The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has imposed an immediate ban on entry and transit for Iranian nationals during the ongoing regional tensions.
As per details, major airlines including Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Flydubai have issued official notices regarding the ban.
According to the notices, all Iranian passport holders are barred from entering or transiting through the UAE, including via Dubai International Airport, regardless of visa type. The ban applies to individuals holding valid UAE residency permits, visit visas, and tourist visas across all categories and professions.
An official communication from Flydubai confirmed that the restriction is effective immediately and will be enforced through the Advanced Passenger Processing (APP) system, which will automatically deny boarding eligibility to affected passengers.
The notice further said that Iranian nationals currently outside the UAE, even those with valid residency visas, will not be allowed to re-enter the country under the new policy.
Airlines and travel partners have been directed to strictly comply with the rules and avoid booking or accepting passengers who fall under the restricted category.
However, a limited exception has been made for first-degree family members of UAE nationals. Parents, spouses, children, and siblings travelling together with a UAE citizen may be considered for entry, subject to prior approval through the OK to Board (OKTB) process via the Flydubai Control Centre before departure.
Australia blocks tourists from one country
Earlier, Australia, for the first time used its recently introduced “arrival control determination” powers to temporarily prohibit nearly 6,800 Iranian nationals, who hold valid Visitor (subclass 600) visas, from entering the country.
The six-month order signed by Tony Burke on March 25, 2026, comes as there have been concerns that the instability in Iran could see visitors stuck in Australia, as well as straining the migration system.
The measure is made possible under Section 84B of the Migration Act 1958 that was fast-tracked through Parliament earlier this month with bipartisan support.
This measure enables the authorities to suspend the arrivals of persons who have specific types of visas without cancelling the visas themselves.
Under the determination, those affected by the condition are banned from participating in flights into Australia without obtaining a specific exemption.
Those that fail to comply with this may face significant penalties from Airlines. While the framework is similar to the border controls used during the pandemic, it is now being applied based on national interest and public order rather than public health.
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