First Emirati Granted Visa under SI/UAE Reciprocal Visa Arrangement
Mohamad Albloushi was the first Emirati to have his visa granted on arrival in Solomon Islands, a result of a diplomatic agreement signed by the Solomon Islands Government and United Arab Emirates.
Mohamad was part of a group of foreign investors visiting Solomon Islands last month looking for tourism investment opportunities.
The foreign investors were based in Dubai and the high-profile visit was the result of promoting the country at the level of the Dubai World Expo 2020.
According to the Reciprocal Visa Arrangement implemented between UAE and Solomon Islands, citizens of both countries will not need a visa to enter each other’s countries, a maximum of 90 days with 6 months minimum passport validity.
Solomon Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon. Jeremiah Manele in a recent statement confirmed that Solomon Islands have begun implementing the Visa Arrangement as of September 2022.
The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) back in 2017 that eventually paves the way for visa-free entry into each other’s countries by the respective passport holders of the two countries.
The visa waiver arrangement will allow Solomon Islands passport holders to enter UAE on a visa-free basis. Likewise, passport holders of the UAE will also enter Solomon Islands visa-free as well.
According to the then Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Mr Milna Tozaka, ‘‘the basis of this arrangement is to enhance closer development cooperation between the two countries that could potentially promote Solomon Islands to interested UAE investors looking to invest in Solomon Islands. Also, the people-to-people connections that such arrangements encourage are equally important. This arrangement also contributes to increasing the value of the Solomon Islands passport internationally, which is in the interest of our nation’’.
Unlike similar arrangements between UAE and other Pacific Island Countries which are restrictive in their application, the arrangement with Solomon Islands includes all classifications of Solomon Islands passports.
UAE and Solomon Islands signed diplomatic relations in 2010. Since then the UAE has made substantial assistance to the Pacific Islands Countries including Solomon Islands in the Energy sector.
