The UAE has announced plans to open an electronic visa centre in Beirut next month, aimed at making the visa application process faster and more convenient for applicants in Lebanon. The move was announced by Omar Obaid Alhesan Alshamsi, Undersecretary at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Under the new arrangement, applicants in Lebanon will be able to complete visa-related procedures electronically from within the country, rather than travelling to a mission or handling paperwork through intermediaries. Officials described the centre as a way to "shorten the customer journey and speed up procedures," framing it as part of a broader push to expand cooperation between the two countries.
The initiative fits into the UAE's wider strategy of digitising consular and government services, an approach it has applied across several other markets in recent years to simplify travel, residency and immigration processes for foreign nationals. The Beirut centre would mark another step in that same direction, specifically targeting the Lebanese community.
Given the large number of Lebanese nationals living and working in the UAE, particularly in Dubai, the new centre is expected to ease the process for families, students and workers seeking to travel to or settle in the country. Further details on the exact opening date, operating hours and the specific visa categories that will be processed through the centre have not yet been released, with UAE authorities expected to share more information in the coming weeks.