Moscow, Russia -- Russia is working to establish a visa-free regime with all Gulf countries, said Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's deputy foreign minister and special presidential representative for the Middle East and African countries. "In principle, such work is going on systematically. Because, of course, I think it is in the...

Dubai, UAE - More than 70% of surveyed retailers in the UAE have experienced increased revenue and higher customer footfall since adopting digital payments,  a study conducted by Visa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), titled 'Value of Acceptance’ has revealed. The study focused on two groups of merchants - those...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia on Tuesday introduced 'KSA VISA,' a unified visa platform aimed at streamlining visa application processes. The initiative is a step in the kingdom's strategy to bolster tourism in the forthcoming years. Abdul Hadi Al-Mansouri, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Executive Affairs, unveiled the...

Dubai, UAE -- The UAE has ranked first in the Middle East and fourth globally as a leading destination for remote work, according to a new ranking by VisaGuide.World. The VisaGuide.World website specialises in monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of visa systems. The website also measures countries' progress in providing...

Tehran, Iran — Iran has waived visa requirements for passport holders from 33 nations, signaling a significant step in opening its doors to global visitors. “The government intends to open the country's doors to the world,” Iranian Minister of Tourism Ezzatollah Zarghami, said on Wednesday as reported by Saudi Gazzete....

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Over-confidence is leaving consumers in UAE open to becoming victims of fraud, according to Visa’s annual Stay Secure study released Thursday. Despite more than half of respondents (61 percent vs. 56 percent global average) claiming to be savvy enough to sidestep online and phone scams,...

ABU DHABI, UAE – Emirati Minister of Economy Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri has announced that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will roll out a unified Gulf tourist visa within the next two years which will grant travelers, access to six countries. Al Marri said the seventh meeting of...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Iran has proposed to Saudi Arabia to set up a working group to look into the idea of cancelling visas between the two countries. In this regard, the Iranian deputy tourism minister traveled to Saudi Arabia to proposed the to Saudi Arabia the idea of visa cancellation. A...

The Biden administration made the decision after Israel in July promised a series of steps to comply with longstanding US demands to treat all US passport holders equally -- without discriminating against Americans who are of Palestinian or other Arab heritage or who are Muslim. Visa-free travel marks "a critical...

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has demanded India treat with "utmost seriousness" allegations that Indian agents played a role in the June murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The fallout prompted tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions and a forceful denial from India, which said any suggestion it played a role in Nijjar's killing...

Until now, Palestinians with United States citizenship could not enter Israel through Ben Gurion airport without obtaining visas, but had to enter through Jordan. Citizens of 40 countries are exempt from visas for short stays in the United States for leisure or business.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Saudi Arabia and Oman have launched a joint tourist visa to boost trade and investment cooperation in tourism-related projects. The unified tourist visa between the two countries was one of the several initiatives agreed upon at a high-level meeting held between officials of the two countries.  The new...

The introduction of new laws regarding the ownership structure of mainland companies may boost the Gulf country's economy in 2023 as it is expected to attract more investors.

Algiers, Algeria--France said Sunday it had ended months of tensions over a visa dispute with Algeria, just days after Paris and Rabat made a similar announcement. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, on a visit to the capital Algiers, announced a return "to a normal consular relationship" with Algeria, according to a...

Both employers and employees stand to benefit from the UAE's recent labor law amendments, Ben Brown, Partner at the law firm Addleshaw Goddard, tells TRENDS.

Dubai, UAE—  The economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council will likely receive a boost from the FIFA 2022 World Cup, as more than 1.2 million fans are expected to attend the event. According to a survey conducted by S&P Ratings, the influx of football fans from around the world will...

Dubai, UAE— Dubai has begun to give out multiple-entry tourist visa for "Hayya cardholders" traveling to Doha for the World Cup this month. In this regard, Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA)  issued the first 90-day multiple-entry tourist visa to Mohammed Jalal, a Jordanian football fan. This...

Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE Special Envoy to Japan Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber and the Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida have signed the UAE-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership agreement.

Bahrain has launched a multi-entry e-visa for training purposes, allowing a holder to stay in the kingdom for six months.

The facility will be available for the holders of the "Hayya" card issued by FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which is reserved for ticket holders and used to access Qatar during the tournament being held from November 20 to December 18.

The Kremlin on Tuesday warned it would respond if the European Union makes it harder for Russians to travel to the bloc as part of measures in support of Ukraine. The idea to ban Russian tourists from Europe has divided EU nations, with some in full support and others against...

The move comes as Qatar, which has a population of 2.8 million, tries to accommodate an expected 1.2 million visitors during the November 20-December 18 World Cup, and as Saudi Arabia ramps up efforts to attract tourists.

