Starting today, November 1st 2022, Emirati nationals become eligible for visa-free travel to Japan. No longer will it be necessary for them to apply for a visa ahead of time, and instead will be able to enjoy the simplicity of visa on arrival. A stay of 30 days for leisure or business will be available now under the new agreement. According to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the new visa scheme will help to boost bilateral business, trade and investment between the countries. Japan has had diplomatic relations with the UAE since 1970.
This new agreement will further strengthen what is already one of the most powerful passports in the world. With visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more than 175 countries, according to the Passport Index, the addition of Japan captures of the last remaining countries.
Flight time between Dubai and Tokyo is approximately 9 hours. Dubai and other cities in UAE are common transit points for trips between Japan and Europe, so there should be no shortage of flights to take those interested in visiting Japan to their destination.
Requirements to Japan still apply, including ensuring passport validity of at least six months, providing a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken 72 hours before departure, or presenting a certificate proving that the traveler has taken three doses of vaccinations approved in Japan, which are Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, or Sinopharm.