United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates — entry & visa requirements
Most visitors need a visa before flying, though Our official archive does not list which nationalities are exempt. Apply online through ICP or GDRFA Dubai, or via a UAE-based airline, hotel or licensed travel agent — embassies do not issue tourist visas. Stays run from 30 to 180 days depending on your passport and visa type. Fees are quoted per service on the ICP and GDRFA-D websites, not as one flat price.
Visa exemption rules
Our official archive does not publish a list of nationalities that may enter the UAE visa-free. They only note that some travellers qualify for visa-free entry or a visa on arrival, and that everyone else needs a tourist visa. our archive are thin on this topic.
- Some travellers are eligible for visa-free entry or a visa on arrival, which the sources acknowledge without itemising nationalities.[2]
- If the visa-free and visa-on-arrival routes do not apply to you, you must obtain a tourist visa before travelling.[2]
Duration of stay
How long you may stay depends on your nationality and visa type. archived figures run from 30 days for GCC residents' entry permits to 90 or 180 days for tourist and medical visas. The multi-entry tourist visa allows 90 days per visit, extendable by another 90 days.
- A GCC resident's entry permit is valid 30 days from issue, allows 30 days from entry, and can be extended once for 30 days.[2]
- The 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa is open to all nationalities, allows 90 days per visit and is extendable by 90 more.[2]
- GDRFA Dubai issues medical visas for 90 or 180 days, for single or multiple entries.[5]
- Eligible categories can extend their entry permit through the ICP extension service.[1]
- The 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa documents include a UAE-valid health insurance policy valid for 180 days.[2]
General information
This material is mostly navigation and pointer text rather than visitor rules. It directs travellers to official channels for answers. our archive are thin here.
- Official answers on visas and Emirates ID are published on the ICP and u.ae websites.[10]
e-Visa & travel authorisation
The archived e-Visa material describes one category in detail: residents of other GCC countries and their companions, who must apply online and hold approval before arrival. Beyond that, the sources only say that travellers not eligible for visa-free entry or a visa on arrival need a tourist visa.
- GCC residents and their companions must apply online for a visa and obtain it before arriving in the UAE.[2]
- Their GCC residency must be valid for at least one year from the date of arrival.[2]
- The applicant's profession must appear on the approved list, subject to evaluation by the relevant authority.[2]
- GCC-resident entry permits are issued by ICP, or by GDRFA Dubai for Dubai.[2]
Required documents
The archived documents material is thin and largely concerns residence categories rather than visitors. No document checklist for tourist visas is given. The one clear visitor-facing item is a warning to verify travel agents before sharing documents.
- Verify that any travel agent is genuine before paying or sending copies of official documents, and ask the UAE embassy to help check.[2]
- The sources state that documents are needed to process a medical entry permit but do not list which ones.[5]
Fees
No single visa price appears in the archived material; fees are quoted per service card on the ICP and GDRFA-D websites. Overstaying does attract a fine, payable through official channels. A bank-balance figure is mentioned without saying which visa it applies to.
- Visa charges are stated on each service card on the ICP and GDRFA-D websites rather than as a single published fee.[6]
- Overstaying carries a fine, payable through the ICP violation-fine service or GDRFA Dubai fine collection.[6]
- The sources mention a bank balance of USD 4,000 or equivalent held over the last six months, without tying it to a specific visa.[2]
- The fees material also covers rules for modifying visa status and warns about labour and visa fraud.[6]
How to apply
Tourist visa applications can be made online through ICP or GDRFA Dubai, or through airlines, hotels and licensed travel agents. UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas, so a UAE-based sponsor of your application must file it for you. This route is for travellers who are not eligible for visa-free entry or a visa on arrival.
- Apply for a tourist visa online through ICP or GDRFA Dubai, or through an airline, licensed travel agent or hotel.[2]
- UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas; a UAE-based airline, tour agency or hotel applies on your behalf.[2]
- A tourist visa is meant for travellers who are not eligible for visa on arrival or visa-free entry.[2]
- An entry permit can be issued for a set period for tourism, a visit or treatment, or to complete residence procedures.[1]
At the border
The archived arrival material is very thin. The only practical rule is the transit-visa requirement for travellers who want to leave the airport. The remaining items are disclaimers and news items.
- If you are not eligible for visa-free entry or a visa on arrival and intend to leave the airport, you need a pre-arranged transit visa.[7]
- Visa holders staying in emirates outside Dubai deal with ICP rather than GDRFA Dubai.[9]
Notices & things to watch
The archived notices are dominated by a fraud warning from ICP. Travellers are told to use only official channels for services and information, because its name and logo are being misused in fake calls and counterfeit websites.
- ICP warns that fraudsters misuse its name and logo in fake calls and counterfeit websites to steal personal data.[1]
- Obtain services and information only through official channels such as the ICP smart services platform and the UAEICP app.[1]
Legal basis
The only legal reference archived is the Executive Regulations of the Federal Decree-Law on Entry and Residence of Foreigners, approved by the UAE Cabinet. It underpins the visa rules described elsewhere on this page.
- The UAE Cabinet approved the Executive Regulations of the Federal Decree-Law on Entry and Residence of Foreigners, which governs entry and residence.[3]
Frequently asked questions
The archived FAQ material is a mix of unanswered questions and pointers to where visas can be arranged. It confirms that licensed UAE travel agents and hotels can apply for a tourist visa for you, and suggests approaching agencies in your own country for packages.
- Licensed UAE travel agents and hotels can arrange a tourist visa if you buy your ticket through them and keep a reservation with that hotel.[2]
- You can also contact travel agencies in your own country for UAE packages run with a local tour operator.[2]
- The archived text raises the question of whether you need an entry permit or visa but does not answer it.[6]
Official downloads
No attachment files were archived for this destination, so there are no downloadable forms or guides to list.
No official attachments were archived for this destination. In most cases applications here are fully online - check the official portal for any documents you need to supply.
Official sources
The sources are official ICP and u.ae pages, but much of the archived text covers residence, student and citizen services, so coverage of visitor visas is patchy.
Numbers match the markers in the text above; click a marker to jump here. Groups are collapsed by domain - click a heading to expand. A source cited more than once keeps a single number.
u.ae7 URLs · cited 30 times
- 2u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/Types-of-visas/tourist-visacited 19×
- 3u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/Types-of-visas/golden-visa
- 5u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/Types-of-visas/patient-and-companion-entry-permitscited 2×
- 6u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/Visa-information/visa-feescited 4×
- 7u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/Types-of-visas/transit-visacited 2×
- 9u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/emirates-id
- 10u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/faqs-about-visa-and-emirates-id
icp.gov.ae1 URL · cited 4 times
- 1icp.gov.ae/encited 4×
Popularity rank #19 (score 28.0). This page was written by an AI from the official material listed above and adds no facts from outside it; visa rules change, so always confirm on the official portal before you apply.