The UAE is one of the most visited countries in the world, with Dubai being among the top ten most visited cities globally.
With that, many travelers have found themselves wanting to get a glimpse of the dazzling city; however, not all travelers follow the laws when they land. That has led to visa bans and certain sanctions being imposed on specific nationalities.
Of course, there is more to it than a few citizens of a country not following the law. There is geo-politics at play as well.
The suspension is reportedly for new applications only, as those who already have valid UAE visas (tourist or work) are not affected.
Disclaimer: We are still waiting for an official communication from the UAE government or the Immigration office regarding the ban.
List of Affected Nationalities
The following countries are on the list whose citizens will not be able to apply for new tourist or work visas from 2026:
- Afghanistan
- Libya
- Yemen
- Lebanon
- Bangladesh
- Somalia
- Cameroon
- Sudan
- Uganda
What This Means:
- If you’re from one of these countries and don’t yet have a UAE visa, your application for a tourist or work visa will be rejected starting in 2026.
- If you hold a valid UAE visa already, you are generally safe under current reports.
- Transit, diplomatic travel, or special exemptions may be handled differently – not all categories are supposed to be affected