The UAE has exceeded international figures in 11 indexes on the best expatriate destinations based on various factors, which include language, bureaucracy, professional prospects, leisure options, travel, transport, job satisfaction, safety, healthcare, digital life, housing, wages and job safety, InterNations said. The German research firm in its report titled "Expat...

The Dubai Health Authority recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Visa with the aim of enhancing Dubai's competitiveness as an ideal destination for health tourism.

The UAE's residential real estate market is poised to grow at a CAGR of 12.36 percent by 2026, Sharjah Sustainable City CEO Yousif Ahmed Al-Mutawa tells TRENDS

Saudi Arabia has required would-be hajj pilgrims from many Western countries to apply for visas via a government portal online, a move intended to crack down on "fake" travel agencies, officials told AFP on Monday. The new system was put in place as the kingdom prepares to welcome 850,000 Muslims...

The move comes two weeks after the country lifted all Covid-19-related entry restrictions.

More than ever before, wealthy expatriates in the UAE as well as the world are pursuing citizenship options elsewhere.

Arab countries that offer electronic passports include Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, Algeria, Kuwait, Morocco, Comoros, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia and Sudan. Countries in the region that don't have a microchip in their passports include Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, the Palestinian territories, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.

Since Russia's invasion 10 days ago, the economic and humanitarian toll of the war has spiraled, sending more than one million people fleeing Ukraine. Officials have reported hundreds of civilians killed.

The cards would continue to work on Russian territory because all payments in Russia are made through a national system and do not depend on foreign systems.

Bahrain has launched ‘Golden Residency Visa’ for residents and non-residents with immediate processing of the applications electronically upon meeting the prescribed criteria.

Saudi Arabia has witnessed a big jump in 'contactless' payment during the last three years, from hovering in single digits to shooting up to 95 percent during the last three years.

The Public Investment Fund, which seeks to lessen the Kingdom's reliance on oil as part of Vision 2030, eyes both local and international markets

A regional economic bloc must be formed and includes Iraq, Turkey and Iran to become a regional power that allows it to compete with economic groupings around the world, said Muhammad Hanoun, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce at the Iraqi-Turkish Business Forum for Investment and Contracting.

The visa will enable MNC employees to participate in events, conferences, training courses, exhibitions and similar activities hosted in the emirate by these companies.

Last weekend, Algeria recalled its ambassador from Paris and banned French military planes from its airspace, which France regularly uses to reach its forces battling militants in the Sahel region to the south. The moves came after a bitter row over visas, followed by media reports that French President Emmanuel...

France's jets regularly fly over Algerian territory to reach the Sahel region of western Africa, where its soldiers are helping to battle insurgents as part of its Barkhane operation. Algeria was angered last week after France cut visas to citizens of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.

France on Tuesday said it would sharply reduce the number of visas granted to people from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, accusing the former French colonies of not doing enough to allow illegal immigrants to return.

Paris accuses the former colonies of not doing enough to allow illegal immigrants to return. Immigration is shaping up to be a key issue in next year's French presidential election.

The move is aimed at meeting growing demand for manpower by companies in the country. After all, the number of expatriates in Kuwait dropped to 56,300 in the first half of 2021, bringing their total to 3.154 million.

Henley & Partners’ Best Residence-by-Investment Cities for Business Index ranks cities according to lifestyle, tax, education, real estate, healthcare, security, infrastructure, etc.

They will explore ways to boost cross-border payments.

The move comes after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, Riyadh did not announce any lifting of restrictions on the umrah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Saudi Arabia will automatically extend the validity of residence permits for expatriates outside the country until August 31

Golden Residency visa was created last year for professionals, specialized degree holders HR ministry lays down criteria for work permits The UAE government has said it will start issuing work permits for Golden Residency holders. Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum had in November 2020 announced that the UAE...

  Travelers to Europe must be inoculated with the AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines The Chinese vaccines Sinovac and Sinopharm have been the most widely used on the African continent Europe is gradually re-opening to vaccinated travelers as coronavirus restrictions ease, but in some African nations such...

New system will replace cash and cheques with a convenient credit card transaction Payments can be made instantly, with real-time payment tracking and multiple bank account capability   Real estate agencies, landlords and property management companies registered with the Ajar, a PropTech platform for cloud-based property management and rent collection,...

  The new partnership will let real-estate agencies, landlords, and property management companies registered on the Ajar platform collect rent online The new platform is expected to replace the old, outdated system of cash and cheques with a credit-card transaction   United Arab Emirates-headquartered firm Ajar has tied up with...