The UAE has created a faster entry lane for Filipino travelers, and the timing matters for a country that hosts around one million Filipinos. The privilege can make travel easier, but only for Philippine passport holders who meet the requirements before they fly.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, announced that eligible Filipino citizens may get a visa on arrival in the United Arab Emirates beginning June 25, 2026. It applies to Filipinos using Philippine passports who hold a valid visa, residence permit, or Green Card from selected countries.
The approved list includes the United States, European Union member states, Australia, Japan, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Canada, and New Zealand. Filipino travelers who hold any of those documents may seek a UAE visa on arrival at the point of entry.
This is a convenience because the UAE remains one of the largest Filipino hubs in the Middle East, with communities in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. For many Filipinos, the Emirates are tied to work, family visits, business, tourism, and transit.
But this is not blanket visa-free access. Filipinos without the required foreign visa, residence permit, or Green Card still need to follow the regular UAE visa process.
Eligible travelers must present their Philippine passport and qualifying document upon arrival. Immigration authorities will still conduct standard checks and decide whether to approve entry at the border.
The new system offers two options. A 14-day visa costs AED 100, or about P1,650, and may be extended once for another 14 days for AED 250, or about P4,000. A 60-day visa costs AED 250, or about P4,000, but cannot be extended.
“The visa-on-arrival privilege extended to Filipino citizens by the UAE was in view of the excellent bilateral relations between the Philippines and the UAE,” the DFA said.
