Visa-free countries with a UAE passport in 2026
188 visa-free destinations for UAE passport holders, including Schengen, China, Japan and Saudi Arabia, and the UK and Canada with an electronic authorisation. The USA and Australia need a visa, and the passport itself comes by government nomination or after 30 years of residence.
In short
With a UAE passport you can enter 188 of 227 countries and territories without a prior visa: the Schengen area, China, Japan, Singapore, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and all of Latin America, and the UK, Canada, South Korea and New Zealand with an electronic travel authorisation. The USA and Australia require a visa.
| Without a prior visa | 188 of 227: 146 visa-free, 31 on arrival, 11 with an electronic travel authorisation |
|---|---|
| Visa needed in advance | 38, of which 18 by e-visa |
| Schengen and the UK | Schengen area - visa-free, United Kingdom - electronic travel authorisation |
| USA and Canada | United States - visa required, Canada - electronic travel authorisation |
| How to get it | by government nomination or naturalisation after 30 years of residence |
| Checked | October 2026 |
The UAE passport opens 188 of 227 destinations without a prior visa: 146 fully visa-free, 31 with a visa on arrival and 11 with an electronic travel authorisation. The Schengen area, China and neighbouring Saudi Arabia and Oman are all visa-free.
A UAE passport cannot be bought: the Emirates have no citizenship by investment programme. Since 2021 citizenship is granted by government nomination - to investors with property, doctors, scientists, inventors and artists - and under the 1972 law after 30 years of lawful residence. A 10-year golden visa lets you live in the Emirates without a passport.
We will work out online when you can apply and what fees and documents will cost for your family.
Where you can go visa-free with an Emirati passport
Entry regimes differ in how much preparation the trip needs. Visa-free means the passport is enough and the permitted stay is set at the border. A visa on arrival means a fee and a stamp at the airport or checkpoint. An electronic travel authorisation is a short online form and fee before departure. An e-visa is also online but involves a check and a consular decision. A regular visa means a form, documents, often a personal visit to the consulate and waiting for a decision.
| Region | Visa-free or with an electronic authorisation | Visa on arrival or e-visa | Visa needed in advance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | Schengen area, United Kingdom (online authorisation), Ireland, Cyprus, Russia (online authorisation), Belarus, Moldova, Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, North Macedonia | - | - |
| Caucasus and Central Asia | Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan | - | - |
| Asia | China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea (online authorisation), Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines | Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Maldives | - |
| Middle East and Africa | Israel (online authorisation), Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Kenya (online authorisation) | Tanzania | - |
| Americas | Canada (online authorisation), Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Uruguay | - | United States |
| Oceania | New Zealand (online authorisation) | - | Australia |
The strengths of the UAE passport are Europe, Asia and the Arab world: Schengen, Ireland, Cyprus, the Balkans, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and all of Latin America are visa-free, while the UK, Canada, South Korea, Israel, Kenya and New Zealand need an electronic authorisation. The weak spots are the USA and Australia, which require a visa in advance.
The table shows the main destinations for travel, living and business, not all 227 countries and territories. An electronic travel authorisation is issued online within minutes or days; an e-visa is also applied for online, but it is a separate consular decision. Entry rules change several times a year: check with an expert for your trip.
Schengen, the UK, the USA and Canada
Schengen. UAE citizens enter the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180, with no right to work. The European electronic travel authorisation has not launched yet, so the passport is enough for the trip.
United Kingdom. No visa is needed, but an electronic travel authorisation is obtained online before the trip.
USA. The UAE is not in the US Visa Waiver Program, so a tourist or business visa is required after a consular interview.
Canada. No visa is needed: for air travel an electronic travel authorisation is obtained online.
Asia. China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia are visa-free, and South Korea needs an electronic travel authorisation. India and Vietnam require an e-visa, while Indonesia and the Maldives give a visa on arrival.
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What else an Emirati passport gives
State programmes. UAE citizens receive free healthcare and education and help with housing. With them a citizen takes on duties: obeying the country's laws and informing the authorities about acquiring or losing another citizenship.
Dual citizenship. Nominated candidates keep their previous passport: the 2021 rules expressly allow them dual citizenship. The nomination conditions apply after the oath as well, and citizenship is withdrawn if they are breached.
Taxes. The UAE has no personal income tax, VAT is 5%, and the 9% corporate tax applies to profit above 375,000 dirhams (about $102,000).
Family. Children of UAE citizens receive citizenship at birth through the father, and the wife of a citizen applies after 7 years of marriage with children or 10 years without.
How to get an Emirati passport
A UAE passport is not for sale: the Emirates have no citizenship by investment programme. Since 2021 citizenship has been granted by government nomination - to investors with property owned in the Emirates, doctors, scientists and inventors with 10 years of practice, artists and their families. The candidate does not apply: nominations come from the rulers' and crown princes' courts, the emirates' executive councils or the federal government, and the government approves the decision.
The second route is naturalisation under the 1972 citizenship law: 30 years of lawful residence, Arabic, a lawful source of income and a clean record. The years of residence start with a visa - work, investor or golden. The 10-year golden visa is granted for property or a deposit from 2 million dirhams ($550,000).
Requirements, timelines and documents are on the page UAE citizenship.
A UAE passport cannot be bought, and the route to it starts with a visa
The years of lawful residence in the Emirates start with a visa, and mistakes cost more than the fees: property below the golden visa threshold, gaps in status, income documents the immigration authority does not accept. We arrange the golden visa and residence for the whole family and track renewal dates so the years in the country run without gaps.
Our manager in the chat calculates the cost of support.
This topic in other countries
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- What an Argentine passport gives
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More on this country:
- UAE golden visa
- UAE residence by investment
- Taxes in the UAE
- Dubai guide
- Abu Dhabi guide
- Moving to the UAE
Compare passports of different countries in our 2026 passport overview.
FAQ
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Do nominated candidates keep their previous citizenship?
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