15 VISA-FREE Countries for UAE Residents or Emirates ID

UAE residency is proving to be a strong and worthwhile residency for travel these days. Obviously, you cannot compare with the strongest residencies such as the US or Europe, but UAE residency does offer VISA-FREE access to a few countries.

As of 2025, there are 15 VISA-FREE countries for UAE residents. All you need is your valid passport and proof of UAE residency to travel to these 15 countries.

I have compiled this list based on my research and personal experience of my readers residing in the UAE.

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Is Emirates ID accepted as proof of UAE residence?

Yes. Emirates ID is accepted as proof of UAE residence. But you may also be asked to show the digital copy of your UAE residence visa.

Since 2022, the UAE has stopped issuing physical residence visa stickers in passports. In place of physical stickers, the UAE is issuing electronic residence visas that can be viewed or downloaded from the UAEICP app.

Due to the digitization of visas, the Emirates ID has now become the primary physical proof of residence in the UAE. Most countries in the list below are aware of this change and would accept Emirates ID in place of a UAE visa sticker in the passport.

That said, if asked, you must be able to show your digital UAE residence visa on the UAEICP mobile app. Alternatively, you can download your UAE residence visa from the UAEICP app or the ICP website as a PDF. Print it or save a copy on your smartphone.

Now, without further due, let’s look at these countries and their entry requirements.

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Europe

01. Albania

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities, except Iranian nationals
• Duration of stay: 90 days
• Additional requirements:
  • The UAE residence permit must be a 10-year residence permit and must be valid for at least 1 year on the day of arrival
  • Total duration of consecutive stays must not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period
• Official source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Albania

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02. Armenia

• Eligible Nationalities: Following nationalities only
  1. Algeria
  2. Bahrain
  3. Belize
  4. Bhutan
  5. Bolivia
  6. Brunei
  7. Cambodia
  8. Colombia
  9. Costa Rica
  10. Cuba
  11. Egypt
  12. Fiji
  13. Grenada
  14. Guatemala
  15. Guyana
  16. Haiti
  17. Honduras
  18. India
  19. Iraq
  20. Jamaica
  21. Kiribati
  22. Laos
  23. Malaysia
  24. Maldives
  25. Marshall Islands
  26. Micronesia
  27. Mongolia
  28. Morocco
  29. Myanmar
  30. Nauru
  31. Nicaragua
  32. Palau
  33. Papua New Guinea
  34. Paraguay
  35. Philippines
  36. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  37. Saint Lucia
  38. Samoa
  39. Saudi Arabia
  40. Solomon Islands
  41. Suriname
  42. Timor-Leste
  43. Tonga
  44. Trinidad and Tobago
  45. Tunisia
  46. Turkmenistan
  47. Tuvalu
  48. Vanuatu
  49. Venezuela
  50. Vietnam
• Duration of stay: 90 days
• Additional requirements:
  • Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but you are eligible to obtain Visa on Arrival (VOA) or Armenia e-Visa (applicable to Egypt, India and Iraq nationals only)
  • VOA fee is 11 USD, valid for 21 days or less, single-entry
  • e-Visa fee is 8 USD, valid for 21 days, single-entry
• Official source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia

NOTE: Starting 01 July 2025, UAE residents can enter Armenia VISA-FREE for 90 days in any 180-day period. All nationalities are eligible. No VOA or e-Visa is required. I will update the article on July 1 to reflect this change.

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03. Azerbaijan

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities
• Duration of stay: 30 days
• Additional requirements:
  • Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but you are eligible to obtain Visa on Arrival (VOA) at any international airport
  • VOA fee is 30 USD, valid for 30 days, single-entry
  • VOA is not available at land borders; in such a case, you would need an Azerbaijan e-Visa
  • The UAE residence permit must be valid for at least 6 months on the day of arrival
• Official source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan

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04. Georgia

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities
• Duration of stay: 90 days
• Additional requirements:
  • The UAE residence permit must be valid on the day of arrival
  • Total duration of consecutive stays must not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period
• Official source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

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05. Montenegro

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities
• Duration of stay: 10 days
• Additional requirements:
  • You must prove that you have resided in the UAE continuously for the last 3 years
  • You must have a hotel booking confirmation and an onward ticket
• Official source: Government of Montenegro

RELATED: 55 countries you can travel VISA-FREE with a US visa in 2025

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Middle East

06. Bahrain

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities
• Duration of stay: 14 or 30 days
• Additional requirements:
  • Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but you can obtain Visa on Arrival (VOA) or apply for Bahrain eVisa
  • Single-entry VOA fee is 5 BD, valid for 14 days, entry up to 14 days
  • Multiple-entry VOA fee is 12 BD, valid for 3 months, entry up to 1 month
  • Single-entry eVisa fee is 10 BD, valid for 14 days, entry up to 14 days
  • Multiple-entry eVisa fee is 17 BD, valid for 3 months, entry up to 1 month
  • The UAE residence permit must be valid for at least 3 months on the day of arrival
• Official source: Bahrain eVisa Portal

