders with valid visas or permanent residency in the United States, United Kingdom, or any of the 27 European Union member-states retain their visa-on-arrival privileges.
The DFA issued the advisory following inquiries from Filipino travelers who were advised by staff at Etihad, Emirates, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific that regular visa holders from the Japan, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, U.S., UK and EU are no longer eligible for entry on arrival.
A check on the Etihad and Emirates websites indicates that travelers from the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Kenya are eligible for a UAE visa on arrival only if they hold permanent residency in Japan, Australia, Canada, the EU, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, the UK and the U.S.
The official airline portals state that only Indian tourists with valid EU, UK, or US visas can obtain a visa on arrival at UAE airports.
BusinessMirror has reached out to the DFA and the UAE Embassy in Manila for clarification and the date of effectivity of the amended rules.
Per the DFA press release, eligible Philippine passport holders must ensure their passports, qualifying visas, and residence permits are valid for at least six months from the date of application.
Travelers can choose between two entry options: a 14-day visa for AED 100 (Php 1682), extendable for 14 days for AED 250 (Php 4,206) or a non-extendable 60-day visa for AED 250 (Php 4,206).