Emirates rolls out pre-approved visa on arrival for Indian passport holders

Dubai-based Emirates Airline has partnered with VFS Global to introduce a pre-approved visa-on-arrival facility for select Indian passport holders, who have booked their travel with the airline, it was announced on Thursday, 1 February.

The service is exclusively available to Indian passport holders, who have a valid six-month visa for the US, or a US Green Card, or EU residency, or UK residency.

Fulfilled by the Dubai Visa Processing Centre (DVPC) and issued as a 14-day single entry visa, the new initiative will enable Emirates customers to skip queues when arriving in Dubai, simplifying their arrival formalities by breezing through customs before heading out to visit the city, the airline said.

The issuance of visas remains at the absolute discretion of the general directorate of residency and foreign affairs, it said.

Emirates currently serves nine destinations in India with 167 weekly flights, connecting travellers to Dubai and onward to a global network of more than 140 destinations.

The airline's network in India includes Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram.