UAE Visa for Vietnamese Citizens: 2026 Entry Guide

Vietnamese passport holders gained conditional visa-on-arrival eligibility for the UAE as part of the June 2026 expansion, a meaningful change for Vietnamese travelers who previously needed a pre-arranged eVisa for every trip, though the new eligibility comes with a specific condition worth understanding before assuming it applies automatically.

To qualify for visa-on-arrival under this newer category, a Vietnamese national generally also needs to hold a valid visa or residence permit from one of a defined set of approved countries, commonly cited examples include the US, UK, EU member states, Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore, or South Korea, rather than the Vietnamese passport alone being sufficient the way it is for citizens of the original, unconditional visa-on-arrival list. A Vietnamese traveler without one of these qualifying documents generally still needs to apply for a standard UAE eVisa ahead of travel, typically processed within a few business days through the ICP portal, an airline, or an authorized travel agent.

For Vietnamese nationals coming to the UAE for employment, an increasingly common category given growing trade and labour connections between the two countries, the applicable process is the standard employment visa sequence rather than either visa-on-arrival route, an employer-secured MOHRE work permit, entry permit, mandatory medical fitness test, Emirates ID registration, and residence visa stamping.

Given how new this conditional visa-on-arrival category is and how its precise terms have already been adjusted once since the June 2026 announcement, Vietnamese travelers should confirm their current eligibility and the up-to-date list of qualifying countries directly through ICP or GDRFA close to their travel date, and should carry proof of the qualifying visa or residence permit rather than assuming passport nationality alone will be accepted at the border.