The key facts
- Visa services have been consolidated on the Visit Dubai platform: one window instead of multiple websites and government departments
- Visa services are consolidated on the Visit Dubai platform: a single window instead of multiple websites and agencies
- Fees: from 200 dirhams for a 30-day single-entry visa to 500 dirhams for a 60-day multiple-entry one (excluding VAT)
- Fees: from AED 200 for a 30-day single-entry visa to AED 500 for a 60-day multiple-entry visa (excluding VAT)
- The five-year multiple-entry visa does not require a sponsor, but a bank statement showing a balance of at least $4,000 over six months is needed
Strategy: one window and bonuses for returning
Dubai is simplifying entry for foreign tourists and introducing incentives for repeat trips, seeking to strengthen its position as a global tourist and business destination. Dubai's Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed announced on 2 November a strategy that includes a loyalty programme for repeat visitors and the integration of more visa services into Visit Dubai — the city's official tourism platform. The National reports this.
Which visas are available through Visit Dubai
Through the platform, applicants can apply for single-entry and multiple-entry tourist visas, as well as long-term multiple-entry visas; additional categories are expected in the future. The services are available through a single channel, without switching between multiple websites, apps and government departments. The platform also provides information and tools for every stage of the trip — from exploring attractions to buying tickets and planning itineraries. At the same time, the website redirects applicants to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), which remains responsible for processing applications and issuing visas.
Types, fees and requirements
30-day and 60-day single-entry visas are available (after leaving the UAE, re-entry on them is not possible), as well as multiple-entry visas for the same periods. According to the GDRFA, the fees are 200 dirhams ($54.46) for a 30-day visa and 300 dirhams for a 60-day one, 300 dirhams for a 30-day multiple-entry visa and 500 dirhams for a 60-day multiple-entry visa — excluding VAT and service fees. Such visas must be sponsored or arranged by a UAE-based company or a licensed travel agency, not by a private individual. Required documents: a passport valid for at least six months, a recent photo on a white background, a confirmed return or transit ticket and valid medical insurance; at the border, travellers may be asked for accommodation booking details and additional documents depending on their nationality.
Five-year visa and other categories
For frequent visitors there is a five-year multiple-entry tourist visa: each trip is usually limited to 90 days, with the option to extend by another 90 days, provided the total stay does not exceed 180 days per year. It does not require a sponsor from the UAE, but a bank statement showing a balance of at least $4,000 (or the equivalent) over the previous six months is needed, along with insurance, a passport and a return ticket. In addition to tourist visas, there are visas for visiting relatives and friends (the sponsoring resident must earn at least 4,000 dirhams per month for first-degree relatives, 8,000 for second and third degree, and 15,000 for friends), visas for AI specialists, entertainment, event and maritime tourist visas for those arriving on cruise ships.
Visa-free entry and visa on arrival
Citizens of Gulf countries enter the UAE without a visa, more than 80 nationalities are eligible for a visa on arrival, and citizens of a number of countries — including the EU, the UK, the US, China, Australia and Japan — enjoy visa-free entry. Depending on nationality, stays of 30 or 90 days are permitted. There are also transit visas for 48 or 96 hours. In June, the UAE granted a visa on arrival to citizens of six countries residing abroad: Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa — for 14 or 60 days, provided they hold a valid residence permit from the US, an EU country, the UK, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand or Canada.
