UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman introduce emergency visa extensions and overstay fine waivers as the Middle East crisis disrupts global travel.
Six Gulf nations have introduced coordinated immigration relief measures for travellers stranded by the ongoing Middle East aviation crisis, which has triggered mass flight cancellations and sudden airspace closures since 28 February 2026.
The UAE has waived overstay fines for visitors unable to depart and is allowing residents whose visas expired abroad to re-enter without a new permit until 31 March 2026. Saudi Arabia has applied automatic one-month visa extensions for all affected visitors and residents, while Qatar is offering the same without fees or applications. Kuwait has granted a blanket one-month extension for visit visas and a three-month absence permit for residents stranded abroad. Bahrain has waived overstay fines and extended unused visit visas by three months. Oman has introduced flexible visa extensions for stranded tourists, with hotels in Muscat coordinating temporary accommodation.
The measures cover nationals and visitors from India, the US, UK, Canada, Germany, China, Bangladesh and several other countries. Airlines and airport authorities across Dubai, Doha, Riyadh and Muscat are simultaneously working to restore flight networks and prioritise passenger rebooking as regional airspace stability gradually returns.
Source: Travel and Tour World
