US–Israel–Iran Armed Conflict: Middle East Travel, Immigration & Corporate Mobility Impact

Q: What is the current status of visa issuance (business/work) in the GCC and Iran? 

Visa processing across the entire Middle East has been severely disrupted by an active armed conflict now in its fourth day. Organizations should assume the following as a baseline: 

🇦🇪 UAE (Dubai & Abu Dhabi)

Iranian missiles and drones have struck civilian targets across the UAE, including airports and hotels. The UAE has suffered the heaviest Iranian retaliatory strikes of any GCC nation, with over 150 missiles and 500 drones reported in the first 48 hours. The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) and all immigration service centers are operating on emergency-only protocols. Routine visa processing, including new work permits, visa renewals, and status changes, is suspended. The U.S. Embassy has ordered departure of all non-emergency personnel and family members as of March 2. 

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

Iran escalated strikes against Saudi Arabia on March 2, targeting major oil infrastructure. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh was struck by Iranian drones. A shelter-in-place order was issued for Dhahran; the Jeddah shelter order has since been lifted. Jawazat offices and immigration processing are severely disrupted. U.S. personnel have been instructed not to travel to Bahrain from Saudi Arabia. 

🇶🇦 Qatar

Iranian strikes have hit Doha. Hamad International Airport (DOH) has been directly affected. The US has upgraded Qatar to Level 3: Reconsider Travel and ordered departure of non-emergency government staff. Immigration processing is suspended or severely limited. 

🇧🇭 Bahrain, 🇰🇼 Kuwait, 🇴🇲 Oman

All three nations have been struck by Iranian missiles or drones, despite none launching attacks on Iran. Even Oman, which maintained its historical “friend to all” mediator posture, has been targeted. Airspace in Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, and Bahrain has been closed. All standard visa and immigration operations should be presumed non-functional until further notice. 

🇮🇷 Iran

Under active U.S./Israeli military bombardment since February 28. All consular services worldwide are suspended. Supreme Leader Khamenei has been killed. Internal security conditions are deteriorating rapidly with potential for a power vacuum. No immigration services are functioning. 

🇮🇱 Israel

Under continuous Iranian missile and drone barrages. Hezbollah has opened a second front from Lebanon. The Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA) has suspended all non-essential processing. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has directed all U.S. government staff and families to shelter in place and has stated it is not in a position to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel. 

🇱🇧 Lebanon

Israel has launched a wave of strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon following Hezbollah rocket attacks into Israel, killing over 50 people. All immigration and visa services should be presumed non-functional. 

⚠️ ACTION REQUIRED – Do NOT submit new visa applications to any jurisdiction in the region. Premature filings will result in lost fees and potential complications. Work with local immigration service providers to hold all pending submissions until the security situation stabilizes and government operations are confirmed to have resumed. 

Q: Are airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Tel Aviv functional? 

Airport operations across the region have been devastated. The situation as of March 4, 2026: 

🇦🇪 Dubai International Airport (DXB) & Al Maktoum (DWC)

All scheduled Emirates flights are suspended until at least 23:59 UAE time on March 7. Emirates is operating only a very limited number of repatriation flights — passengers must NOT travel to the airport unless directly contacted by the airline with a confirmed departure time. flydubai has operated a handful of flights to Russia, Somalia, and Pakistan; all other routes remain suspended. Over 90% of scheduled flights from Dubai remain cancelled. 

🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi Zayed International (AUH)

All Etihad scheduled commercial flights suspended until at least 06:00 UAE time on Thursday, March 6. Some repositioning, cargo, and repatriation flights may operate with UAE authority approval. At least 16 evacuation flights departed AUH during a limited window on March 2, heading to Islamabad, Paris, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Moscow, and London. Passengers with tickets issued on or before February 28 may rebook free of charge through March 18 on Etihad-operated flights. 

🇮🇱 Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv (TLV)

Completely closed to all civilian traffic since February 28. Israeli airspace is shut. The closure applies to all civilian and rescue flights, with reopening not expected before at least March 4–5. El Al has evacuated its aircraft to Athens, Bucharest, Budapest, Paris, and Rome and has suspended new ticket sales through March 21. Approximately 100,000+ Israeli travelers are stranded abroad. Israeli airlines Arkia and Israir are operating shuttle flights from Athens, Larnaca, and Rome to Taba Airport (Egypt) for those willing to cross overland. 

