UAE reconsiders visa-on-arrival for citizens of 34 nations

UAE reconsiders visa-on-arrival for citizens of 34 nations

Mabhouh assassination behind UAE’s review of its visa-on-arrival policy.

April 21, 2010 8:58 by Katherine Azmeh

Following the assassination of Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, the UAE has announced it will reconsider the issuance of visa on arrival

The move is designed to minizmize similar security breaches in the future, and will affect citizens of 34 countries, according to 21th April edition of Khaleej Times.

Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said Tuesday that “the review of this issue will benefit the UAE and many other countries, adding that it provides an opportunity to reconsider the political and consular procedures and demand provision of beforehand visas,” as quoted by the newspaper.

The minister affirmed that the “UAE will continue tracking the Mabhouh assassins, showing the whole world that the country is a state of law, sovereignty and respect, “according to the newspaper.

Tags: arrival policy, Mahmoud Al Mabhouh, review, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE, visa

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5 Comments

mark brown on April 22, 2010 5:28 am

Qatar tried to do this and have now cancelled the arrangement after a few days. Dubai must consider that its tourists are now facing higer food costs, higher drink costs, no as-promised Dubailand, and a building site that completes at a snails pace.
Do not drive your tourists away.
Adam on April 22, 2010 6:57 am

I suspect we’re in for another “We’ve all misunderstood” situation here again.

1. Senior official makes announcement banning something (or banning something that has been banned for a long time but never implemented).

2. Papers print the official press release with little or no analysis.

3. People are completely confused.

4. An “Official Clarification” is released saying that people are stupid and have misunderstood what was intended.

5. Everything goes back to the way it was.

I’m with Mark on this. Qatar realised it was a huge mistake and since Dubai really wants to make itself more attractive to tourists this is unlikely to happen.
Miss Anne Thropic on April 22, 2010 7:41 am

Yep, it’ll be like the wine in food debacle of a few weeks ago or the bid to get old cars off the road from last year – Dubai government put out a press release without thinking it through, everyone gets outraged, cue tail-between-legs retreat, an apology for the misunderstanding, business as usual…
fred on April 22, 2010 7:59 am

Do they really think that the people responsible for such assassination wouldn’t have found an other way to reach to Mahmoud al-Mabhouh if the visa procedure was implemented for all these 34 nationalities?!

Wouldn’t it be simpler and more business oriented to just tighten the security around sensitive visitors of the UAE instead of tightening the visa procedures for all?
OFiroz on April 22, 2010 8:08 am

Visa on arrival is a very good idea to promote tourism in UAE, but when you weigh with security of country and people living here, then I think it is a right decision.
Top of all nobody will be visiting a country that spoiled by bad reputation and security issues, so before we reach there it is better to take precautions.
Prevention is better than cure!