His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai re-designed tourist visa policies in a cabinet meeting. Sheikh Mohammad wrote about a meeting in Arabic language via tweet.
The new tourist visa will now be for five years, as a multiple entry visa for all nationalities. UAE hails 21 million visitors annually, said Sheikh Mohammed. The main motive of the decision is to further solidify the country's position as a vital tourist destination globally.
Up till now, 30 days or 90 days visa was provided to tourists as a single-entry or multiple-entry. Travelers from Africa, some South American countries, Arab states outside the Gulf and European states from outside the European Union and former Soviet Union required visas previously.
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Dubai is to host Expo 2020, a big budget global trade fair in the month of October.
In another tweet, Sheikh Mohammed wrote, "In a meeting of cabinet today, we reviewed our achievements made over the past year. We have planned for year 2020 to be a different year as it marks the preparation of coming 50 years from now on."
News came out from source; holders of new five year multiple-entry tourist visa would be allowed to stay for 6 months at a stretch.
Ali Mohammad Bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Chairman of Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship has been tasked with implementing the new decision.