Entry Visa & Stay

Immigration Law of The UAE

A visa allows entry into the UAE for short or temporary periods although some of these periods are renewable. Below are the types of visas one can attain before entering the country and depending on their purpose of entry as established in Article 8 of the Immigration Law which states that “Any entry permit or visa shall state the purpose of entry into the country.”

Types of Visas

Tourist Visa Transit Visa Visit Visa
Multiple Entry Visa Residence Visa 96-hour Transit Visa
14-transit Visa 60-day renewable Visa

Importantly, for applying for any visa or permit, it is necessary to attain the sponsorship of either a UAE resident or other legal entities such as corporations (employers) or hotels. If a hotel or a resident of UAE is sponsoring the visa or permit, they would usually deposit the visa at the airport for collecting the permission upon arrival.
The UAE bodies, which are responsible for issuing visas and permits to foreigners wishing to enter the UAE, are the Naturalization and Immigration Administration, the International Airport Authority of any member emirate and any other institute selected for this purpose by the Ministry of Interior.

Different Types of Dubai Visas – All you need to know

To enter Dubai, you need to apply for a visa. However, there are several types of visas available and you need to know the difference between them to be able to apply for the right one. Here we rounded up the different types of visas you can apply for when travelling to Dubai.

30 DAYS TOURIST VISA

The 30 days tourist visa is valid for 58 days to use from its issue date and it only gives you access to visit Dubai for 30 days from the date of entry. A refundable security deposit will have to be paid with the amount of USD 272.5 + Taxes making the total cost of the visa USD 430.25. This visa is usually processed within 3-4 days; however, the express tourist visa is processed within 48 hours with a total cost of USD 453.85. To apply for this type of visa, you have to submit Passport Bio Data Page, Passport Last Page, Photograph, and Proof of Residence (only if the country of residence isn’t the country of present nationality) as well as Additional Documents for High-Risk Countries.

96 HOURS TRANSIT VISA

This visa is valid for 30 days to use from its issue date and it only gives you access to visit Dubai for 96 hours from the date of entry. A refundable security deposit will have to be paid with the amount of USD 272.5 + Taxes making the total cost of the visa USD 406.25. Processes also within 3-4 working days, the express 96 hours transit visa is processed within 48 hours with a total cost of USD 429.85. The application process requirements are pretty much the same as the 30 days tourist visa where it will require Passport Bio Data Page, Passport Last Page, Photograph, and Proof of Residence (only if the country of residence isn’t the country of present nationality) as well as Additional Documents for High-Risk Countries.

90 DAYS VISIT VISA

The 90 days tourist visa is valid for 58 days to use from its issue date and it only gives you access to visit Dubai for 90 days from the date of entry. A refundable security deposit will have to be paid with the amount of USD 272.5 + Taxes making the total cost of the visa USD 529.86. This visa is usually processed within 3-4 days; however, the express tourist visa is processed within 48 hours with a total cost of USD 553.46. To apply for this type of visa, you have to submit Passport Bio Data Page, Passport Last Page, Photograph, and Proof of Residence (only if the country of residence isn’t the country of present nationality) as well as Additional Documents for High-Risk Countries.

EVISA

Dubai visitors can apply for an online visa which upon its approval, will be sent to the applicant registered email. UAE nationals, Expatriate residents in UAE, GCC nationals living in the UAE, Residents of GCC and Visitors can all apply for entry permit/visit visa for themselves, families, friends and relatives as well as workers. The fees for the eVisa are worth 68.61 USD. For GCC residents, their GCC Residency must be valid at least 3 months from arrival date. Also, “GCC Citizen – Accompanies” won’t be approved for any family member or assistant categories if the sponsor is not travelling along with them.

MULTI-ENTRY LONG TERM VISA: 90 DAYS

Unlike the eVisa, this one here is valid for 58 days from the date of issue and the duration of stay is limited to 90 days from the date of first entry into the UAE. The fees for this visa including the refundable security deposit are USD 824.77 and it is usually processed within 3-4 days. To apply for this type of visa, you have to submit Passport Bio Data Page, Passport Last Page, Photograph, and Proof of Residence (only if the country of residence isn’t the country of present nationality) as well as Additional Documents for High-Risk Countries.