Dubai extends tourist visas for visitors to emirate

Dubai extends tourist visas for visitors to emirate

Visas will be extended free of charge under directive from Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Tourist visas for travellers visiting Dubai are to be extended for a further month, free of charge, as a result of temporary airport closures and entry restrictions around the world.

A new coronavirus mutation, which was initially discovered in London and parts of southeast England earlier this month, led to over 40 countries suspending flights to and from the UK. Other countries have since closed borders altogether in scenes reminiscent of earlier this year at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

On Monday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, issued directives to extend tourist visas for one additional month, without any government fees, according to a report by state news agency WAM.



“The decision supports tourists and their families currently in the UAE to spend the New Year holidays,” it said.

It added: “Government entities will work to facilitate procedures for tourists over the coming period and collaborate with relevant authorities to ensure the safety of all visitors during their stay in the UAE.”

Dubai is expected to welcome as many as 200,000 travellers for the Christmas and New