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07. Kuwait

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities, except Ethiopia, Iraq and Israel
• Duration of stay: 90 days
• Additional requirements:
  • Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but you are eligible to obtain Visa on Arrival (VOA) or apply for Kuwait eVisa
  • VOA fee is 3 KWD, entry up to 90 days, single-entry only
  • e-Visa fee is 3 KWD, valid for 30 days, single-entry only
  • The UAE residence permit must be valid for at least 6 months on the day of arrival
  • Profession on the UAE residence permit must be from the list of approved professions
• Official source: Kuwait eVisa Portal

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08. Lebanon

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities, except Ethiopia, Iraq and Israel
• Duration of stay: 11 months or till the validity of the passport, whichever is shorter
• Additional requirements:
  • Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but you are eligible to obtain Visa on Arrival (VOA) at Beirut (BEY) International Airport
  • VOA is free of cost, valid for 1 month
  • Profession listed on the UAE residence permit must be from the list of approved professions
  • Must not have any Israeli visa or stamp in the passport
• Official source: General Directorate of General Security, Lebanon

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09. Oman

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities
• Duration of stay: 28 days
• Additional requirements:
  • Visa is EXEMPT, but UAE residents are eligible for the 29A GCC Resident e-Visa
  • e-Visa fee is 5 OMR, valid for 4 weeks, single-entry only
  • UAE residence permit must be valid for at least 6 months on the day of entry
  • Must be on the list of approved professions
  • Must travel to Oman directly from a GCC country
• Official source: Oman e-Visa Portal

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10. Qatar

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities
• Duration of stay: 30 days
• Additional requirements:
  • Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but you are eligible to apply for the A2 GCC Resident Visa on the Hayya portal
  • A2 visa fee is QAR 100, valid for 30 days, single-entry only
  • Must provide hotel booking for the entire stay reserved through the Discover Qatar website
• Official source: Qatar Tourism Board

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11. Saudi Arabia

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities
• Duration of stay: 90 days
• Additional requirements:
  • Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but you are eligible to obtain Saudi Arabia eVisa
  • eVisa fee is 300 SAR + 40 SAR service fee + Insurance, valid for 1 year, multiple-entry
  • The UAE residence permit must be valid for at least 3 months on the day of entry
• Official source: Saudi Arabia Tourism Authority

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Africa

12. Egypt

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities
• Duration of stay: 30 days
• Additional requirements:
  • Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but you are eligible to obtain Visa on Arrival (VOA) at all international airports
  • VOA fee is 25 USD, valid for 30 days, single-entry only
  • The UAE residence permit must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
• Official source: IATA Travel Centre

RELATED: 40 countries you can travel VISA-FREE with UK visa in 2025

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Asia

13. Kyrgyzstan

• Eligible Nationalities: Following nationalities only
  1. Algeria
  2. Bangladesh
  3. Egypt
  4. India
  5. Jordan
  6. Lebanon
  7. Morocco
  8. Nepal
  9. Pakistan
  10. Tunisia
  11. Sri Lanka
• Duration of stay: 30 days
• Additional requirements:
  • Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but you are eligible to get Visa on Arrival (VOA) at Manas International Airport
  • VOA fee is approximately 4,500 KGS (~52 USD), valid for 30 days, single-entry
• Official source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan

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14. Uzbekistan

• Eligible Nationalities: All nationalities
• Duration of stay: 30 days
• Additional requirements: The UAE residence permit must be valid for at least 90 days on the day of arrival
• Official source: Embassy of Uzbekistan in UAE

RELATED: 81 countries you can travel VISA-FREE with Schengen visa in 2025

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Central America

15. Nicaragua

• Eligible Nationalities: Following nationalities only
  1. Afghanistan
  2. Albania
  3. Armenia
  4. Bangladesh
  5. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  6. Botswana
  7. Cameroon
  8. Congo, Dem Rep of
  9. Congo, Rep of
  10. Eritrea
  11. Haiti
  12. India
  13. Iraq
  14. Kenya
  15. Laos
  16. Liberia
  17. Libya
  18. Mali
  19. Mongolia
  20. Nepal
  21. Nigeria
  22. Pakistan
  23. Sierra Leone
  24. Somalia
  25. Sri Lanka
  26. Sudan
  27. Syria
  28. Timor-Leste
  29. Yemen
  30. Vietnam
• Duration of stay: 30 days
• Additional requirements:
  • Visa is NOT EXEMPT, but you are eligible to obtain Visa on Arrival (VOA)
  • VOA fee is 50 USD, payable in USD, valid for 30 days, single-entry only
  • Besides the VOA fee, there is a 10 USD tourist card fee, a 2 USD land border migration fee (for land border only) and 1 USD municipality tax (for land border only) (payable in USD only)
• Official source: IATA Travel Centre

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That’s it, folks! Those are the VISA-FREE countries for UAE residents or Emirates ID holders.

If you have traveled to any of these countries with your Emirates ID, let me know your experience. If you know a country that offers VISA-FREE access to UAE residents, let me know in the comments.

Credits: Maps are made with mapchart.net