🇶🇦 Hamad International, Doha (DOH)

Directly affected by Iranian strikes. Qatar Airways flights severely disrupted. Operations intermittent. 

Total regional cancellations

Over 12,300 flights have been cancelled across seven major Middle East airports (DXB, DOH, AUH, SHJ, KWI, BAH, DWC). Hundreds of thousands of travelers remain stranded globally. 

⚠️ CRITICAL TRAVEL WARNING – The US State Department has urged all American citizens to “DEPART NOW” from 15 countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE, and Yemen. The UK has also issued urgent advisories. Air Canada has cancelled all flights to Israel and Dubai through March 22. Most major international carriers have suspended Gulf and Middle East services. 

Operational alternatives

Muscat (MCT) handled some diverted flights. Amman (AMM) remains intermittently operational. The Israeli Ministry of Tourism has begun operating shuttle buses to the Taba Border Crossing (Egypt) for those wishing to leave Israel overland. Cairo (CAR) remains functional, but Egypt is included in the US “DEPART NOW” advisory. Larnaca (LCA) in Cyprus is functioning as a key evacuation hub for the Eastern Mediterranean.

Q: What should travelers do if they are currently stranded? 

This is the most critical question for organizations with personnel in the region. With active missile and drone exchanges hitting civilian areas across all GCC nations, immediate action is required: 

• Comply with shelter-in-place orders. Where local authorities or embassies have issued shelter-in-place directives (e.g., Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; all of Israel), employees must comply. Do NOT attempt independent travel while shelter orders are active. 

• Register with home country embassies immediately. Enroll in the US STEP program, UK FCDO registration, or equivalent. The US Embassy in Amman, Jordan has already temporarily evacuated its own staff, indicating the severity of the threat. Embassy services across the region are degraded. 

• Activate corporate crisis protocols at the highest level. This is not a “monitor and wait” scenario. Notify Global Security, HR, Legal, and Executive Leadership. Conduct an immediate headcount of all personnel in the 15 countries named in the U.S. departure advisory. 

• Secure digital copies of all travel documents now. Explosions and infrastructure damage are reported across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Israel. The risk of physical document loss is real and present. Upload passport bio pages, visas, work permits, Emirates IDs/Iqamas, and emergency contacts to an encrypted cloud repository accessible from any device. 

• Do NOT attempt ad hoc border crossings or airport runs. Only proceed to airports if directly contacted by an airline with a confirmed departure. Border areas are high-risk. The U.S. Embassy has explicitly stated it cannot guarantee safety for those attempting overland evacuations. 

• Contact immigration counsel for status protection. Forced overstays will be a mass issue across the region. Document everything — screenshots of cancelled flights, closed portals, suspended embassy services — as evidence of force majeure for future immigration filings. 

⚠️ INSURANCE WARNING – Many standard travel insurance policies exclude coverage for losses arising from military action, war, and government-mandated airspace closures. Organizations should immediately review their corporate travel insurance and duty-of-care coverage to understand what is and is not covered for stranded employees. 

Q: Where can employees be safely “parked” or temporarily relocated if they need to leave a high-risk location? 

The traditional GCC “safe harbor” playbook has been fundamentally upended. Iranian strikes have hit all six GCC nations, meaning no Gulf state can be considered a reliably safe temporary destination. Organizations must look further afield:

Within the Region (Elevated Risk – Short-term Transit Only)

🇴🇲 Oman (Muscat)

Despite being struck by Iran, Muscat has functioned as a key flight diversion point. MCT airport has handled diverted Etihad flights. Visa-on-arrival available for many nationalities (up to 14 days). Use as a transit point for onward evacuation only, not as a parking destination.

🇯🇴 Jordan (Amman)

AMM is intermittently operational. The Israeli Ministry of Tourism is operating shuttle-to-Taba routes with onward bus connections, making Jordan a viable exit for Israel-based employees. However, the US Embassy in Amman has already temporarily evacuated its own staff. Visa-on-arrival for most Western passports. Use for short-term transit.

🇪🇬 Egypt (Cairo/Taba)

The Taba border crossing is operating 24 hours for Israel exit. Cairo airport remains functional. However, Egypt is included in the US “DEPART NOW” advisory. Use as a transit corridor, not a final destination.

