New Delhi:

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expanded its visa-on-arrival programme for Indian nationals by including travellers with valid visas, residence permits, or Green Cards from six more countries on the eligibility list. The move permits more Indian passport holders to access visa-on-arrival facilities at UAE entry points.

Under the Arab country’s latest order, Indians with valid visas, residence permits, or Green Cards from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada will be allowed access to the visa-on-arrival facility in the UAE. The Arad nation already had this policy for Indian nationals holding valid documentation from the United States, European Union member states, and the United Kingdom. 

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the programme, Indian nationals must meet the criteria set by UAE, which include holding a valid ordinary passport with at least six months validity from the date of arrival. The travellers should also have a valid visa, residence permit, or Green Card from any of the eligible countries on the list.

If they meet these requirements, the individuals will be required to pay the visa fee upon arrival at UAE immigration checkpoints.

Visa Fees

The UAE has introduced three categories for eligible Indian travellers, with a nominal visa fee. For a 4-day visa, travellers will have to shell out Dh100 (approx. Rs 2,270), while for a 14-day extension, they will have to pay Dh250 (approx. Rs 5,670). There is also a 60-day visa, for which they will have to pay Dh250 (approx. Rs 5,670).

Motive Behind The Initiative

According to Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of UAE’s Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP), the move of granting visas on arrival to Indian nationals from some countries aligns with the long-term strategic partnership between the Abu Dhabi and New Delhi.

The initiative aims to facilitate smoother travel for Indian citizens, offering them and their families new opportunities to explore life, residency, and employment prospects in the UAE, according to a report by the Gulf News.

Moreover, the initiative gives Indians an opportunity to experience UAE’s world-class tourism, economic landscape, and dynamic business environment while also attracting top global talent and entrepreneurs-further solidifying the UAE’s status as a global financial, tourism, and economic hub, ICP said.

The Henley Passport Index 2025 has revealed a significant drop in India’s ranking, slipping five places from 80th to 85th, in the list of the world’s most powerful passports. This ranking is based on the number of destinations that can be accessed visa-free, using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

As of the latest standings, Indian passport holders can travel visa-free to 57 destinations, sharing the 85th rank with Equatorial Guinea and Niger. In contrast, Singapore has maintained its top spot, with its passport holders enjoying visa-free access to an impressive 195 destinations worldwide.

1. Singapore (195 destinations)
2. Japan (193)
3. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Finland, South Korea (192)
4. Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway (191)
5. Belgium, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, United Kingdom (190)
6. Greece, Australia (189)
7. Canada, Poland, Malta (188)
8. Hungary, Czechia (187)
9. Estonia, United States (186)
10. Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates (185)

The top 10 list is dominated by European countries, with Japan, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Spain all securing spots. The UAE has made significant strides, climbing 32 places to secure the 10th spot, with visa-free access to 185 destinations worldwide.

In a surprising turn of events, the US has plummeted seven places from 2nd to 9th, with experts attributing this decline to the country’s increasingly inward-looking and isolationist political trends. Annie Pforzheimer, Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted that “American political trends had become notably inward-looking and isolationist… voters during the 2024 presidential campaign were fed a narrative that America can (and should) stand alone.”

On the other end of the spectrum, countries like Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan continue to face significant travel restrictions, with limited visa-free access to destinations worldwide. Afghanistan, in particular, remains at the bottom of the Henley Passport Index, with its passport holders facing the largest mobility gap in the index’s 19-year history.

India’s ranking has experienced fluctuations over the years, reaching its highest rank of 71st in 2006. The country’s ranking dropped significantly in 2021, likely due to global travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, India’s ranking has shown signs of recovery since 2021, moving up to 80th in 2024 before dropping to 85th in 2025.