The UAE will open an Electronic Visa Center in Beirut in October 2026, letting Lebanese applicants finish UAE visa paperwork at home.
You still need a UAE sponsor, and no address, opening day or booking system is public yet.
Which UAE visa you need
Book with a UAE hotel, travel agent or airline, and they apply for the visa for you.
Who appliesA licensed UAE hotel, travel agent or airlineHow long you can stay30 or 60 days, one entryCost (Dubai)AED 200 for 30 days or AED 300 for 60 days, plus 5% VATHow long it takesAbout 48 hoursWhat you needPassport valid for 6+ months, one photo, a passport copy, a return ticket and UAE medical insuranceGood to know
These are GDRFA Dubai prices. If your trip is to Abu Dhabi or another emirate, the visa goes through ICP instead, so ask whoever applies for you for the exact price.
Your relative or friend who lives in the UAE applies for the visa for you.
Who appliesA UAE citizen or resident you knowHow long you can stay30, 60 or 90 daysCost (Dubai)AED 200, 300 or 400 by length of stay, plus 5% VAT, a AED 1,000 security deposit and AED 40 to 90 medical insuranceHow long it takesAbout 48 hoursWhat you needTwo photos, a passport copy (valid for 6+ months) and proof of your relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificateYour host’s minimum salaryAED 4,000 a month for parents, spouse or children; AED 8,000 for siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts or cousins; AED 15,000 for friendsGood to know
Your host also sends their salary certificate or employment contract. The salary rules come from ICP; the Dubai prices and papers come from GDRFA Dubai.
Your UAE employer applies for the visa. You do the in-person steps at the Beirut center.
Who appliesYour UAE employerWhat you do in BeirutA personal interview, fingerprints, an iris scan and a face photoWhat you needPassport, medical reports and a certificate of good conductCost and timingNot published for the Beirut center yetGood to know
The UAE government portal says the employer must apply. Order your certificate of good conduct early, since it is one of the papers the center will check, according to ICP.
ICP lists study and medical-treatment visas among the services at the Beirut center.
Who appliesNot published yet; ask your UAE university or hospitalWhat you do in BeirutFingerprints, an iris scan and a face photoWhat you needPassport, plus medical reports for treatment visasCost and timingNot published yetGood to know
Ask the university or hospital how it files your visa, and whether it will send you to the Beirut center once it opens.
Every one of these visas starts with a sponsor in the UAE, and that does not change when the Beirut center opens. What changes is where you do the in-person steps: document checks, fingerprints and, for jobs, the interview.
What the Beirut center will handle
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the opening on 28 September 2026 but gave no details on services. Those come from an earlier ICP announcement in February 2026, which said the center would open “in the near future”.
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Visa types | Visit, medical treatment, study and work |
| Document checks | Passports, medical reports and certificates of good conduct |
| Biometrics | Ten fingerprints, iris scan and face photo |
| Interviews | For work visa applicants |
| Still unknown | Exact opening day, address, hours, fees and how to book |
- Watch out for fake appointments: no booking channel has been announced, so anyone selling a slot at the center before the UAE publishes one is not an official source.
- Part of a wider network: ICP says the UAE already runs 18 visa centers like this abroad, and the Beirut one is part of its plan to update that network.
- Travel is opening up both ways: Emiratis have been allowed to travel to Lebanon again since May 2025, as our guide on UAE citizens traveling to Lebanon explains.
Official contacts
- ICP call center: +971 600 522222 from Lebanon, or 600 522222 inside the UAE, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. UAE time, per the ICP contact page.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs hotline: 800 44444, the number given in the Beirut announcement. It is a UAE toll-free line, so it suits a sponsor calling from the UAE.
- Applying online: sponsors outside Dubai use ICP smart services; Dubai sponsors use GDRFA Dubai’s website or app.
Once your visa is approved, compare fares from Beirut to Dubai and check hotels in Dubai.
Questions
When does the UAE visa center in Beirut open?
In October 2026, according to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The exact day, address and opening hours have not been published yet.
Can Lebanese citizens get a UAE visa on arrival?
Plan on getting your visa before you fly. Visa on arrival is limited to the nationalities on the UAE’s official list, so check the UAE government portal before relying on it, and expect your airline to check your visa at check-in.
How much is a Dubai tourist visa for Lebanese travelers?
GDRFA Dubai charges AED 200 for 30 days or AED 300 for 60 days, plus 5% VAT.
Do I still need a sponsor if I apply at the Beirut center?
Yes, as far as anyone knows today. Neither announcement changes the rule that a UAE company, employer, relative or friend sponsors your visa. The center handles document checks, biometrics and interviews locally.
Can Emiratis travel to Lebanon now?
Yes. The UAE lifted its ban on citizens traveling to Lebanon from 7 May 2025, on condition that they register with the Twajudi service first, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
Sources
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Electronic Visa Center to open in Lebanon next month, 28 September 2026, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ICP, Electronic Visa Center in Lebanon, 3 February 2026, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- GDRFA Dubai, Issuance of a single-entry tourist visa, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- GDRFA Dubai, Visit visa for a relative or friend, single entry, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ICP, New visit visa categories and updated conditions, 29 September 2025, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- UAE government portal, Check if you need a visa to enter the UAE, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- UAE government portal, Tourist visa, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- UAE government portal, Residence visa for working in the UAE, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ICP smart services, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ICP, Contact us, retrieved 29 September 2026.
- UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Travel to Lebanon permitted from 7 May 2025, 4 May 2025, retrieved 29 September 2026.
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
