UK eases visa regulations for Emiratis

As of January 1, 2014, Emiratis will be able to travel to the United Kingdom with an Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) document, which allows them to visit the country for up to six months without a visa.

The UK is the second most visited destination by residents of the UAE, with the number of visits doubling in the last 10 years. Visa applications from UAE are growing year on year and the number of visas issued in 2012 from the UAE is 30,148, an increase of 43 per cent (from September 2012 to September 2013).

The introduction of the service will allow Emiratis to apply for an EVW online and free of charge without having to go to a visa application centre or hand in passports prior to travel.

All they have to do is complete their EVW online at least 48 hours before departure and present a printed copy on departure and again on arrival in the UK