Outside the Region (Recommended for Parking)

🇨🇾 Cyprus (Larnaca/Paphos)

Functioning as a key Eastern Mediterranean evacuation hub. Note: A British air base in Cyprus has been used for U.S. strikes on Iranian missile sites, which could make it a retaliatory target. Visa-free for EU nationals; Schengen-adjacent visa options for others.

🇮🇳 India (Mumbai/Delhi)

Multiple evacuation flights from AUH and DXB have already landed in Mumbai and Chennai. Large established expat infrastructure. eVisa available for most nationalities. Strong recommendation for UAE-based South Asian workforce parking.

🇹🇷 Turkey (Istanbul)

Outside the conflict zone, functioning airports, eVisa options for many nationalities, and remote-work-friendly infrastructure. Suitable for medium-term parking.

🇬🇷 Greece (Athens)

El Al has repositioned aircraft to Athens. Arkia is running shuttle flights Athens–Taba. Established evacuation corridor for Eastern Mediterranean.

🇬🇪 Georgia (Tbilisi)

Visa-free for many nationalities, low cost of living, established digital nomad infrastructure. Suitable for longer-term parking.

⚠️ CRITICAL PE & TAX WARNING – “Parking” employees in a third country for more than a short transit period (generally 15–30 days) may trigger permanent establishment risk, individual tax obligations, and local employment law requirements. In many jurisdictions, tax residency can be triggered in as few as 30 days or even upon the first day of work. Engage cross-border tax and legal counsel immediately before establishing any temporary work arrangements. Maintain employees on their home or origin country payroll to minimize destination-country obligations.

Q: Are land borders in the region safe and open for exit? 

Land border status is extremely fluid during active combat operations. Confirmed intelligence as of March 4: 

🇮🇱 Israel–🇪🇬 Egypt (Taba Crossing)

OPEN and operating 24 hours. This is currently the primary exit route from Israel. The Israeli Ministry of Tourism is running shuttle buses from meeting points across Israel (including Herzliya, Tel Aviv, Beersheba) to Taba. Egged buses are waiting on the Israeli side to transport arriving passengers. A visa fee applies for some nationalities entering Egypt. The US Embassy has stated it cannot make any recommendation for or against this route and cannot guarantee safety. 

🇮🇱 Israel–🇯🇴 Jordan (Yitzhak Rabin/Wadi Araba Crossing)

Reported open for passenger entry and exit until 20:00, vehicle crossing until 19:00. Passengers may take the Ministry of Tourism shuttle to Eilat and continue independently by taxi to this crossing. The Allenby/King Hussein Bridge status is less clear. 

🇦🇪 UAE–🇴🇲 Oman

For employees who may need to remain in Oman for more than 24 hours, they will be required to secure an online Oman entry visa in advance (unless they qualify for visa-free entry based on nationality or residency status). 

With respect to passport holders who are not eligible for visa on arrival in particular, an entry visa is typically required. These applications are submitted online through the Omani eVisa system. Note- Based on experience, applicants holding Managerial-level or senior titles generally have a higher likelihood of approval compared to junior or non-managerial designations.  

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia–🇦🇪 UAE

Expect enhanced security given strikes on both nations. Non-Saudi/non-UAE nationals will face additional scrutiny. 

🇮🇷 Iran land borders

All closed to civilian traffic. Iran is under active military bombardment. 

Maritime evacuation

Private yachts and boats are being used for Israel–Cyprus evacuations, as occurred during the June 2025 twelve-day war. The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed to all commercial shipping after IRGC threats and attacks on at least five tankers (one crew member killed). Maritime evacuation from the Gulf is not viable. 

Recommendation: Land evacuations during active multi-front combat carry genuine life-safety risk. Any overland movement should only be attempted under coordination with professional security/evacuation firms, with pre-confirmed border authorization and real-time security intelligence. Organizations should engage dedicated crisis evacuation providers (e.g., International SOS, Global Guardian, Crisis24) immediately if they have not already done so. 

Q: What are the risks of putting employees on destination payrolls to maintain employment continuity during an evacuation?

