UAE says citizens can again travel to Lebanon from 7 May

The UAE will allow its citizens to visit Lebanon again from Wednesday as Beirut mends ties with Gulf states after years of political tensions

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab Staff & Agencies

04 May, 2025

Planes from Emirates Airlines (L) and Middle East Airlines are seen on the tarmac at Rafik Hariri international airport in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on November 21, 2015. (Photo by ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images)

Emirati citizens can start travelling to Lebanon again as of 7 May [Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty]

Emirati citizens will be able to visit Lebanon within days after a ban imposed during a diplomatic row was lifted, the official WAM news agency reported Sunday.

The announcement comes after Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun met with his UAE counterpart Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, after which it was announced that the ban would be lifted.

In 2021, the United Arab Emirates imposed the travel ban and withdrew diplomats from Beirut in solidarity with Saudi Arabia, after a Lebanese minister criticised the Riyadh-led military intervention in Yemen.

Lebanese citizens were not banned from travelling to the UAE, although some experienced difficulties obtaining visas.

Ties between Beirut and Abu Dhabi had soured in the past decade over Hezbollah's influence on Lebanon.

But with the group weakened by its recent war with Israel, the UAE is the latest Gulf country to renew its interest in Lebanon.

In March, Saudi Arabia said it would review "obstacles" to resuming Lebanese imports and ending a ban on its citizens visiting Lebanon.