At the one hand, there is the United States of America, which has tightened its visa rules and has hiked H-1B work visa fee to $1,00,000, and on the other, there is the United Arab Emirates, which has issued a visa ban for nine countries. As the world heads into 2026, the United Arab Emirates is said to have taken a significant step in tightening its visa policies, according to multiple media reports. Citizens of nine countries in Africa and Asia are reportedly no longer being issued new tourist or work visas by the UAE. While this move is drawing attention, the government has yet to officially confirm the policy.