On 1 July 2026, the United Arab Emirates implemented a dual revision of its visa-on-arrival programme, simultaneously expanding eligibility for six new nationalities and restricting access for a significant segment of Indian passport holders. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) added Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa to the list of countries whose nationals can obtain a 14-day entry permit on arrival, provided they hold a valid residence visa or visit visa from the United States, European Union member states, or a newly expanded set of qualifying countries that now includes Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. At the same time, the ICP removed the United Kingdom from the list of qualifying residence countries, meaning Indian nationals who previously relied solely on a UK residence permit to secure visa-on-arrival will now need to apply for a pre-arranged tourist visa. Indian travel industry figures warn the change disrupts a well-established travel corridor, as the UK had been a common pathway for Indian business travellers and tourists transiting through or visiting the UAE.

In a separate tightening of entry rules, Cape Verde’s Directorate of Foreigners and Borders (DEF) suspended its visa-on-arrival programme for citizens of 96 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas and Oceania, effective immediately under Decree-Law No. 13/2025. The government in Praia stated the move replaces the digital EASE entry system and on-arrival approvals with a compulsory consular visa process that includes mandatory face-to-face interviews, citing the need to strengthen national security, tighten immigration checks and curb irregular migration. The affected list spans 28 African nations, 31 Asian and Middle Eastern states, 22 countries in the Americas and Caribbean, and 10 in Europe and Oceania, including major source markets such as India, Egypt, Kenya and Colombia. Cape Verdean authorities framed the decision as part of a global trend toward stricter border controls, warning that travellers arriving without a visa stamped in their passport could be denied entry and deported at their own expense.

Armenia, by contrast, extended its temporary visa waiver for residents of the Gulf Cooperation Council states and holders of valid residency permits from the UAE, the European Union, the Schengen area, the United States and several other jurisdictions until 1 July 2027. The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that eligible travellers can stay for up to 180 days within a one-year period, while removing Yemen and Sudan from the previous list. Armenian tourism officials, noting a 19.3 per cent rise in visitor numbers in the first five months of 2026, view the extension as essential to sustaining growth despite regional airspace disruptions that have complicated travel from the Gulf. Meanwhile, the United States launched a six-month pilot programme on 1 July allowing business and tourist visa applicants to secure an interview appointment within 10 days for an additional $750 fee, a move the State Department describes as an effort to reduce processing backlogs, even as the administration maintains broader restrictive immigration policies, including demands for bonds of up to $15,000 from applicants in certain African countries.

The simultaneous policy shifts illustrate a fragmenting global mobility landscape. Viewed from Gulf capitals, the UAE’s recalibration reflects a strategy to diversify source markets for tourism and investment while managing security vetting, a pattern echoed in Kuwait’s introduction of 15-year residency permits for foreign investors. In South Asia, India’s own amended immigration rules, which extend the registration window for long-staying foreigners and streamline digital appeals, signal a parallel effort to ease compliance for legitimate travellers. For travellers, the immediate consequence is a more complex patchwork of entry requirements, with airlines and immigration consultants urging passengers to verify eligibility before booking. The UAE has yet to announce an implementation date for its proposed 60-day visa-on-arrival scheme, while Cape Verde’s new consular visa regime is already in force, leaving affected travellers to navigate a rapidly shifting regulatory environment.