As UAE continues to hold its status as one of the strongest passports in the world, offering visa-free access to 183 countries, according to the global Henley ranking, those who hold UAE residency visas also have access to several countries visa-free.
List of visa-free countries for UAE residents
Jordan
Jordan extends a tourist visa on arrival to visitors from GCC countries, permitting a stay of 30 days.
Maldives
The Maldives offers a tourist visa on arrival for a stay duration of 30 days, including to citizens of GCC countries.
Serbia
Serbia offers visa-free entry to UAE residents for a period up to 90 days.
Armenia
Armenia grants visa-free stays of up to 180 days to passport holders from the UAE. Additionally, residents from all six GCC countries qualify for a visa on arrival, provided they present a valid residence permit.
Georgia
Georgia permits nationals and permanent residents of GCC countries to visit for a whole year with a visa on arrival.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan provides a 30-day single-entry visa on arrival for citizens of GCC countries.
Seychelles
Seychelles permits visa-free travel for individuals of all nationalities, including GCC citizens. Travelers from the UAE can anticipate 5-hour flights facilitated by Emirates.
Indonesia
Passport holders from GCC countries receive a 30-day visa on arrival when entering Indonesia.
Nepal
Nepal provides tourist visas upon arrival to individuals of all nationalities, including those from GCC countries, with options for stays of 15, 30, or 90 days.
Tanzania
Residents from all six GCC countries are eligible for a visa on arrival for both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, enabling a stay of up to 90 days.
Kyrgyzstan
UAE residents are eligible to apply for an e-visa to Kyrgyzstan, in a process that takes around one week.
UAE’s remarkable progress in visa-free access
Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of Henley & Partners, praised the UAE for its remarkable progress, adding 107 destinations to its visa-free score since 2013.
“The UAE has added an impressive 107 destinations to its visa-free score since 2013, resulting in a massive leap of 44 places in the ranking over the past 10 years from 56th to 12th position. This is almost double the next biggest climber, Colombia, which has enjoyed a jump of 28 places in the ranking to sit in 37th spot,” Kaelin said.
