At the one hand, there is the United States of America, which has tightened its visa rules and has hiked H-1B work visa fee to $1,00,000, and on the other, there is the United Arab Emirates, which has issued a visa ban for nine countries. As the world heads into 2026, the United Arab Emirates is said to have taken a significant step in tightening its visa policies, according to multiple media reports. Citizens of nine countries in Africa and Asia are reportedly no longer being issued new tourist or work visas by the UAE. While this move is drawing attention, the government has yet to officially confirm the policy.
Which Countries Are Affected?
According to reports, nationals from these nine countries are caught up in the suspension and no fresh tourist or work visas will be issued to them. These countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and Yemen.
What the Policy Means
The ban is only on new visa applications—those who already hold valid tourist or work visas are reportedly unaffected and may continue to live, enter, or work in the UAE as allowed under their existing permits.
The policy is described as temporary and “until further notice.” No official end date or review timeline has been made public.
How This Impacts Real People
For individuals from affected countries, the uncertainty is very real:
New job seekers hoping to go to the UAE are now facing a sudden barrier. Work visa applications from the listed countries appear to be on hold.
Plans for tourism, business travel, family visits—all could be disrupted if visa processing is delayed or suspended.
Businesses in the UAE that rely on foreign labor are likely to feel the effect, especially those who recruit from the impacted countries.
If you are from one of the countries mentioned:
Check with your country’s UAE embassy/consulate for updates or official statements.
If you already hold a valid visa, check whether its renewal or usage is impacted. Reports say those with current, valid visas will continue to be unaffected.
