UAE Visas
Before you travel to the UAE, please check your visa requirements and make sure you have a valid visa if needed. Holders of non-standard passports and travel documents may also have different entry requirements: find out if you need to apply for a visa.
As of 29 April 2016, GCC residence permit holders will need to apply for a UAE visa before arriving in Dubai.
Visas on arrival
(A) If your country of nationality appears on the list below, no advance visa arrangements are required to visit the UAE. Simply disembark your flight at Dubai International Airport and proceed to Immigration, where your passport will be stamped with a 30-days visit visa free of charge.
- Andorra
- Australia
- Brunei
- Canada
- People’s Republic of China
- Hong Kong
- Ireland
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- San Marino
- Singapore
- South Korea
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- Vatican City
(B) If your country of nationality appears on the list below, your passport will be stamped with a multiple entry 90-days visit visa that’s valid for 6 months from the date of issue, and for a stay of 90 days in total.
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Seychelles
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
Citizens of the European countries listed above are also entitled to apply for a paid pre-arranged visit visa if the ‘on arrival 90-days visa’ has been fully utilized, or if they wish to use the pre-arranged visa.
Apply and pay for your UAE visa online
Nationals of countries requiring a prearranged UAE visa can now apply and pay for their visas online through emirates.com.
If you are travelling to or stopping over in Dubai with Emirates, you can submit an application and receive your UAE visa entirely online – without having to submit your passport for stamping.
You can apply for your UAE visa through our Manage a booking tool after booking your Emirates flight. Go to Manage a booking.
The online visa application service is available for residents and nationals of many countries around the world: find out if you can apply for a UAE visa (Opens in a new window).
Applicants’ passports must have at least six months’ validity as of their date of travel to Dubai, and must be machine readable passports – handwritten passports are not accepted.
This service is only available to passengers with a confirmed Emirates booking where an Emirates eticket has already been issued and the flight itinerary already includes the desired time in Dubai. Note that any itineraries including any flights to or from Dubai on other carriers are not eligible for the online visa service.
A minimum of four international working days prior to arrival in Dubai is required, however Emirates does recommend that online applications are made as early as possible. Visas issued through this service are available for a period of stay in Dubai of 96 hours, 30 days or 90 days. Once approved, any visa cannot be extended beyond the original period of stay.
Other ways to apply
If you have a family member or near relative who is a UAE resident, they can apply for a visa on your behalf. Please note that this service is only available to residents of the UAE: for more information please see details on the UAE site.
Dubai Immigration Procedures
As an added security measure, Immigration Authorities at Dubai International Airport are now conducting random eye screening for visitors to Dubai.
Visitors asked to proceed for eye screening are required to present a hard copy of their visa or a printed version of the visa number confirmation page at the screening counter. If you do not have a copy with you, a charge of AED 30 per copy applies – payable only in AED.
Please read more here.