The scale of this evacuation — with hundreds of thousands stranded and entire corporate operations being relocated on an emergency basis — makes payroll continuity decisions unusually high-stakes: 

• Unauthorized employment: Placing an employee on a local payroll in a country where they do not hold a valid work permit constitutes unauthorized employment in virtually every jurisdiction. This exposes both the employer and employee to fines, deportation orders, and future visa ineligibility — consequences that will crystallize once the crisis subsides and enforcement resumes. 

• Social security activation: Local payroll enrollment in many jurisdictions automatically triggers mandatory social security contributions and employment benefit obligations under destination labor law. These obligations may survive the crisis period. 

Recommended approach: Maintain all employees on their home or origin country payroll. Use documented crisis leave, force majeure remote work policies, or salary continuation from the existing entity to preserve employment continuity. Any arrangement in a destination country should be framed and documented as temporary, crisis-driven, and explicitly not constituting local employment. 

Q: Do temporary work-from-home arrangements in neighboring countries require new work permits? 

Legally, yes in most cases. Practically, enforcement during active conflict may be de-prioritized, but organizations must plan for the post-crisis compliance reckoning: 

• General rule remains: Performing work within a country’s borders—even remotely for a foreign employer—subjects the individual to that country’s immigration and employment laws. Working on a tourist visa or visa-on-arrival is technically a violation in most jurisdictions. 

• Crisis discretion is not guaranteed: While some jurisdictions may exercise enforcement discretion during a declared emergency, this is not a compliance strategy. It is a hope. Do not rely on it. 

• Digital nomad and remote work visas: Where available (UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Turkey, Georgia, others), these may offer a fast-track option, but application timelines of 2–4 weeks are unrealistic during the current crisis. 

• Risk mitigation protocol: If employees must work from a third country: (a) limit duration to the minimum necessary, (b) document the arrangement as temporary and crisis-driven with clear start/end dates, (c) file for proper work authorization as soon as practicable, (d) engage local immigration counsel in the destination country immediately, and (e) maintain the employee on their origin-country payroll. Newland Chase Consulting can conduct a jurisdictional assessment to determine a remote work mitigation plan.  

⚠️ TAX & SOCIAL SECURITY ALERT – Even short-term remote work from a third country can trigger individual income tax obligations. In many jurisdictions, tax residency can be established in as few as 30 days. Social security totalization agreements may not cover crisis-driven relocations. Engage cross-border tax advisors immediately and in parallel with immigration counsel. The cost of proactive tax advice is a fraction of the potential exposure. 

Q: How do we handle potential document loss (passports/visas) during an emergency evacuation? 

With missiles and drones striking civilian areas across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Israel, the risk of physical document destruction is materially higher than in prior regional disruptions: 

• Immediate action for all organizations with regional operations: If you have not already done so, instruct ALL employees in the affected region to photograph or scan their passport bio page, visa pages, work permit, Emirates ID/Iqama, and any other immigration documents TODAY. Upload to an encrypted cloud repository (not local device storage, which is also at risk). 

• If documents are already lost: Report the loss to local police (where safe to do so) and obtain a police report. Contact the employee’s home country embassy or consulate to request an Emergency Travel Document (ETD) or Emergency Passport. Note: embassy services across the region are degraded — the US Embassy in Jerusalem has stated it cannot assist with evacuations; the US Embassy in Amman temporarily evacuated its own staff. 

• ETD limitations: Emergency Travel Documents are generally accepted for exit from the country of issuance but may NOT be accepted for entry into third countries. Confirm acceptance with destination immigration authorities before attempting travel. Israeli airlines are flying passengers to Taba (Egypt) where ETDs may be sufficient for the border crossing, but onward international travel may require a full replacement passport. 

• Visa and permit replacement: Lost work permits, residency visas, and Emirates IDs/Iqamas will need to be reissued by the sponsoring country’s immigration authority once operations normalize. The employer/sponsor is responsible for initiating this process in most GCC jurisdictions. Pre-crisis digital copies will dramatically accelerate replacement processing. 

Recommendation: Treat document preservation as an active crisis management task, not an administrative afterthought. Assign a specific team member to verify that digital backups exist for every employee in the region within the next 24 hours. 

Q: What are the risks of using “border runs” to renew visas at this time? 

⚠️ ABSOLUTE PROHIBITION – Under no circumstances should any employee attempt a border run during this conflict. This guidance is unconditional and non-negotiable. 

