UAE introduces dedicated cruise worker visa

The UAE has taken a major step in supporting regional cruise expansion with the introduction, from 29 September, of a dedicated cruise visa for workers, announced by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). 

The new multiple-entry visa allows cruise ship and leisure boat crew, from engineers to ground handlers, to enter and re-enter UAE ports, streamlining logistics, enabling longer stays and simplifying crew transitions for cruise lines. 

This flexibility boosts operational responsiveness and strengthens the Emirates’ position as a regional hub.

Alongside the cruise worker visa, the UAE’s ICP reforms have introduced specialist entry permits for artificial intelligence experts, event participants and entertainment professionals.

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The move follows the August 2025 launch of the cruise tourism visa, which lets sea passengers visit multiple UAE ports for up to 30 days, extendable for another 30, with no need for hotel bookings or return tickets.

Both reforms arrive as UAE cruise tourism surges, with Dubai’s Mina Rashid routinely handling more than 25,000 passengers and seven ships in a single day, while Abu Dhabi expects more than 808,000 cruise arrivals in 2025, with cruise spend projected to double to AED745 million.

Meanwhile, regional travel is poised for another leap as the GCC prepares to pilot a Schengen-style Grand Tours Visa in the fourth quarter of 2025, making it far easier for cruise agents and passengers to plan and enjoy multi-country Gulf itineraries while reducing paperwork and costs.