Over 70 nationalities do not require a UAE or Dubai tourist visa to enter the UAE or Dubai. Rest must obtain a prearranged UAE tourist visa through a UAE-based sponsor.
A UAE tourist visa can only be applied for through a sponsor. Any UAE-based airline, hotel, company, Emirate national or UAE resident can sponsor your UAE tourist visa.
Thankfully, all UAE or Dubai tourist visas are e-visas. You can apply online and receive the e-visa in the email.
Indian nationals with a valid US visa or a residence permit from the US, UK or EU can get a Visa on Arrival at all international airports.
The passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of arrival
NOTE
UAE immigration refers to VISA-EXEMPT as VISA ON ARRIVAL. But you will not fill out any forms, pay any fee or receive any visa sticker or print, so in my opinion, it’s VISA EXEMPTION.
* Must hold a valid visa from the US or a residence permit from the US, UK or any EU country.
UAE immigration refers to VISA-EXEMPTION as VISA ON ARRIVAL. But you will not fill out any forms, pay any fee or receive any visa sticker or print. When you arrive at the airport, you will head straight to the immigration and present your passport. You will be stamped and given entry. Therefore, in my opinion, it’s a VISA EXEMPTION and hence we will refer to it as a VISA EXEMPTION.
30 to 180 days depending on the nationality.
All you need is your passport.
UAE Visa on Arrival is available for Indian passport holders with a valid visa from the US or a residence permit from the US, UK or any EU country.
Only INDIAN passport holders with a valid US visa, US green card or residence permit from the UK or any EU country are eligible to obtain UAE Visa on Arrival.
UAE Visa on Arrival is valid for 14 days. It’s possible to extend it once for another 14 days.
You can stay up to 14 days in the UAE with your Visa on Arrival. You can extend your visa for another 14 days at any AMER center in UAE. In that case, you can stay a total of 28 days in the UAE.
You need the following documentation to obtain a UAE Visa on Arrival.
Visa on Arrival fee varies from 105-140 AED depending on the airport.
Since it’s only Indian passport holders with a US visa, US green card or a residence permit from the UK or EU country, there will not be many in the line. So the Visa on Arrival process wouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
UAE Visa on Arrival for Indian passport holders is outsourced to certain travel agencies.
If arriving at Sharjah airport, you must stop by the Sharjah Airport Travel Agency (SATA) desk to fill out the form, get your documents verified and pay the visa fee.
If arriving at Dubai airport, you must stop by the Marhaba Services desk to get your documents verified and pay the visa fee.
If arriving at Abu Dhabi airport, you must head straight to the immigration check. The immigration officer will verify your passport, and visa/residence permit and accept the visa fee payment.
A UAE or Dubai tourist visa can only be applied through a UAE-based sponsor or an authorized agent. A sponsor can be a UAE-based airline, UAE-based hotel, UAE national or resident, UAE-based company or government entity or a UAE-based tour operator.
The sponsor is responsible for your actions in the UAE. If you overstay your visa, the sponsor is held responsible and will face consequences by the government of UAE.
A UAE-based sponsor is mandatory for all UAE tourist visas. Your sponsor is responsible for all your actions while you are in the UAE. They must make sure you leave the country in time without overstaying your visa. If you don’t know anyone personally in the UAE, you can use either your airline, hotel or tour agent for your visa processing.
It’s silly to still use sponsors in this day and age. The sponsor model is an old model and many countries are moving away from such ways of visa processing. But countries such as UAE, Singapore, etc. are still stuck with this visa model.
If you don’t have a sponsor, you can use a UAE-authorized agent to apply for your UAE tourist visa. There are a bazillion agents these days processing UAE tourist visas, including VFS Global.
Thanks to the internet, you can apply for a UAE tourist visa through an agent completely online in the comfort of your home. All you need is a scanned copy of your Passport ID page and a digital passport-size photo.
The fee, documentation and processing time vary by agent. Local agents in your country are usually cheaper but you must do your due diligence on their authenticity, hidden charges and processing time before applying through them.
My preferred agent for UAE or Dubai tourist visas is Etihad Airways. I usually prefer a reputed international agent, so I went with Etihad Airways. They only act as an agent for your visa and you don’t have to fly with Etihad Airways. You can fly with any budget airline and travel to/from any international airport in the UAE.
Other agents that you can use and their fee for a UAE 30-day single-entry tourist visa is below.
