Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum Dubai Visa

General Information

* There are basically two types of visas for visitors to Dubai: transit and visit visas.
* Nationals of "Israel" may not enter the U.A.E.
* A penalty charge is imposed on visitors who overstay.
* Airlines may require confirmation that the sponsor is holding a valid visa for the incoming visitor.

AGCC Citizens

Citizens of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council member states do not need a visa.

UK Citizens

UK citizens with the right of abode in United Kingdom do not need to obtain a visa in advance. On entry, they will be given a special free of charge visit visa enabling them to stay for 30 days. This visa may be renewed twice, each time for a period 30 days, up to a total of 100 days including a 10 day grace period. A fee of Dhs 500 is charged for each renewal. Renewal requires a sponsor.

The facility offered to UK citizens is presently under review.

AGCC Residents

AGCC expatriates residents who meet certain conditions may obtain a non-renewable 30 day visa upon arrival at the approved ports of entry.

German Citizens

German citizens (tourists and businessmen) may apply to the UAE embassies for a one or two year multiple entry visa. No sponsor is required. The maximum duration of stay of visa holders should not exceed 3 months per year. The visa fee is Dhs 1,500.

US Citizens

US citizens (tourists and businessmen) may apply to the UAE embassies for a one to ten year multiple entry visa. A sponsor is required and the visa will be granted free of charge. The maximum duration of stay should not exceed 6 months per visit.

Hong Kong Citizens

Holders of the Hong Kong Certificates of Identity - the 44 page and 92 page Certificates - can obtain transit and visit visas.

Transit Visas

A transit Visa applies to businessmen and tourists. It requires the sponsorship of companies or hotels licensed to operate within the UAE. This visa is valid for use within one month from the date of issue.

The duration of stay is 14 days from date of entry, exclusive of arrival and departure days. It is non-renewable.

In order to complete the application, the sponsor will require the visitor's date of arrival and flight details, and a photocopy of the first few pages of the visitor's passport which should be valid for at least three months. There is a fee of Dhs 220 for obtaining a Transit Visa. Hotels in Dubai charge approximately Dhs 270 - 300 (US$ 75 - 85) per visa in order to cover the services for obtaining a visa for their guest.

The Transit Visa holder may enter and depart the U.A.E through any airport.

Visit Visas

The Visit Visa applies to tourists who wish to spend more than 14 days in Dubai, those coming for family visits as well as those on long term business visits.

It requires the sponsorship of any U.A.E. resident or any company or hotel licensed to operate within the U.A.E.

This visa is valid for entry within two months from its date of issue.

The duration of stay is 30 days from the date of entry, and may be renewed twice, each time for 30 days, up to a total of 100 days including a grace period of 10 days. A fee of Dhs 500 is charged for each renewal. A visit visa further entitles its holder to change his status to that of residence or employment provided certain conditions are met.

In order to complete the application, the sponsor will require the visitor's date of arrival and arrival details and a photocopy of the first few pages of the visitor's passport which should be valid for at least three months. There is a fee of Dhs 100 for obtaining a visit visa. Hotels in Dubai rarely sponsor their guests on Visit Visas and if they do, they charge approximately Dhs 270 - 400 (US$ 75 - 110) per visa in order to cover the services for obtaining a visa.

The Visit Visa holder may enter and leave the country through any port of entry in the U.A.E.

A special category of visas under the Visit Visa type is a "Tourist" Visa, which can be obtained for individual tourists from: East and West Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong citizens, South Africa, Singapore and China. The "Tourist" Visa entitles its holder to a 30 day stay. It is non-renewable and has no grace period. The "Tourist" Visa requires the sponsorship of hotels and tour operators who bring in visitors from the above listed countries. The fee is Dhs 100. Hotels in Dubai charge approximately Dhs 270 - 300 (US$ 75 - 85) per visa in order to cover related administrative and other costs. The "Tourist" Visa will be issued by the Central Administration in future.

