UAE Interior Ministry launches new online portal for GCC resident entry visas

The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Ministry of Interior recently launched an online portal to allow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) residents easier access to UAE entry permits visa via the country’s various ports of entry.

Major General Khalifa Hareb Al Khaili, assistant undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Naturalization, Residency and Ports, said the new Fawri portal on the ministry’s website is in line with the ministry’s mission to keep pace with technological advances.

The system is intended to expedite passenger movement at various ports while streamlining the visa process for passengers before arriving in the country. Al Khaili said the measures would ultimately save time and effort for GCC travelers.

“The [ministry] constantly seeks to elaborate an advanced method to further keep pace with the development and progress witnessed by the UAE in all areas,” Al Khaili said. “Launching the online visa issuance service for GCC residents and their escort is a paradigm shift in upgrading services’ efficiency within an integrated strategy toward smart transformation of services, and ensure their availability through the Ministry of Interior’s website and smart phones.”

The move is part of the UAE’s overall strategy to provide residents with the best possible services by building a technologically advanced "smart government" across all governmental sectors.