IMPORTANT
Some agents will charge a security deposit which will be refunded to you on your exit from the UAE. So do your due diligence before applying for your UAE tourist visa with any of the above agents.
I have a detailed article on how to apply for a UAE or Dubai tourist visa online with Etihad Airways. Follow the article for step-by-step instructions on how to apply for your UAE tourist visa.
Below are some of the different types of tourist visas available.
Most tourists usually need a 30-day single-entry tourist visa. It’s also the cheapest of all types of tourist visas. The procedure to apply for any of the above types of visas is pretty much the same, except for the fee.
All UAE tourist visas are valid for 60 days within which you must enter the UAE. Then depending on your visa, you will be given that many days of permission to stay in the UAE.
For example, if you hold a 30-day single-entry tourist visa, your visa will be valid for 60 days. You can enter the UAE anytime within that 60 days. When you enter, immigration will give you 30 days to stay in the UAE.
You can apply for your UAE visit visa as early as possible. But apply at least 5 working days prior to your trip. Processing can take time and some agents require up to 10 working days to process.
You can stay up to 30 days or 90 days depending on your visa. You can also extend the visas within the UAE for an additional 30 days or 90 days.
Usually, you will need the following documents.
After you arrive at the airport, walk towards passport control and baggage claim.
If you hold an Indian passport and are planning to obtain a UAE Visa on Arrival, head to the following visa agent desk for your Visa on Arrival process. Once your Visa on Arrival is processed head to the immigration.
At the immigration, present your passport, boarding pass and Visa on Arrival fee receipt (if you hold an India passport and obtained Visa on Arrival) or your Dubai visit visa print.
The officers may ask you a few questions about your trip such as whether it’s your first time in UAE, how long you will stay, etc. You may be asked to show your return/onward ticket and your hotel booking.
If you are traveling on a one-way ticket, you can use OnwardTicket to get proof of an onward ticket.
UAE airports have automated passport controls when leaving the country. You will simply arrive at one of the automated passport control kiosks, scan your passport and follow the voice instructions. When the voice says move forward and face the camera, you will do so. Then the exit gate will open and you will exit. No exit stamp is given.
If you are having any issues with automated passport controls, you will be sent to a manned passport control counter.
A UAE or Dubai tourist visa is not required for 0ver 70 nationalities. Other nationalities must obtain a prearranged UAE tourist visa through a UAE-based sponsor or authorized agent.
All UAE or Dubai tourist visas are e-visas. You can apply online with your preferred agent and receive the e-visa in the email.
Indian nationals with a valid US visa or a residence permit from the US, UK or EU can get a Visa on Arrival at all international airports.
WRITTEN BY THIRUMAL MOTATI
Thirumal Motati is an expert in tourist visa matters. He has been traveling the world on tourist visas for more than a decade. With his expertise, he has obtained several tourist visas, including the most strenuous ones such as the US, UK, Canada, and Schengen, some of which were granted multiple times. He has also set foot inside US consulates on numerous occasions. Mr. Motati has uncovered the secrets to successful visa applications. His guidance has enabled countless individuals to obtain their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. His statements have been mentioned in publications like Yahoo, BBC, The Hindu, and Travel Zoo.
I highly recommend using these websites to plan your trip. I use these websites myself to apply for my visas, book my flights and hotels and purchase my travel insurance.
Get a verifiable flight itinerary for your visa application from DummyTicket247. DummyTicket247 is a flight search engine to search and book flight itineraries for visas instantly. These flight itineraries are guaranteed to be valid for 2 weeks and work for all visa applications.
Find the cheapest flight tickets using Skyscanner. Skyscanner includes all budget airlines and you are guaranteed to find the cheapest flight to your destination.
Book your hotel from Booking.com. Booking.com has pretty much every hotel, hostel and guesthouse from every destination.
If traveling on a one-way ticket, use BestOnwardTicket to get proof of onward ticket for just $12, valid for 48 hours.
Purchase travel medical insurance for your trip from HeyMondo. HeyMondo offers a 5% discount to Visa Traveler readers (use the link above), and covers all medical and travel emergencies during your trip.
Need more? Check out my travel resources page for the best websites to plan your trip.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
We are not affiliated with immigration, embassies or governments of any country. The content in this article is for educational and general informational purposes only, and shall not be understood or construed as, visa, immigration or legal advice. Your use of information provided in this article is solely at your own risk and you expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this article as a substitute for professional visa or immigration advice. Under no circumstance shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damage you may suffer in respect to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the information in this article. Please refer to our full disclaimer for further information.
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