Starting from February 1, a new travel authorization program will allow nationals of the UAE to go to the United Kingdom without needing to secure a visa in advance. Instead, they can apply for an electronic travel authorization (ETA) through the UAE Embassy in the United Kingdom.
The embassy announced via its official social media account on platform "X" that February 1, 2024 marks the commencement of a fresh chapter in the relationship between the UAE and the United Kingdom. Emirati citizens will be granted visa exemption for entry into the United Kingdom, eliminating the need for a prior entry visa. However, they still have the option to apply for a visa if they choose to travel to the United Kingdom. The Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is a component of a recently implemented travel authorization procedure.
She continued, "This measure is an important achievement for both countries, the result of four years of cooperation between us, and a symbol of our commitment to strengthening strong relations between the UAE and the United Kingdom." The travel permit can be obtained by submitting an application using the UK ETA platform or by visiting the website http://GOV.UK.
In 2024, the Emirati passport maintained its position as the strongest passport in the world, according to the "Passport Index" by "Arton Capital", a global financial consulting company. This interactive system ranks the strength of passports for 198 countries worldwide.
According to the global index, the Emirati passport currently enables its holder to travel to 179 countries without the need for a prior visa, including 132 countries without a visa, and 47 countries whose visas can be obtained electronically or upon arrival, while entering 19 countries requires a prior visa.
Since December 1, 2018, during the Year of Zayed and in conjunction with the UAE's 47th Union Day celebrations, the UAE has maintained the distinction of possessing the most influential passport globally. After the “Covid-19” problem, the Emirati passport returned again in 2021 to the same position, and strengthened it. Up until now, the Emirati passport has been notable for its limited requirement of a visa in only 18 countries worldwide, which accounts for less than 10% of all countries.
The positive returns of ease of movement are not limited to enabling UAE citizens to move freely for the purposes of tourism, education, or treatment, but also include economic, developmental, and even humanitarian returns, by facilitating trade exchange and economic investment for individuals and institutions.
In early this month, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Republic of Kosovo entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to mutually exclude holders of diplomatic, special, mission, and normal passports from entrance visa requirements.
According to this memorandum, citizens of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who possess diplomatic, special, mission, and normal passports that are valid for at least six months are not required to obtain a visa in order to enter Kosovo. They are allowed to stay in Kosovo for a maximum of 90 days per visit. Conversely, inhabitants of Kosovo possessing diplomatic and official passports are not subject to this requirement. The standard visa for admission into the United Arab Emirates.
