Five major UAE updates residents need to know for April 2026

Dubai: April arrives with a slate of changes that affect daily life across the UAE. Schools remain on distance learning, banking authentication is getting an overhaul, and a visa grace period that helped thousands of stranded residents return home has come to an end.

Whether you are a parent, a frequent traveller, or an Indian national managing financial ties back home, here is a look at five updates worth knowing as the new month begins.

1. Schools extend distance learning until April 17

The UAE has extended distance learning until Friday, April 17, 2026, for students, teachers, and administrative staff across all nurseries, kindergartens, and public and private schools nationwide.

The Ministry of Education made the announcement on Monday, citing the safety and wellbeing of everyone as the primary reason for the extension. The situation will be reviewed on a weekly basis, the ministry said, signalling that the 17 April date could be revised depending on developments.

The extension builds on a period of sustained remote learning that began on 2 March and was further extended at the start of Term 3 on 23 March, after the spring break was brought forward by a week due to regional tensions. Schools had rapidly adapted during the break to prepare for the online restart, with students and some faculty members logging on from different time zones and countries. The previous announcement had set distance learning to continue until April 3, with authorities expected to review the situation and make a further announcement.

2. Banks to end SMS OTPs for good

Since 2025, most banks in the UAE have been shifting away from SMS OTPs, following an announcement by the UAE's Central Bank. Under new guidelines, all banks must transition customers to app-based authentication for both domestic and international financial transactions. The majority of UAE banks are now conducting app-based verification, with a complete discontinuation of SMS and email OTPs having been mandated by March 2026.

The reason for this shift is safer banking. Traditional authentication methods such as SMS and email OTPs are susceptible to interception and fraud, attackers can hijack mobile numbers through SIM swapping, or trick users via phishing to obtain OTPs, making it straightforward to bypass these security measures. In-app push notifications and biometric authentication are safer alternatives because they eliminate dependence on the mobile network or email. In-app verification requires customers to approve transactions directly within their bank's official mobile app, often using fingerprints, facial recognition, or device-based authorisation.

3. Grace period for expired residency holders to return ends March 31

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) has confirmed that a special grace period allowing residents with expired visas to return to the country will end on Tuesday, March 31. Once the deadline has passed, normal entry procedures will resume, including the requirement to obtain a new entry visa.

The initiative was introduced to facilitate the return of residents who were stranded abroad after their residency permits expired, due to regional disruptions and airspace closures that prevented them from travelling back to the UAE. Under the scheme, eligible residents were permitted to re-enter the country without the need to obtain a new entry visa, a measure that applied to those whose residency expired while they were outside the UAE, particularly from February 28 onwards, when travel disruptions intensified.

4.  Dubai Miracle Garden offers Dh30 tickets for UAE residents

Residents can visit Dubai Miracle Garden for Dh30 until the end of its current season, with free entry also available for children aged 12 and under. The attraction has introduced a special resident rate of Dh30 (inclusive of VAT), valid from April 1 until May 31, marking the final weeks of Season 14. Visitors will need to present a valid physical Emirates ID at the gate to access the discounted rate.

The move follows a complimentary access programme rolled out during the second half of March, when UAE residents were allowed free entry as part of a community initiative during the holy month of Ramadan. According to the garden's operator, the initiative drew tens of thousands of visitors.

5. Aadhaar alone no longer sufficient for PAN card applications in India

Indian nationals living in the UAE who plan to apply for a new Permanent Account Number (PAN) card or update an existing one will face stricter documentation requirements from April 1, 2026. The changes are part of updates to India's income tax rules aimed at tightening identity verification and reducing mismatches.

Until 31 March, applicants could still use the simplified Aadhaar-only route. After that, Aadhaar alone will no longer be sufficient for PAN applications or updates, requiring additional supporting documents. From 1 April 2026, applicants must submit additional identity and date-of-birth documents alongside Aadhaar, these may include a passport, voter ID, birth certificate, driving licence, or other government-issued proof.

For UAE-based NRIs, this change is particularly relevant. Many rely on passport-based applications or Aadhaar-linked processes when managing tax or financial compliance in India.