First read is on us.

Subscribe today to keep up with the latest travel industry news.

UAE denies rumors of visa restrictions for uneducated tourists


Skift Take

A wayward official erroneously announced earlier this week that blue-collar tourists would need an university degree to get a visa in an effort, he said, to decrease crime and trafficking in his country.

A top UAE official denied Wednesday reports that the Gulf state had toughened visa rules for tourists from labour-exporting South Asians nations banning low-income visitors.

UAE - National Day

UAE nationals only make up around 11.5 percent of the country's population. Photo by Nitin Badhwar.

General Nasser al-Menhali, assistant undersecretary for Nationality and Residency at the interior ministry said no changes have been made to the existing law for visas, WAM state news agency reported.

The Gulf News daily had reported Tuesday that tourists from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Philippines would need to have a university degree to get a visa to the UAE.

Up Next

Hotels

How Data Quality Issues Impact Global Hospitality Operations

There are wide discrepancies in data quality for hotel transactions across global regions, with the largest occurring in Asia-Pacific. Because hotels and agencies need to harness data quality to thrive, they must take a more nuanced regional approach to monitoring potential issues.
Sponsored
Hotels

Redefining Luxury Hospitality in 2025

Luxury hotels can differentiate themselves by broadening their offerings and embracing lucrative experiential trends.
Online Travel

What Travel Brands Should Know About China's RedNote

As overseas travel rebounds and Chinese consumers increasingly seek out genuine travel tips and personalized recommendations, brands looking to engage this influential audience must understand what makes RedNote a powerful tool for modern travel marketing.