Transfer visa

This is a special type of visa which applies to passengers passing through UAE airports. The passenger can obtain a visa for upto 96 hours by leaving his/her passport with the immigration authorities. The visa is only valid if the passenger is travelling onwards from Dubai to another destination and not returning to the country of original departure. There is no fee for this type of visa which can be sponsored by any airline operating in the UAE.

Multiple-Entry Visas

Multiple-entry visas are availed to business visitors who have a relationship with either a multinational or other reputable local establishments, and who are frequent visitors to the UAE. This type of visa is valid for six months from the date of issue and the duration of each stay is 30 days. The validity is non-renewable. The cost of this visa is Dh 1,000. The visitor must enter the UAE on a visit visa and obtain the multiple entry visa while in the country. The visa would be stamped on the passport.

hey liban,

its me again - you said the rules for UK citizens is under review - do you know if this is likely to make visit visas easier or harder to obtain?

also - the visa on arrival for UK citizens - is this available only once or could the person leave the country and then get another visa stamped on entry? is it right that the visa on arrival will not require a sponsor?

the issue is that i dont think i will be able to sponsor my partner as we are not married or related.

cheers

On re-entry you can get your visa stamped so thats no issue and if you didn't require a sponsor the first time you enter then you will not require one on re-entry.

I believe they will be making it easier for UK residents due to the demand for real estate.

Cheers,

D

Smartd is right on both counts

You know, its only getting easier for UK citizens. I heard somewhere that they want to abolish visas for UK citizens from the island, but I could be mistaken.

Check out the Ministry of the Interior website posted in another of my stickies, its helpful but sorta slow loading (kinda like most gov websites I have visited).

Hey Liban, you seem to be very well informed.

Am from Australia, and the only way I could work out to stay was to get a 30 day visa and pay the money to extend to 60 days, then leave the country, come back and do this over again till i get a job and appropriate residency visa.

Does the Visit visa apply to me, ie; can i get my boyfriend to sponsor me, or would he have to run it through his employer?

cheers
Emily

visit visa's for Brits is now 60 days.

I have a 2 part question about entry visa (I know Liban we talk about it not long ago, but still have some ).

Let say, I decide to go to Dubai for a 60 days period, what would happen if;

1) I decide to stay longer? What do I have to do?

2) I decide to go back to Montreal erlier (say after 40 days or so)? What do I have to do?

Thank's guys for helping.
C-Ya later.

1/ leave the country and return or face a daily fine

2/ Nothing, you just leave

Duam wrote:I have a 2 part question about entry visa (I know Liban we talk about it not long ago, but still have some ).

Let say, I decide to go to Dubai for a 60 days period, what would happen if;

1) I decide to stay longer? What do I have to do?

2) I decide to go back to Montreal erlier (say after 40 days or so)? What do I have to do?

Thank's guys for helping.
C-Ya later.

1) You can either do a visa run across the border into Oman and back or a round trip to Qatar (2-3 hours in all).... OR pay 500 AED and renew your tourist visa for an extra 30 days... I prefer option one

2) Just leave. They stamp your passport in the airport.

When you come here, you will have my mobile, I will help you the most I can with any problem or issue you may have my friend

I knew from the start, YOU'R THE MAN LIBAN.
I'am looking at around feb. 28th for a probable arrival to Dubai, for now.
I'll keep you informe with my plans, that's a sure thing.

By the way Liban, I just hope the 2-3 hours run across the border to Oman, won't be in th afternoon, barefoot in the hot desert sand....lol
I would have to borrow your flip-flops and maybe a pair of white socks...picture me for a sec.......

I would not make it alive, I would get lost........

Later man.

LOL

You'll love Dubai bro

jst curious. whats with the "israelis" or persons with isreal stamped on their passport might not be allowed entry?? UAE hates Israel that much? why? I don't recall that subject being discussed during my school days. or maybe I was MIA.

