Travelling abroad often means spending time and effort to apply for a visa. But if you’re a UAE resident, you’re in luck! Many countries around the world allow you to visit without needing a visa, regardless of your nationality.
This guide gives you everything you need to know about visa-free countries for UAE residents, including:
A full list of visa-free countries
Countries offering visa-on-arrival and e-visas
Special travel benefits for UAE Golden Visa holders and Emirati citizens
Important travel tips to make your trip stress-free
Let’s explore the many places you can visit easily with your UAE residence!
Visa-free means you don’t need to apply for a visa in advance to enter a country. You can simply show your passport (and sometimes your Emirates ID), and you’re allowed in—usually for a set number of days.
However, you must still:
Check the allowed duration of stay (this varies by country)
Make sure your passport is valid (often 6 months minimum)
Confirm if return tickets or proof of stay are needed
Visa Free Countries for UAE Residents
No matter where your original passport is from, if you’re a UAE resident, here are some countries you can visit without a visa:
1. Asia & Middle East:
Singapore
Kazakhstan
Thailand
Oman
South Korea
Jordan
Malaysia
Indonesia
Azerbaijan
Armenia
Qatar
Lebanon
Japan
Brunei
Sri Lanka
Philippines
2. Africa:
Egypt
Morocco
Bahrain
Seychelles
Maldives
South Africa
Mauritius
3. Europe & Oceania:
Georgia
Serbia
Fiji
Kuwait
Saudi Arabia
Cook Islands
Visa Free Countries for UAE Residents with Indian Passport
Here are some countries Indian passport holders in the UAE can visit without a visa:
Bhutan
Senegal
Bolivia
Palau Islands
Albania
Laos
Nepal
Madagascar
Botswana
Seychelles
Jamaica
Guinea-Bissau
Serbia
Somalia
St. Kitts and Nevis
Indonesia
Comoros Islands
Timor-Leste
Barbados
Fiji
Zimbabwe
Mozambique
Tuvalu
Dominica
Togo
British Virgin Islands
Tunisia
El Salvador
Samoa
Gabon
Jordan
St. Lucia
Mauritius
Maldives
Cape Verde Islands
Cook Islands
Mauritania
Myanmar
Sierra Leone
Rwanda
Iran
Marshall Islands
Thailand
Grenada
Qatar
Uganda
Cambodia
Niue
Vanuatu
Tanzania
Montserrat
Haiti
Trinidad and Tobago
Micronesia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Oman
Kazakhstan
Macao (SAR China)
Sri Lanka
Ethiopia
Visa Free Countries for UAE Residents with Pakistani Passport
UAE residents holding a Pakistani passport can visit the following visa-free countries:
Kenya
Mauritania
Mozambique
Papua New Guinea
Seychelles
Trinidad and Tobago
Cape Verde
Maldives
Samoa
Madagascar
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Somalia
Nepal
Nigeria
Comoros
Angola
Palau
Côte d’Ivoire
Uganda
Guinea-Bissau
Bolivia
Djibouti
Guinea
Qatar
Senegal
Tuvalu
Benin
Mauritius
Timor-Leste
Ghana
Haiti
Nicaragua
Tanzania
Montserrat
St. Lucia
South Sudan
Dominica
Vanuatu
Micronesia
Malawi
Suriname
Sierra Leone
Lesotho
Rwanda
Ethiopia
Togo
Gambia
Visa Free Countries for UAE Residents with Filipino Passport
Visa-free destinations for Filipinos in the UAE include:
Bahamas
Peru
Vietnam
Macau
Sri Lanka
Fiji
Armenia
Brazil
Colombia
Hong Kong
Ecuador
Suriname
Laos
Vanuatu
Seychelles
Singapore
Barbados
Maldives
Myanmar
Malaysia
Thailand
Mongolia
Indonesia
Costa Rica
Dominica
Bangladeshi passport visa free countries list
As of 2025, Bangladeshi passport holders can visit the following 39 countries without a visa:
Bahamas
Barbados
Bhutan
Bolivia
British Virgin Islands
Burundi
Cambodia
Cape Verde Islands
Comoro Islands
Cook Islands
Djibouti
Dominica
Fiji
Grenada
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Madagascar
Maldives
Micronesia
Montserrat
Mozambique
Nepal
Niue
Rwanda
Samoa
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Sri Lanka
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
The Gambia
Timor-Leste
Trinidad and Tobago
Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Visa-Free Countries for UAE Golden Visa Holders
If you hold a UAE Golden Visa, here are some countries you can travel to without a visa:
Armenia
Georgia
Sri Lanka
Malaysia
Maldives
Azerbaijan
Thailand
Seychelles
Montenegro
Kyrgyzstan
Mauritius
Nepal
E-Visa Countries for UAE Residents
These countries offer electronic visas (apply online before traveling):
India
Qatar
Armenia
Vietnam
Hong Kong
Tanzania
Azerbaijan
Thailand
Cambodia
Madagascar
Indonesia
Albania
Saudi Arabia
Japan
Bhutan
Oman
Visa-Free Travel for UAE Citizens (Emirati Passport Holders)
Arab World – 14 Visa-Free Countries:
Saudi Arabia
Kuwait
Oman
Qatar
Bahrain
Syria
Lebanon
Jordan
Yemen
Egypt
Tunisia
Morocco
Comoros
Sudan
Africa – 6 Countries:
Botswana
Eritrea
Seychelles
Mauritius
Swaziland
Senegal
Asia – 17 Countries:
Visa-Free:
Malaysia
Singapore
Philippines
Thailand
Hong Kong
Kazakhstan
South Korea
Brunei
Kyrgyzstan
Visa on Arrival:
10. Indonesia
11. Bangladesh
12. Armenia
13. Azerbaijan
14. Nepal
15. Maldives
Online Visas:
16. Sri Lanka
17. Tajikistan
Europe – 44 Countries:
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Malta, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Liechtenstein, Belarus, Cyprus, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Vatican City, Andorra, San Marino, Monaco, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Georgia
Online visas available for:
United Kingdom
Northern Ireland
Turkey
Americas & Pacific – 10+ Countries:
Visa-Free:
Guatemala
Panama
Ecuador
Colombia
Fiji
New Zealand
Antigua and Barbuda
Visa on Arrival:
8. Cook Islands
9. Niue
Online Visa:
10. Australia
Must-Know Travel Tips for UAE Residents
Before traveling to visa-free countries, follow these tips to stay safe and stress-free:
✅ Check entry requirements (some countries may require return tickets)
✅ Ensure passport validity (at least 6 months)
✅ Get travel insurance
✅ Respect local customs and laws
✅ Have a clear itinerary
✅ Stay connected with family/emergency contacts
✅ Stay updated on local news
✅ Keep valuables safe during travel
Conclusion
There’s a whole world waiting for you—and being a UAE resident or citizen makes it easier than ever to explore it. With access to dozens of visa-free countries, visa-on-arrival options, and e-visas, your next international trip could be just a few clicks away.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
