Maltese citizens travelling to UAE will not need visa

 NEWS   The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday that citizens of 13 European Union member states, including Malta, will be exempt from the need to acquire pre-entry visas to the UAE with effect from 22 March 2014, in implementation of the decision recently taken by the UAE Cabinet. The European Parliament recently voted overwhelmingly to allow visa-free travel for UAE citizens to countries in the Schengen area.
The 13 countries exempt from pre-entry visas to the UAE are: Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, Malta, Cyprus, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria.
As a result of the above decision, citizens of all 28 countries in the EU will be allowed to enter the UAE without having to previously apply for a visa.
The Ministry statement added that all necessary measures have been taken by the Ministry of the Interior to implement the decision at all UAE points of entry.
The statement went on to say that these exemptions will enhance political relations between the UAE and European Union, will help to further develop economic ties and bilateral trade and will also help to encourage mutual investment, while promoting tourism both to and from these countries.
As a result of this move, the UAE will top Arab countries for visa-free travel and enter the top 40 internationally when formalities are completed for Emirates to enjoy visa-free access to the Schengen states, according to the travel restriction index.
The EU’s endorsement of the visa waiver status for UAE citizens will start with the setting up of a joint working team of the UAE and European Union, which will implement the decision as soon as possible, it was reported.
The new ruling by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday exempting citizens of 13 European countries from a pre-entry visa to the UAE, brings up the number of exempt countries to 47.
With citizens of the other 15 European member states already being exempt, the announcement means that all citizens of the European Union holding an ordinary passport will be allowed to enter the UAE without having to previously apply for a visa. The ruling comes into effect from March 22.
Once the UAE is fully granted visa-free access to the Schengen countries, its citizens will enjoy visa-free travel to more than 100 countries around the world.
Kuwait, which currently enjoys visa-free access to 77 countries, will come second in the Arab world, to be followed by Qatar in third place, with access to 71 countries, Bahrain in fourth place with access to 69, Saudi Arabia in fifth with access to 64 countries and Oman in sixth place with access to 63 countries, according to the global ranking index compiled every year since 2006 by Henley & Partners, the international residence and citizenship consultancy.
Speaking in Berlin on the sidelines of ITB 2014, the world’s largest tourism trade fair, Helal Saeed Al Merri, Director-General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said: “This is a very positive announcement from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and one which will have a significant impact on the attractiveness of UAE as a destination for tourists from the 13 countries included today in the exemption. European countries have traditionally featured prominently in our top 20 source markets for visitors and the lifting of visa restrictions provides for easier travel arrangements from across the continent.”
At present, the citizens of 34 countries including the United States, Canada and 15 European countries enjoy visa-free access to the UAE.
[Sources: www.independent.com.mt and www.gulfnews.com]