The risks are now existential, not merely administrative: 

• Life-safety risk: Active missile and drone exchanges are occurring across the entire region. Iranian strikes have hit civilian infrastructure, airports, and hotels in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman. Traveling to border areas during active combat operations poses genuine risk of death or serious injury. 

• Border closure without warning: Borders across the region are closing and reopening with little or no notice. An employee mid-border-run could be caught in a closed zone between two countries, with no legal status in either and no way to move in any direction. 

• Re-entry denial: Immigration authorities under wartime security protocols have absolute discretion to deny re-entry. A denied re-entry during a crisis creates a cascading compliance nightmare — potential overstay in the transit country, loss of residency status in the origin country, and no clear path to resolution while government offices are closed. 

• Post-crisis enforcement: Border run patterns are already flagged by GCC immigration systems. Movement during an active conflict will be recorded and may trigger future blacklisting, enhanced screening, or travel bans when normal operations resume. 

Q: How do we ensure compliance with immigration authorities that may have limited staff or closures? 

The compliance landscape during a multi-front armed conflict requires a fundamentally different approach than routine crisis management: 

• Accept that perfect compliance may be impossible — and document why. The legal doctrine of force majeure (impossibility of performance due to extraordinary circumstances) will be central to post-crisis compliance defense. Your documentation today IS your compliance strategy tomorrow. Build the evidence file now. 

• Attempt all filings, even when futile. Log into every government portal. Attempt every submission. Screenshot every error message, “system offline” notification, and timeout. Email immigration authorities even if no response is expected. This demonstrates intent to comply. 

• Monitor official emergency channels in real time. Government decrees, amnesty announcements, and procedural changes may be published on ministry social media accounts, government gazette websites, or through WAM (UAE), SPA (Saudi), or QNA (Qatar) state news agencies before they appear on official portals. 

• Engage in-country legal counsel as your primary conduit. Local representatives who maintain relationships with government officials are invaluable during crisis — they can access emergency processing channels and provide real-time intelligence on which offices are operational. 

• Build a centralized crisis compliance dashboard. Create an internal tracker covering every employee in the affected region with: name, nationality, location, immigration status, visa expiry date, pending applications, document backup status, evacuation priority, and compliance risk level. Update minimum twice daily during active operations. 

Q: Are there specific nationalities currently facing additional scrutiny? 

The geopolitical dynamics of this conflict mean that nationality-based risk is elevated and unpredictable. Organizations should assume enhanced scrutiny for the following groups and plan accordingly: 

🇮🇷 Iranian nationals

Face the highest risk of any nationality group. With Iran under active military bombardment and Iranian forces striking all GCC nations, Iranian passport holders may face enhanced screening, detention for questioning, travel restrictions, or outright refusal of entry across the Gulf and in Western nations. Dual nationals should exercise extreme caution and travel on the passport providing the most favorable entry conditions. Consular protection from Iranian missions is unavailable. 

🇮🇱 Israeli passport holders

Already face entry restrictions in most Middle Eastern countries. With Israel conducting active military operations alongside the US, enforcement of these restrictions will intensify. The approximately 100,000 Israelis stranded abroad should avoid transit through any country that does not recognize Israeli passports. Dual nationals should travel on their alternative passport. 

🇺🇸 US nationals

Given that the US is a direct belligerent in this conflict, American citizens face elevated risk across the region. The US State Department’s “DEPART NOW” advisory for 15 countries is unprecedented in scope. The stated Iranian justification for striking Gulf states is the presence of US military assets — proximity to American facilities or personnel increases risk. US dual nationals should carefully consider which passport to present. 

Nationals of countries with perceived alignment

Citizens of nations seen as supporting either side may face additional security screening at airports and borders. The UK’s permission for US forces to use its Cyprus base for strikes on Iran may affect British nationals’ risk profile in the region. 

Stateless persons and refugee travel document holders

Face the greatest vulnerability. Fewest consular protections, most limited alternative travel document options, and highest risk of falling through evacuation gaps. Organizations employing such individuals should provide priority evacuation support. 

Immediate action: Conduct an emergency audit of your affected workforce by nationality within the next 24 hours. Identify individuals facing elevated risk due to nationality, dual citizenship, or travel document limitations. Provide these employees with priority evacuation support, document backup assistance, and direct access to immigration counsel.