UAE citizens to have faster clearance at Australian airports

UAE citizens will now be able to avail the SmartGate service in Australian airports, official news agency WAM reported on Saturday.

The service is available to arriving and departing Emiratis who hold ordinary passports and who are at least 16 years of age, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced.

Those wishing to use the service will need to get a pre-arrival electronic entry visa to Australia, the report added.

Ahmed Saeed Alham Al Dhaheri, the ministry’s under-secretary for Consular Affairs, said that the move highlighted the strength of the UAE passport.

Japan also eased entry restrictions for UAE passport holders from July 1.

Emiratis with diplomatic and special passports on official mission in Japan are no longer required to get a pre-entry visa if they can’t specify their length of stay.

Meanwhile normal UAE passport holders seeking travel to Japan for tourism, business and official reasons can obtain a free electronic sticker in their travel documents at the Japanese Embassy in Abu Dhabi, the General Consulate of Japan in Dubai or any diplomatic or representative office of Japan.

This will allow passport holders to register their date of entry into Japan and stay for a maximum of 30 days.

The UAE is already considered the strongest passport in the region, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is aiming to make the UAE passport among the five most powerful in the world.

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