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Reviewed February 2025
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Who needs to apply for the Dubai & UAE transit visa?
Travelers to Dubai who are not from one of the nationalities eligible for the UAE visa on arrival or a visa-free entry to the UAE need to apply for a Dubai transit visa, provided their onward flight from Dubai is in the next 48 hours or 96 hours.
Citizens of the countries below are not allowed to apply for the transit visa:
- Somalia
- Afghanistan
- Iraq
- Niger
- Yemen
A 30 and 90-day visa on arrival is available for citizens of select countries.
Citizens of GCC countries can enter the UAE visa-free. They also do not need other types of permits or sponsorships from a national or resident of the UAE.
Please note that the Dubai transit visa is sponsored only by UAE-based airlines and must be processed and approved before entering the UAE. Both types of transit visas, 48-hour and 96-hour transit visas, are nonextendable.
Dubai & UAE transit visa 48 hours
Eligible applicants need to apply for the 48-hour transit visa in advance through a UAE-based airline. The visa is non-expandable and non-renewable. Once a 48-hour visa is issued, it cannot be extended to 96 hours.
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Furthermore, the validity of the transit visa is 48 hours from the date of entry into the UAE, and travellers holding the visa must leave the UAE within 48 hours from arrival.
To get a 48 hours transit visa, you must have the following documents:
- A passport or travel document with a minimum validity of three (3) months
- A photo of self against a white background
- An onward ticket booking to a third destination, other than the one you are coming from
Dubai & UAE transit visa 96 hours
Eligible passengers need to apply for the visa in advance through a UAE-based airline. The visa is not extendable nor renewable.
Furthermore, the validity of the transit visa is 96 hours from entry into the UAE, and you must leave the UAE within 96 hours from arrival.
To get a 96 hours transit visa, you must have the following documents:
- A passport or travel document with a minimum validity of six (6) months
- A photo of self against a white background
- An onward ticket booking to a third destination other than the one you are coming from
How to apply for a Dubai transit visa?
Transit visas are obtained by the UAE-based airline you are traveling with. The airline typically arranges your transit visa prior to your journey. If your trip is organized by a travel agency, the travel agent will arrange for your transit visa to be issued.
Airline agents can apply online for the Dubai transit visas through one of the following means:
- The eChannels portal
- The ICA UAE channels app for Apple and Android
- Online channels offered by the relevant General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in each emirate
Dubai transit visa status check
You can track the status of your Dubai transit visa application from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) website.
To track your visa application, follow the steps given below:
- Visit the link smart.gdrfad.gov.ae
- Enter your visa ‘Application Number’ and ‘Reference/Transaction Number’. When you submit your visa application to any visa service provider, ask them to give you the application number and reference number so you can track the visa yourself.
- Enter your visa ‘Payment Date’.
- Tick the Captcha box, and click on ‘Submit’.
You will now be able to check the status of your Dubai transit visa application.
Dubai transit visa price
The cost for a 96-hour transit visa is AED 50, while the 48-hour transit visa is offered at no cost.
No fees or additional amounts can be imposed by any federal, local, or private entity. However, a departure fee of AED 30 (USD 8.17) is levied on each passenger passing through the UAE’s airports.
