Do I need a visa for Dubai?

It depends on your passport. GCC citizens need no visa. Citizens of a number of countries get a visa on arrival. Everyone else needs a tourist visa issued before travelling; GDRFA Dubai lists 48 hours to process a single-entry tourist visa. Whatever your route, your passport must be valid for at least six months from entry.

This page is general information, not advice on an individual case. Visa rules and fees change, and the issuing authority’s decision on your application is what counts.

Which of the four situations are you in?

Check your nationality first

The UAE government portal says the list of visa-on-arrival countries “may vary from time to time”. Check your passport on Visit Dubai’s visa checker (choose your nationality and “Tourism”), with your airline, or with the UAE embassy in your country before you book.

There is also a separate entry scheme for some nationals who hold residence elsewhere. In June 2026 the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) extended it to nationals of Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa, joining India, provided they hold a valid residence permit from the United States, an EU member state, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand or Canada. ICP lists a 14-day visa at AED 100, extendable once, and a 60-day single-entry visa at AED 250 that cannot be extended.

If you need a visa before you travel

1. Choose a channel. Tourist visas are processed through ICP, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai), UAE airlines such as Emirates, Etihad and flydubai, licensed travel agents, or your hotel.
2. Do not go to the embassy. The UAE’s embassies do not issue tourist visas.
3. Pick the length. GDRFA Dubai issues single-entry tourist visas for 30 or 60 days.
4. Prepare documents (next section) and apply online; GDRFA’s channels run 24/7.
5. Allow time. GDRFA lists 48 hours to process.

Documents you will need

• A passport valid for at least six months from the date you enter the UAE, and a copy of it
• One recent personal photo
• For nationals of Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, the national identity card
• Health insurance valid in the UAE, and a return or onward ticket, which ICP lists among its visa requirements

What it costs: a worked example

GDRFA Dubai publishes these fee lines for a single-entry tourist visa:

If the applicant is already inside the UAE, GDRFA lists an inside-country fee of AED 500. Airlines, agents and hotels may add their own service charge, so ask for the full total before paying.

Only changing planes?

If you stay inside the airport, you do not need a visa. If you want to step out and are not eligible for a visa on arrival, you need a pre-arranged transit visa for 48 or 96 hours. It is sponsored by the UAE airline you are flying with, or arranged through a travel agency or an airport hotel, and must be approved before you arrive. It is single-entry and cannot be extended.

Coming back often, or visiting family

A five-year multiple-entry tourist visa is open to all nationalities. Each visit can last 90 days, extendable once for 90 more. You need a bank balance of US$4,000 or its equivalent over the last six months, health insurance valid in the UAE, and a return ticket.

GCC residents applying for the eVisa need residence that is valid for at least one year from arrival, a passport valid for six months, and a profession on the approved list.

If a relative who lives in Dubai is sponsoring you, read the Dubai visit visa for relatives.

Do not overstay

ICP lists a fine of AED 50 for each day you stay beyond your visa. Our guide to UAE overstay fines explains how it is settled.

Frequently asked questions

Can a UAE embassy give me a tourist visa?

No. The UAE’s embassies do not issue tourist visas.

How long does a Dubai tourist visa take?

GDRFA Dubai lists 48 hours for a single-entry tourist visa.

Is a passport with five months left enough?

No. It must be valid for at least six months from your date of entry.

Can I extend a transit visa?

No. Transit visas are single-entry and cannot be extended.

Do GCC residents need a visa?

If their nationality does not already qualify for a visa on arrival, they apply for the GCC residents’ eVisa before travelling.

The full picture is in our Dubai visa guide. Once the visa is sorted, see what a taxi from the airport costs, what to wear and first time in Dubai.

Rewritten on 24 September 2026 against the official pages listed below. Visa rules change; the official pages win over this one. See our editorial policy.