Its January 2020, and the UAE has wasted no time in getting their plans for the next 50 years underway.
With a view to make the United Arab Emirates an accessible destination, a new tourist visa will be launched that will allow travelers multiple entry over the course of 5 years.
This new visa was announced on Monday January 6th 2020 by Dubai’s Ruler and the UAE's Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, when he took to Twitter to share the news, following the UAE’s first Cabinet meeting of 2020.
Dubai’s ruler’s tweet read, "The year 2020 will be different because it is the year of preparation for the next 50, the year in which we design the future of the Emirates.”
The UAE’s decision to grant the visa is so that tourists can have the flexibility to visit the Emirates as often as they please, with a view to boost the tourism sector, as well as encourage those living in the country to invite their families to also visit.
Senior Economist at Standard Chartered Bank Bilal Khan, said in a statement to Bloomberg, "Attracting a greater number of visitors could help revive demand over the medium-term,” despite the Gulf nation’s current number of 21million visitors per year.
Currently, the UAE’s visa system depends on the type of passport you have. British, Australian and Chinese passport holders are granted a free 30 day visa on arrival. A 10 day grace period is granted to all visa holders, and if they stay longer any longer, they are fined 100AED per extra day they stay in the country. Those with Schengen visas, Argentinian, Russian, Brazilian and South Korean passports are eligible for a 90 day visa on arrival.
Paid visas must be presented by passport holders from India, Pakistan, the Philippines and other countries.