You haven't heard of the Israel-Palestine conflict that has been going on for decades? You didn't just miss a school unit on that, you missed the daily newspapers and history shows made over the past decades.

To echo what everyone else said there is a wee bit of conflict between arab countries and Israel (understatement) but you can actually come into the UAE with an Israel stamp in your passport, this was changed a while back to facilitate trade with the US.

meet our version of a modern day blonde bimbo...i hope ur cute..coz ur gonna need it honey...and by the way vanilla...ur going to have less of your excitement when it sinks in. reality check...

given your penchant for great questions, your wide and intimidating knowlege of the arab world, i think ur a good candidate for a rape case soon...

Hi,
Pls i will like to know which hotels can help with a visit visa to dubai.I want to come to dubai and i cant seem to get help for the visa.pls can someone help with this?

I'm new here in dubai, just wanted to ask how many days it will take to process your working visa.....what are the things needed to get the working visa?...do you need to give your original passport to the company? thanks

Ihnnie
+917502855964

I am going there in june using a visit visa hoping i can apply for a job... do you think i can easily get a job in 2 months? what are my chances? i have a college degree and my last job was a sales managerial position... whaddyathink?

how do i apply for a working or visit visa?

I want to know about the driving license. I have my canadian driving license and here (in Canada) they told me that my canadian license will be only valid for a tourist visit in Dubai or anywhere around the world and it will be only valid if i m living in an hotel. And i will need to prove that when i get in Dubai for me to be able to drive a car. I want to work there and live there, but how can i use a tourist license to drive in Dubai. Here they told me i can not get an international license. All i will get is a tourist driving license.

I mean HELP, i need your advise.

norma wrote:I want to know about the driving license. I have my canadian driving license and here (in Canada) they told me that my canadian license will be only valid for a tourist visit in Dubai or anywhere around the world and it will be only valid if i m living in an hotel. And i will need to prove that when i get in Dubai for me to be able to drive a car. I want to work there and live there, but how can i use a tourist license to drive in Dubai. Here they told me i cannont get an international license. All i will get is a tourist driving license.

I mean HELP, i need your advise.

If you come here and get a residency you can just exchange your canadian license for a UAE one. If you are coming on a visit then get an international license and you can drive here fine. Its not big deal norma, takes a few hours to get the license.

my friend from india wants to come to dubai to meet me...she turned 18 5 months back...shes coming alone...is it easy for me to remove visit visa for her or it will get rejected???i mean what are the odds like...

let her fly emirates and get the visa through them

Hi,
Just a few questions.
My boyfriend is a french national and is coming to dubai to seek for a job. So are the visa regulations for him? do i have to sponser him?

He just shows up at the airport and gets a visit visa on arrival valid for 60 days.

Liban wrote:He just shows up at the airport and gets a visit visa on arrival valid for 60 days.

Thank Liban,
so izzit true that untill he gets a work visa, he will have to do a visa run everytime his visit visa is expiring or he has to fly back to france and back again to renew it?

Many thanks in advance

Just a simple visa run to the Oman border and back. Should cost him 300 AED in all including a lunch at the Hatta Fort Hotel...

Hello i'm algerian and i want to go in dubai in august what is the consullary formality ? sorry for my english

Intifadingue wrote:Hello i'm algerian and i want to go in dubai in august what is the consullary formality ? sorry for my english

You can simply get it through Emirates airlines if you fly them here, or through the hotel you will be staying at. You need a person/organization to sponsor you.

When a company offers you a job in the UAE, do they give you a work permit or a residency visa ??

or are the two the same ?

a residency visa allows you to stay in the country – this done through the process of sponsorship
i.e. an employer (registered company) can sponsor an employee, an employee can sponsor his spouse (subject to regulations) etc..

a work permit entitles you to work in the country - this is done in the name of the company who employs you (again subject to conditions)

having residency does not automatically make you eligible for a work permit, although issuing of a work permit is dependant on having residency (either through the company or on under your spouses sponsorship)