UAE grants visa-on-arrival to eligible Kenyan citizens, ending advance visa requirement
Eligible Kenyan passport holders with valid residence permits from select countries can now obtain a UAE visa on arrival, easing travel for tourism.
Foreign and Diaspora Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi with UAE’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affair, Shaikh Shakhboot Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan at a past meeting. (Photo: Musalia Mudavadi)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a new visa-on-arrival policy for Kenyan citizens holding ordinary passports and valid residence permits from selected countries, effective today.
The new measure was announced by the UAE Embassy in a post on X, ending the previous requirement for eligible Kenyans to obtain a visa before travelling.
“Effective June 25, 2026, the United Arab Emirates will grant visas on arrival to ordinary passport holders from the Republic of Kenya and their accompanying family members who hold valid residence permits issued by the United States, a European Union member state, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Canada, or New Zealand. This initiative reflects the UAE’s commitment to facilitating travel and reinforcing its position as a global destination for tourism, business, and investment,” the post stated.
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The policy is expected to make travel easier for eligible Kenyans and their accompanying family members while enhancing the UAE’s attractiveness as a global hub for tourism, business, and investment.
A section of Kenyans has welcomed the move, describing it as timely as travel to the Middle Eastern nation continues to grow for employment, tourism, business, and transit purposes.
According to the Kenyan government, more than 30,000 Kenyans live and work in the UAE, the majority employed as domestic workers.
Travellers transiting through Dubai are still required to obtain a visa if their layover exceeds eight hours.