What is Dubai & UAE Tourist Visa?

Visa on arrival

Passengers traveling 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 tourist or residence visas from the U.S. or the UK are allowed a visa on arrival for a 14-day stay that can be extended for another 14 days. An option of a non-extendable 60-day stay is also available.

If your country is 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.

Multiple-entry tourist visa

As a part of the UAE’s new visa scheme, a 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.

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.

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Required documents

Generally, the required documents are as follows:

6×6 cm photograph in color (minimum of 600×600 pixels) with a white background (at least 80 percent of your face must be visible)
A color 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 parents’ photo IDs.

Application process

It is both easy and convenient to apply for your tourist visa online.

The UAE tourist visas are not directly issued to travelers. 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.

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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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Processing time and prices

A tourist visa is issued approximately within 3-5 business days after you complete the application process. The prices and charges of a Dubai tourist visa depend on the visa you are applying for. Here are the details for both single-entry and multiple-entry tourist visas:

Single-Entry Tourist Visas

A 30-day single-entry tourist visa costs AED 200, while a 60-day visa is AED 300. Both are subject to a 5% Value Added Tax (VAT).
Additional fees for sponsored individuals within the UAE include the Knowledge Dirham and Innovation Dirham, each costing AED 10 in Dubai only. There is also an inside UAE processing fee of AED 500.
You can obtain a single-entry tourist visa through various airlines, with prices varying by provider:
- Etihad Airways: The 30-day tourist visa costs AED 510, on the other hand the 60-day tourist visa costs AED 830.
- Emirates: The 30-day tourist visa costs USD 90, on the other hand the 60-day tourist visa costs USD 177.

Multiple-Entry Tourist Visas

A 30-day multiple-entry tourist visa is priced at AED 300, and a 60-day visa is AED 500. These fees are also subject to a 5% VAT.
For individuals sponsored within the UAE, additional charges include AED 10 each for the Knowledge Dirham and Innovation Dirham in Dubai only, and a processing fee of AED 500.
You can obtain a multiple-entry tourist visa through various airlines, with prices varying by provider:
- Etihad Airways: The 30-day tourist visa costs AED 610, on the other hand the 60-day tourist visa costs AED 1560.
- Emirates: The 30-day tourist visa costs USD 136, on the other hand the 60-day tourist visa costs USD 231.

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.