The UAE has secured a landmark travel agreement with the United States: the UAE Global Entry Programme partnership, signed between the UAE Ministry of Interior and the US Department of Homeland Security, gives Emirati citizens fast-track access to America starting October 2024. Eligible travellers can now bypass lengthy customs lines and proceed through dedicated kiosks at more than 75 US ports of entry.
What the UAE Global Entry Programme Offers
The Global Entry Programme is a US government trusted-traveller scheme that pre-screens applicants before they ever board a flight. Once approved, members skip standard passport control queues and complete US entry formalities at automated kiosks in minutes. The UAE joins 17 other partner countries whose citizens can apply for this benefit.
For Emirati citizens, the key requirement is a valid US visa. Meeting that threshold unlocks access to expedited entry at more than 75 airports and international ports across the United States, significantly cutting arrival wait times for both leisure and business travellers.
A Deal Sealed at the Highest Level
The agreement was inked during UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed's state visit to the United States — underscoring how central people-to-people connectivity has become to the broader UAE-US strategic partnership.
Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Minister of State and Ambassador to the US, described the initiative as a move that will "enhance security and regional cooperation as well as trade and tourism" between the two nations. The signing reflects the continued deepening of diplomatic and economic ties between Washington and Abu Dhabi.
How Emiratis Can Apply for Global Entry
The application process mirrors requirements for other nationalities:
1. Submit personal information and pay the $100 non-refundable application fee online. 2. Undergo a background check — conditional approval typically arrives within two weeks, though some cases require a longer manual review. 3. Schedule and attend an in-person interview at a Global Entry Enrolment Center (or complete enrolment on arrival at select airports).
Approved members receive a five-year membership, gaining repeated hassle-free entry to the US without re-applying for each trip.
Strengthening UAE-US Travel and Trade
The UAE Global Entry Programme partnership is part of a broader shift in the bilateral relationship, one that increasingly prioritises frictionless movement of people alongside trade and investment flows. For the estimated tens of thousands of Emiratis who travel to the United States each year for business, education, and tourism, the agreement translates directly into faster arrivals and more time on the ground.
