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Updated March 2024
As one of the world’s most visited cities, international tourists from over 70 countries may now visit Dubai without requiring a pre-arranged visa. However, those not eligible for visas on arrival would first need to obtain a tourist visa prior to making their way to Dubai and the UAE in general.
Here’s all you need to know about the Dubai/UAE tourist visa; its requirements, validity period, fees, and extensibility.
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Dubai & UAE tourist visa on arrival
Passengers travelling to the UAE from these countries can receive their visas on arrival at the immigration counter. These visas on arrival can have a stay period of 30, 90, or 180 days, depending on the country you’re arriving from.
Indian nationals who hold a USA visa, USA Green Card, UK Residence, or EU Residence are allowed a visa on arrival for a 14-day stay that can be extended for another 14 days.
If you are not on the list of countries available for the visa-on-arrival scheme, you will require a pre-arranged tourist visa to enter the UAE.
In principle, the tourist visa is obtainable by eligible tourists from around the world. However, as per the UAE’s official government portal, there are some specific rules in place for travelling with infants and children.
Dubai & UAE multiple-entry tourist visa
As a part of the UAE’s new visa scheme, a new multi-entry tourist visa has been introduced, which can now be issued for all nationalities, in a step that aims to facilitate the process for tourists and visitors.
Dubai’s tourism body is working with authorities to roll out the five-year multiple-entry tourist visa on a much bigger scale to attract more tourists. Currently, the visa is being rolled out softly. Initiatives are being taken to roll out more visas and make applications accessible via the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing digital platform.
Dubai & UAE tourist visa validity
The UAE has resumed issuing a 60-day tourist visa. This means all visit visas will now be valid for 60 days from their date of issuance. This initiative is part of the new rules for the UAE Visa. For more information on the topic, we suggest you peruse our dedicated article on the topic.
Moreover, the multi-entry tourist visa enables tourists to enter the country multiple times for self-sponsorship and remain in the country for 90 days on each visit, which can be extended for another 90 days.
Please note that all UAE visit visa holders must enter the country within the specified time frame after the issuance of their visas. If they fail to do so until the expiry date, they are required to either cancel their visit visa or extend the entry period.
Dubai & UAE tourist visa extension
All forms of visit and tourist visas can be renewed for another 30 days once they have been applied for and approved by the competent authority. Before the initial renewal expires, visitors and tourists can apply for a second renewal. Please keep in mind that this regulation does not apply to 90-day visit visa holders since they are only allowed to request a 30-day visa extension once.
The cost of each renewal is as follows:
- AED 610 for an extension of 30 days (Request fee 100AED, Issuance fee 500 AED, E-Services Fee 10 AED)
- for a visa extension from Dubai, you have to pay a visa extension fee of AED 600 in addition to the value-added tax (5%).
However, the new rule for an extension does not apply to the following categories:
- visitors and tourists who are residents of GCC countries
- residents accompanying GCC nationals
- visitors on special entry permits
- visitors on 96-hour permits for special missions
Additionally, it is now possible to renew a family or friend’s visit visa for single and multiple entries for periods of 30, 60, and 90 days in the individual’s account.
You can initiate the visa renewal from the UAE ICP portal, or the GDRFA portal if you are in Dubai.
If you’re looking to find budget-friendly ways on how you can extend your Dubai & UAE visit visa, please consult our article below.
Dubai & UAE tourist visa grace period
Dubai has now scrapped the previous 10-day grace period, which was granted to visitors whose tourist visas to the UAE had expired.
As per the latest announcement, visa overstayers will also need to obtain a Dubai/UAE outpass on top of the overstay fine. The out pass is essentially an exit permit allowing holders to leave the UAE, which costs up to AED 300.
Overstayers will also have to pay the overstay fines, levied at AED 50 per day of overstay.
Dubai & UAE tourist visa required documents
Generally, the required documents are as follows:
- 6×6 cm photograph in colour (minimum of 600×600 pixels) with a white background (at least 80 percent of your face must be visible)
- a colour copy of your passport showing your full name, nationality, date and place of birth, passport number, date of issue and expiry, name of father/legal guardian, and the name of your mother
- valid passport with at least six months validity at the time of travel
- a copy of the flight ticket of your preferred airline
- for nationals of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and Pakistan, a national ID is also required
Please note that depending on the airline, minors and children under the age of 18 may be required to present additional documents such as birth certificates and photo IDs of parents.
Dubai & UAE tourist visa application process
It is both easy and convenient to apply for your tourist visa online.
The UAE tourist visas are not directly issued to travellers. To obtain one, you would need to apply through the approved airlines, hotels, travel agencies or tour operators.
Through airlines
The requirements and conditions set by an approved airline may vary slightly. One such requirement is naturally for you to be flying with them to your destination. Prices may also vary and are subject to change, so it’s best to check with your airline of choice for the latest prices and requirements. The following are some of the approved airlines.
- Emirates Airline visa services
- Etihad Airways visa services
- Fly Dubai visa services
- Air Arabia visa services
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Through travel agencies and hotels
You can also opt to allow your travel agents or your hotel of choice to apply for a tourist visa on your behalf. Note that you would need to ensure that the travel agency or hotel is licensed and authorized by the relevant UAE authorities before providing them with payment or any documents.
You can verify the authenticity of a travel agency or hotel by consulting the UAE embassy in your country. You can find the UAE embassies or missions in your country here.
You can check the status of your visa application from the website of the airline, hotel, or agency you applied through.
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Dubai & UAE tourist visa processing time
Under normal circumstances, your tourist visa will be issued within 3-5 business days after you complete the application process.
Dubai & UAE tourist visa prices
The prices and charges of a Dubai tourist visa depend on the visa you are applying for.
But to give you an idea, Emirates Airlines currently charges AED 330 for a short-term single-entry visa and AED 650 for a long-term single-entry tourist visa. Etihad currently charges AED 450 for a short-term single-entry visa and AED 750 for a long-term single-entry tourist visa. Check the complete price details on the respective Emirates and Etihad sites.
As confirmed by a customer care agent at the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP), the prices for all types of UAE and Dubai visas, including 30 and 60-day tourist visas, have now increased by AED 100. The fee for the one-month visit visa issued by the ICA, for example, has gone up from AED 270 to AED 370.
