UAE to open first overseas digital visa hub in Beirut

The UAE is set to open its first overseas digital visa issuance centre in Beirut, marking a major step in expanding streamlined travel access for Lebanese residents and the wider Levant region.

 

The new digital visa hub, expected to open soon, will allow travellers in Lebanon to complete UAE visa applications for tourism, medical treatment, study and employment through an end-to-end electronic process locally, reducing the need for third-party intermediaries or long wait times.

 

Lebanese nationals generally require a pre-arranged UAE visit visa, and the Beirut hub is expected to centralise and digitise much of the document submission and verification process

 

The centre will also offer document verification services, including passports, medical reports and police clearance certificates, while biometric services will be provided on site, covering fingerprinting, iris scans and facial imaging.

 

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Industry experts view the Beirut centre as a key development for outbound travel to the UAE, a leading destination for leisure, business and medical tourism among Lebanese travellers. Dubai remains one of the most popular cities for visitors from Lebanon, supported by multiple daily non-stop flights on Emirates, Flydubai and Middle East Airlines between Dubai and Beirut.

 

By localising visa services, the UAE aims to simplify and expedite the application process, making it easier for travellers to arrange last-minute trips and for companies to attract delegates to events and exhibitions. The initiative forms part of the UAE’s broader strategy to enhance connectivity and facilitate travel from key regional markets.

 

Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security said the Beirut facility represents an important milestone in “our plan to restructure and upgrade the UAE’s overseas electronic visa centres", which now total 18 worldwide.

 

For more information, visit icp.gov.ae/en